Six Chiefs in Match Squad for England U20s Against Bath United

Six Exeter Chiefs players will represent England U20s against Bath United at the Recreation Ground this Friday evening.

Nick Lilley, Nic Allison and Kane James will all start for the age-grade side with Louie Gulley, Ben Coen and Campbell Ridl named on the bench by head coach Mark Mapletoft and assistant coach Andy Titterrell.

The Men’s Pathway team will take on Friday’s hosts at the Recreation Ground (19:15 kick-off) in an uncapped fixture ahead of the upcoming 2025 U20 Six Nations campaign.

Harlequins scrum-half Lucas Friday will lead out Mapletoft’s squad as captain for the first time this weekend. The Trinity School graduate made an impact in an U20 shirt in last year’s World Rugby U20 Championship winning campaign, since earning his Gallagher Premiership and Premiership Rugby Cup debuts for his club.

Friday is one of three changes to the England backline that defeated Cambridge Rugby 59-33 in Bedford last week, with Sale Sharks’ Ollie Davies partnering the former in the half-backs and Nick Lilley joining Exeter Chiefs clubmate Nic Allison in midfield.

2024 World Rugby U20 Championship winners Vilikesa Sela (Bath Rugby), Olamide Sodeke (Saracens) and Junior Kpoku (Racing 92) earn starting berths as three of four alterations to the pack alongside Bath Rugby’s Kepu Tuipulotu starting at hooker.

Mark Mapletoft said: “This week, preparations have begun to accelerate with the Six Nations over the horizon, but our focus fully remains on the task at hand at The Rec. The game will be the perfect preparation in our approach for a big occasion under the lights.

“With our Brotherhood expanding in numbers this week, we’re excited to have Archie [McParland] and Junior [Kpoku] join the team ahead of a busy period. Their experience will be invaluable to their teammates and they’re keen to stake their claim in an extremely competitive environment.

“The relentlessness that characterised the boys’ performance against Cambridge is what we’ll continue to we demand this week and then into the Six Nations. Their performance exceeded expectations, and we want more of the same this Friday.”

England U20s:

15 Jack Kinder (Leicester Tigers, Silhillians RUFC, uncapped)

14 Jack Bracken (Saracens, Barnet Elizabethans, 5 caps)

13 Nick Lilley (Exeter Chiefs, Ivybridge RFC, uncapped)

12 Nic Allison (Exeter Chiefs, Bishops Diocesan College, uncapped)

11 Charlie Griffin (Bath Rugby, Rosslyn Park, uncapped)

10 Ollie Davies (Sale Sharks, Macclesfield Rugby Club, uncapped)

9 Lucas Friday (c) (Harlequins, Bromley RFC, 6 caps)

1 Oli Scola (Northampton Saints, Old Northamptonians RFC, uncapped)

2 Kepu Tuipulotu (Bath Rugby, Cwmbran RFC, uncapped)

3 Vilikesa Sela (Bath Rugby, Royal Wootton Bassett RFC, 9 caps)

4 Olamide Sodeke (Saracens, Blackheath Rugby Club, 11 caps)

5 Junior Kpoku (Racing 92, Saracens Amateurs, 11 caps)

6 George Timmins (Bath Rugby, Market Harborough RUFC, 2 caps)

7 Sam Williams (Leicester Tigers, Nottingham Corsairs RFC, uncapped)

8 Kane James (Exeter Chiefs, St. Peter’s RFC, 9 caps)

Replacements:

16 Louie Gulley (Exeter Chiefs, Crediton RFC, uncapped)

17 Ralph McEachran (Sale Sharks, Guildford RFC, uncapped)

18 Tye Raymont (Sale Sharks, West Park Leeds RFC, uncapped)

19 Tom Burrow (Sale Sharks, Morley RUFC, uncapped)

20 Aiden Ainsworth-Cave (Northampton Saints, Bedford Junior Blues, uncapped)

21 Jos Gilmore (Sale Sharks, Sandbach RUFC, uncapped)

22 Reggie Hammick (Saracens, Saints Rugby Peregian, uncapped)

23 Dom Hanson (Sale Sharks, Stockport RFC, uncapped)

24 Ben Coen (Exeter Chiefs, Teignmouth RFC, 5 caps)

25 Campbell Ridl (Exeter Chiefs, Sharks, uncapped)

26 Toby Wilson (Sale Sharks, Macclesfield RUFC, uncapped)

27 Josh Bellamy (Harlequins, Rosslyn Park, 10 caps)