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England U20s make 6 changes for Junior Springboks clash, with famous name omitted
By Jon Newcombe
England U20 head coach Mark Mapletoft has handed first starts of the tournament to six players and made two positional alterations to his XV for Friday’s match against the Junior Springboks at the Stadio Mario Battaglini, Rovigo, as the defending U20 champions look to make it two wins from two.
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Jack Bracken, who scored twice in last Sunday’s 56-19 opening-day win over Scotland in Verona, switches to the left wing after Tyler Offiah was left out of the matchday 23. Co-captain Ben Redshaw slots into the No.11 jersey, while Josh Bellamy completes the back three after a strong display against Scotland.
The other change to the backline comes at inside centre, where Nic Allison of Exeter Chiefs starts alongside his club teammate, Nick Lilley. Another Chief, Ben Coen, will again be dictating play at 10 in an unchanged half-back partnership with scrum-half Jonny Weimann.
In the pack, Ralph McEachran retains the loose-head jersey. Kepu Tuipulotu, Vilikesa Sela (both Bath) join him in the front row as they earn their first starts in this year’s competition, as does Saracens lock Olamide Sodeke. Co-captain Tom Burrow moves from four to five to accommodate his arrival.
Former U18 and U19 captain Connor Treacey makes his tournament debut as blindside flanker, replacing his suspended Bath teammate, George Timmins, while Samuel Williams and Kane James go again at openside and No.8.
Sale Sharks hooker Alfie Longstaff and Saracens wing Noah Caluori could make their U20 debuts if introduced from the replacements bench.
The match will be streamed live and for free on RugbyPass TV in the UK and Ireland.
England won 17-12 when the teams met in Cape Town last year.
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“Our meeting against Scotland gave us many positive learnings and the boys adapted well to the demands of an opening fixture in the heat against a tough pack,” pathway scrum and defence coach Nathan Catt said.
“South Africa always promises to be very testing yet exciting fixture. We want our boys to commit to the moment throughout and build strongly together.
“A core principle of our campaign is to make lifelong memories through raising our levels of high performance every week, and this match will be no exception.”
England U20s vs South Africa:
15 Josh Bellamy; 14 Ben Redshaw (cc), 13 Nick Lilley, 12 Nic Allison, 11 Jack Bracken; 10 Ben Coen, 9 Jonny Weimann; 1 Ralph McEachran, 2 Kepu Tuipulotu, 3 Vilikesa Sela, 4 Olamide Sodeke, 5 Tom Burrow (cc), 6 Connor Treacey, 7 Samuel Williams, 8 Kane James.
Replacements: 16 Alfie Longstaff, 17 Oli Scola, 18 Tye Raymont, 19 Junior Kpoku, 20 Aiden Ainsworth-Cave, 21 Archie McParland, 22 Campbell Ridl, 23 Noah Caluori.
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