Every rugby supporter looks forward to the month of February, as it marks the return of the Six Nations Championship. The same anticipation applies at Under-20 level, and with only a few weeks to go before the opening round of the U20 Six Nations, England U20 have officially launched their 2025 campaign by naming an initial 32-man training squad. Gathered for a four-day camp in Portugal, this selection signals the beginning of a new cycle, with the majority of players unfamiliar with the environment following the mass departure of the 2005-born cohort, who are no longer eligible at this age grade.
A highly anticipated U20 Six Nations amid a period of transition
The U20 Six Nations will get underway in just over three weeks’ time and once again represents a cornerstone in the development of England’s future senior internationals. England will open their campaign on Friday 6 February against Wales in Northampton, before travelling north to face Scotland. They will then return home to Bath to host Ireland, before closing out the tournament with back-to-back away fixtures: first in Italy, then in France, where the final outcome of the championship could well be decided at Stade Marcel-Deflandre in La Rochelle, between the winners of the last two editions.
Beyond the fixture list, this year’s tournament carries particular significance for the coaching staff led by Andy Titterrell, as it ushers in a new generation following the departure of the 2005-born players who formed the backbone of previous campaigns. That group played a key role in the last two U20 World Championships, most notably the title-winning run in 2024. Leading figures such as Ben Redshaw, captain Tom Burrow, Kane James, Junior Kpoku and Josh Bellamy have all now moved on from the age group.
This transition inevitably brings a redistribution of responsibility. Players who featured in recent campaigns must now step into leadership roles, while a wave of talents born in 2006 and 2007 are gradually being introduced. In that context, the Portugal camp represents the first building block in this new chapter. A warm-up fixture against a necessarily reshuffled Bath United side on 24 January will provide an early opportunity to assess combinations and individual profiles, as England look to begin the tournament with as much clarity and confidence as possible.
A promising training squad blending continuity and opportunity
The group announced at this stage is a training squad, rather than a definitive Six Nations selection, but it already highlights several key trends. Of the 32 players named, seven have already been capped at U20 level, providing valuable continuity within an otherwise refreshed group.
Among them, Aiden Ainsworth-Cave, Oliver Scola and Jonny Weimann form a core of experience, particularly within a Northampton Saints contingent that is strongly represented both at senior and U20 level. Alongside them, Connor Treacey and Tyler Offiah (Bath Rugby), Ollie Streeter (Harlequins) and Will Knight (Gloucester) have already been exposed to the demands of U20 international rugby and have also featured for their respective clubs this season, to varying degrees.
That experience is further bolstered by the presence of 11 players recently involved with England U19, who recorded an emphatic 49–17 victory over Wales three weeks ago.
Another notable statistic underlines the growing maturity of this group: 23 players have already logged minutes in senior rugby, either in the Premiership or in European competition. It is a clear reflection of the accelerated pathway into professional environments for England’s brightest young prospects.
The spread of clubs represented also highlights the depth of the national talent pool. All ten Premiership clubs are included, with particularly strong contingents from Gloucester, Harlequins, Northampton Saints and Bath Rugby. A number of high-profile absentees, retained by their clubs, serve as a reminder that the squad remains fluid as the tournament approaches. This includes scrum-half Lucas Friday, who is currently featuring regularly for Harlequins in both the Premiership and Champions Cup, as well as Saracens winger Noah Caluori.
England U20 – Training Squad
Forwards
- Aiden Ainsworth-Cave (Northampton Saints, 9 caps)
- Olly Allport (Gloucester Rugby, 0 caps)
- Jonno Balding (Gloucester Rugby, 0 caps)
- George Bolam (Newcastle Red Bulls, 0 caps)
- Jerold Gorleku (Harlequins, 0 caps)
- George Marsh (Leicester Tigers, 0 caps)
- Freddie Ogden-Metherell (Gloucester Rugby, 0 caps)
- Oliver Scola (Northampton Saints, 9 caps)
- Oliver Spencer (Sale Sharks, 0 caps)
- Jimmy Staples (Harlequins, 0 caps)
- Ollie Streeter (Harlequins, 2 caps)
- Ethan Surrey (Bristol Bears, 0 caps)
- Sonny Tonga’uiha (Northampton Saints, 0 caps)
- Connor Treacey (Bath Rugby, 7 caps)
- Tate Williams (Harlequins, 0 caps)
- Harry Wright (Gloucester Rugby, 0 caps)
Backs
- Ollie Batson (Exeter Chiefs, 0 caps)
- Finlay Cunnison (Harlequins, 0 caps)
- Luke Davidson (Saracens, 0 caps)
- Kesena Izu (Leicester Tigers, 0 caps)
- Finn Keylock (Saracens, 0 caps)
- Will Knight (Gloucester Rugby, 4 caps)
- James Linegar (Bath Rugby, 0 caps)
- Henry Lumley (Northampton Saints, 0 caps)
- George Newman (Exeter Chiefs, 0 caps)
- Tyler Offiah (Bath Rugby, 3 caps)
- James Pater (Northampton Saints, 0 caps)
- Asa Stewart-Harris (Saracens, 0 caps)
- Jonny Weimann (Northampton Saints, 6 caps)
- Toby Wilson (Sale Sharks, 0 caps)
- Sam Winters (Bath Rugby, 0 caps)
- Victor Worsnip (Bristol Bears, 0 caps)
