Charlie Atkinson named in England U20 Six Nations Squad

[COYW15]

No surprise to anyone I'm sure! Well done Charlie.

https://www.wasps.co.uk/news/charlie-atkinson-named-in-england-u20-six-nations-squad/

Wasps' Charlie Atkinson has been named in the England U20 32-man Six Nations Squad.

Atkinson has impressed in the Wasps first-team this season, making 15 appearances and scoring 15 points.

That run of games has included making his Heineken Champions Cup debut against Dragons and going on to score a try and conversion against Montpellier a week later. Charlie also scored his first Gallagher Premiership try against Sale Sharks.

England men’s U20 head coach Alan Dickens has named his squad for the 2021 Six Nations Championship to take place in Cardiff later this month.

Speaking about the selection Dickens said: “In a challenging season the lads have been excellent and I’ve been pleased we managed to get some game time along the way.

“Obviously only 32 are fortunate to make the squad – and there have been some players missing out due to injury – but it has certainly been a wider squad effort going all the way back to November last year when we played our first north v south match at St. George’s Park.

“We’ve had a couple of camps in the last six weeks which helped bring the group together. The preparation has been good and the commitment from the players has been fantastic."

The U20s Six Nations is taking place later than usual this year with England beginning their campaign against France on 19 June, KO 5pm with details on how to watch available in due course.

Dickens can’t wait for competition time; “I’m really excited, but ultimately it’s about the players. We have a few coming back for a second year at U20s, but the rest weren’t fortunate to play at U18 level last year due to Covid.

“I’m really looking forward to them being able to put on an England shirt and represent their country which is something that a lot of them haven’t done for a long time.”

For the first time ever the U20s Six Nations will all be played at a single venue with back-to-back matches. “Staying in one hotel together for 31 days and playing at one venue will be a different experience," said Dickens, “but it’s just fantastic that we can get a competition up and running for this generation of players.”

Players and management convene in camp at Bisham Abbey on 13 June for a few days training prior to their arrival in Wales later that week for the Championship which will all take place at Cardiff Arms Park.

Dickens is ready to get going with final preparations; “As with most weeks it’s about the clarity and building into the week. We’ll be concentrating on ourselves, preparing the best we can for that first match against France.

“This competition is such a fantastic opportunity for these players to experience the Six Nations. Getting to sing the anthem at the start of the game, playing against the other nations where there is such a long proud history gives them that little bit of prep in their development.

“The players have been so good throughout this year. They’ve done really, really well in challenging circumstances and they’ve put a lot of hard work in over the last seven months.

“Opportunities haven’t been as frequent as we may have liked but at every stage they have succeeded and we just can’t wait to get out there and for the Six Nations to start.”
 
England men’s U20 squad for the 2021 Six Nations

Forwards (18)
Harvey Beaton (Saracens)
Phil Brantingham (Newcastle Falcons)
Lucas Brooke (London Irish)
Arthur Clark (Gloucester Rugby)
Jack Clement (Gloucester Rugby)
Luke Green (London Irish)
Alex Groves (Bristol Bears)
Tarek Haffar (London Irish)
Lewis Holsey (Worcester Warriors)
Ethan Hunt (Gloucester Rugby)
Emeka Ilione (Leicester Tigers)
Nahum Merigan (Bath Rugby)
Ewan Richards (Bath Rugby)
Sam Riley (Harlequins)
Ollie Stonham (Saracens)
Harry Taylor (Gloucester Rugby)
Freddie Thomas (Gloucester Rugby)
Archie Vanes (Leicester Tigers)
 
Backs (14)
Charlie Atkinson (Wasps)
Seb Atkinson (Worcester Warriors)
Deago Bailey (Bristol Bears)
Orlando Bailey (Bath Rugby)
Jack Bates (Bristol Bears)
Louis Hillman-Cooper (Gloucester Rugby)
Dan Lancaster (Leeds Tykes)
Tom Litchfield (Northampton Saints)
Tommy Mathews (Northampton Saints)
Raffi Quirke (Sale Sharks)
Arthur Relton (Exeter Chiefs)
Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks)
Fin Smith (Worcester Warriors)
Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers)
 
England men’s U20 Six Nations Fixtures (all at Cardiff Arms Park)

Saturday 19 June: England v France, KO 5pm
Friday 25 June: England v Scotland, KO 2pm
Thursday 1 July: Ireland v England, KO 8pm
Wednesday 7 July: Wales v England, KO 8pm
Tuesday 13 July: England v Italy, KO 2pm

[Trevs Big Tackle]

Congratulations Charlie! Well deserved!

Should we be a little worried we only have one player in the U20's squad?

[Neils]

Congratulations Charlie! Well deserved!

Should we be a little worried we only have one player in the U20's squad?

I wondered that. A lack of game time might impact but surely should with others.

[Horusthewasp]

Congratulations Charlie! Well deserved!

Should we be a little worried we only have one player in the U20's squad?

I wondered that. A lack of game time might impact but surely should with others.

Understand the sentiment, but don’t forget we’ve just had quite a large number of young players step up within the last 12 or so months. We’re probably just ahead of the current development cycle versus certain clubs.

Also in March we announced a new batch of senior academy lads for next season, so that should (hopefully) bear fruit next year as things return to normal and they get the game time needed.

[BrackenandMacken]

Congratulations Charlie! Well deserved!

Should we be a little worried we only have one player in the U20's squad?

I wouldn't worry too much, I believe Rob Smith has said previously that what England look at for age group representation isn't necessarily what clubs will look at when judging if a player has the ability to have a long successful premiership career.

Does it mean we are less likely to have a high number of England internationals as we haven't got players that have been 'in the system'? Maybe, however I wouldn't say that's a bad thing. Exeter, Bristol and Sale have very few England internationals and if anything that is a huge benefit to them.

[MarleyWasp]

All matches will be available of BBC iPlayer with English commentary.

[mike909]

All matches will be available of BBC iPlayer with English commentary.

Thanks, I was hoping it would be on!

[Neils]

Wonder how his new (Alfie induced) concussion will impact him having just come out of one.

[DGP Wasp]

All matches will be available of BBC iPlayer with English commentary.

Thanks, I was hoping it would be on!

However, matches are at 2, 5 and 8 pm, starting this Saturday, with 6 days between all subsequent rounds, so Fri, Thurs, Weds and Tues thereafter.  England's games against Scotland and Italy are 2pm on a weekday.  Their other 2 weekday games are thankfully at 8.

[COYW15]

Wonder how his new (Alfie induced) concussion will impact him having just come out of one.

Charlie not involved in the first game vs. France.

15 Orlando Bailey (Bath Rugby)
14 Deago Bailey (Bristol Rugby)
13 Jack Bates (Bristol Rugby)
12 Dan Lancaster (Leeds Tykes)
11 Arthur Relton (Exeter Chiefs)
10 Fin Smith (Worcester Warriors)
9 Jack van Poortvliet (Leicester Tigers)*

1 Lewis Holsey (Worcester Warriors)
2 Archie Vanes (Leicester Tigers)
3 Luke Green (London Irish)*
4 Ewan Richards (Bath Rugby)
5 Alex Groves (Bristol Bears)
6 Freddie Thomas (Gloucester Rugby)
7 Lucas Brooke (London Irish) 
8 Jack Clement (Gloucester Rugby)*

REPLACEMENTS
16 Sam Riley (Harlequins)*
17 Phil Brantingham (Newcastle Falcons)
18 Harvey Beaton (Saracens)*
19 Arthur Clark (Gloucester Rugby)
20 Emeka Ilione (Leicester Tigers)
21 Nahum Merigan (Bath Rugby)
22 Tom Carr-Smith (Bath Rugby)
23 Tommy Mathews (unattached)
24 Phil Cokanasiga (London Irish)
25 Louis Hillman-Cooper (Gloucester Rugby)
26 Tom Litchfield (Northampton Saints)

[Raggs]

Possibly due to the concussion he picked up (it was him right?).

[Neils]

Possibly due to the concussion he picked up (it was him right?).

He had concussion, came out of it and then walloped Alfie with his head - new concussion. A bit too often for a young lad.

[Rifleman Harris]

I wonder if this is connected to the longer term effects of Farrell's assault?

[hookender]

I wonder if this is connected to the longer term effects of Farrell's assault?

Can’t have helped. But it must have been quite a bang with Alfie to break bones. Guess barbs probably suffered concussion as well, but not main injury.

[Mellie]

Possibly due to the concussion he picked up (it was him right?).

He had concussion, came out of it and then walloped Alfie with his head - new concussion. A bit too often for a young lad.

Don't think Charlie's concussion was anything to do with Alfie. Maybe the same concussion protocol not passed. Charlie was not selected when Alfie was but then subsequently withdrawn after team run. A reporter put 2 and 2 together to make 5 I think.