Three points clear of France at the top of the table, Mark Mapletoft’s squad are on the cusp of age-grade Grand Slam glory for the first time since 2021.
Racing 92 flanker Junior Kpoku has been restored to the England U20 starting line-up for their U20 Six Nations encounter with Scotland in Newcastle on Friday.
England U20 head coach Mark Mapletoft has made two changes to his side for the second-round meeting with France in Bath on Friday.
Northampton Saints flanker Henry Pollock is set to start for England U20 on Thursday against Ireland U20 at Cork's Virgin Media Park in the first match of their U20 Six Nations title defence.
The defending age-grade Six Nations and World Rugby Championship holders have retained the still-underage Josh Bellamy, Jack Bracken, Ben Coen, Kane James and George Timmins while also appointing Dave Walder, the ex-Newcastle boss, as an assistant.
Mark Mapletoft’s side demonstrated their ability to squeeze teams in that last four success, holding the Irish scoreless in the second half to win 31-20 after leading 22-20 at the interval.
The reigning age-grade Six Nations champions completed their Pool C campaign with a gruelling 17-12 win over South Africa last Tuesday at Athlone.
A knock prevented Michelow from togging out for the middle game versus Fiji but he was in the thick against southern hemisphere heavyweight duo Argentina and South Africa, registering a combined total of 42 carries and 35 tackles.
The English were impressive 40-21 comeback winners over Argentina on opening day at the Championship last Saturday and coach Mark Mapletoft has decided to rotate his team for their second outing with skipper Finn Carnduff, Ollie Allan and Oli Spencer the three repeat picks.
It will be round three in Athlone on July 9 when that fancied duo – last year’s beaten semi-finalists – go head-to-head in an intriguing group that also contains a dangerous Argentina and a little known Fiji.