He was late to the Tuesday afternoon Zoom, an overrun at training pushing back the original rendezvous time, but the delay didn’t fluster him in the slightest.
Racing 92 flanker Junior Kpoku has been restored to the England U20 starting line-up for their U20 Six Nations encounter with Scotland in Newcastle on Friday.
England U20 head coach Mark Mapletoft has made two changes to his side for the second-round meeting with France in Bath on Friday.
Northampton Saints flanker Henry Pollock is set to start for England U20 on Thursday against Ireland U20 at Cork's Virgin Media Park in the first match of their U20 Six Nations title defence.
Louis Rees-Zammit's bid to make the Kansas City Chiefs' 53-man roster, or even make their practice squad, was scuppered by his inability to learn one very specific facet of American football, according to Kansas City Star journalist Jesse Newell.
The English are in Eastern Europe for a two-match rehearsal ahead of the upcoming Junior World Championship in Cape Town.
The English were denied a shot at the Grand Slam by Ireland’s last-gasp, game-levelling converted try at The Rec last Friday.
The English were 30-17 winners away to Scotland the last time out, but they have now bolstered their side with some recalls, enforced injury changes and positional switches to take on the Irish, who also go into the round four match with three wins from three so far.
While most of the focus is currently on the Rugby World Cup in France, the 2023/24 BKT United Rugby Championship season gets under way this weekend.