1st XV fly-half Jamie Benson selected for England U18s

By Josh Bartholomew

Hampton and Harlequins fly-half, Jamie Benson, has been selected for the England U18 squad. 

Despite still being an U17, Benson’s impressive performances for Hampton during the Champions Trophy cup run, as well as the starring role he’s played for Harlequins during the U18 Academy League, have caught the eye of the England selectors.

Benson, who has captained both Hampton and Harlequins’ U18 teams already, is one of only three U17s picked to train with the U18 national team. The squad will assemble over February half-term for a training camp.

Benson said: “I’m really pleased to have been selected and I am really looking forward to the camp!”

Full squad: Charlie Atkinson (Wasps & Abingdon), Seb Atkinson (Worcester Warriors & Bromsgrove), Orlando Bailey (Bath & Beechen Cliff), Deago Bailey (Bristol Bears & SGS Filton College), Fin Baxter (Harlequins & Wellington College), Oscar Beard (Harlequins & Cranleigh), Jamie Benson (Harlequins & Hampton), Corey Bowker (Sale Sharks & Kirkham GS), Phil Brantingham (Newcastle Falcons & RGS Newcastle), Sam Bryan (Saracens & Felsted), Arthur Clark (Gloucester & Hartpury College), Cassius Cleaves (Harlequins & Wellington College), Joe Elsworth (Exeter Chiefs & Exeter College), Jack Forsythe (Worcester Warriors & Warwick), Ethan Grayson (Northampton Saints & Northampton School for Boys), Ben Grubb (Exeter Chiefs & Exeter College), Tarek Haffar (London Irish & St Paul’s Catholic College), Olly Hartley (Wasps & Whitgift), Louis Hillman-Cooper (Gloucester & Cheltenham College), Emeka Ilione (Leicester Tigers & Rugby), Brandon Jackson (Saracens & Sutton Valence), Matty Jones (Gloucester & Dean Close), Will Joseph (London Irish & Millfield), Toby Knight (Saracens & Berkhamsted), Dani Long-Martinez (Northampton Saints & Norwich), Rory Morgan (London Irish & St Paul’s Catholic College), Obinna Nkwocha (Saracens & Felsted), Ethan Pearce-Cowley (Exeter Chiefs & Truro College), Marcus Rhodes (London Irish & Wellington College), Charlie Rice (Bristol Bears & SGS Filton College), Ewan Richards (Bath & Millfield), Jack Rowntree (Leicester Tigers & Leicester GS), Kit Smith (Leicester Tigers & Oakham), Tristan Smith (Saracens & Felsted), Finlay Smith (Worcester Warriors & Warwick), Ethan Staddon (Bath & Beechen Cliff), John Stewart (Bath & Beechen Cliff), George Taylor (Bristol Bears & Bristol GS), Freddie Thomas (Gloucester & Dean Close), Will Trenholm (Harlequins & Cranleigh), Andrew Turner (Bristol Bears & SGS Filton College), Joe Vajner (London Irish & Whitgift), Archie Vanes (Leicester Tigers & Brooksby Melton College), Matthew Ward (Newcastle Falcons & Gosforth Academy), TJ Whitstead (Bristol Bears & Colston’s), Ollie Wynn (Worcester Warriors & Bromsgrove)