Herts Players in Divisional Squads
UNDER-18 SQUAD
Two Hertfordshire players, Jack Knowles (Saffron Walden CHS, Bishop's Stortford & Herts)
Jake Sharp (Oaklands College, Saracens & Herts), both backs, have been named by the
The London & South East Under-18 selectors in their squad of 26 players for the Divisional Festival at Broadstreet RFC near Coventry from December 21 to 23.
The festival is part of the selection process for England's Under-18 teams taking part in this season's Home Unions and Association of European Rugby (AER) competitions.
London & South East will take on the North on December 21 (2pm) and the Midlands on December 23 (2pm). These are followed by a fixture against the South West on December 30 at Maidenhead (2pm).
UNDER-16 SQUAD
The London & South East Under-16 selectors have named a squad of 22 players for the season’s first Divisional Festival at Broadstreet RFC near Coventry on January 11-13.
Hertfordshire's Owen Farrell, of St George’s School in Harpenden, and the son of Saracens and England star Andy, is in the squad which will represent the London & South East against the Midlands (January 11) and the North (January 13).
Although positions may change, Farrell is designated in the same No.12 inside centre role as his father has filled of late for club and country.
It puts Owen in line for a second successive year of selection to the England Under-16 squad which will be chosen after the first Divisional Festival to begin preparing for the Four Nations tournament involving France, Italy and Wales in Lyon, France, in March.
The London & South East selectors have named an additional eight players including forwards Henry Fraser (Berkhamsted Collegiate, Fullerians & Herts) and
Tom Muldoon (Nower Hill High, Fullerians & Herts), to make up a squad of 30 for a final development camp at St Albans School on January 4 and 5. These eight may earn selection for the second Divisional Festival at Broadstreet on January 25-27.A final trial at St Albans School was held on December 16 and attended by the 12 selectors of the England 16 Group. Selection of players to the trial was based on grades earned in matches played by each of the eight counties in the London & South East region.
"We had a strong squad last year, in terms of England and England A representatives, and we expect it to be the same this year," said David Turner, chairman of the London & South East Under-16 selectors.