England under-20s opened up the international weekend with four Senior Academy members playing for Alan Dickens’ side when they took on Italy under-20s at Kingsholm Stadium.
Monty Bradbury started at fly-half and was joined on the field by Chandler Cunningham-South at number eight for the Under-20 Six Nations game, with Calum Scott (hooker) and Afolabi Fasogbon (prop) replacements.
The home outfit maintained their 100% record after an entertaining 41-36 win over Scotland at the Twickenham Stoop last week, running in five tries in the West Country to take a 32-25 victory over Italy.
Bradbury chipped in with another try assist from his boot for Rekeiti Ma'asi-White’s score, also registering five tackles (joint-highest amongst England backs for a second week running), 20 passes, breaking two tackles and averaging six metres per carry.
Cunningham-South made it two tries in as many under-20 appearances this year with another five pointer, also making 21 metres with ball in hand, 11 tackles and breaking a tackle.
25 minutes each as finishers saw more Irish influence to conclude the game; Scott making three tackles whilst Fasogbon earned his first try at under-20 level, an impressive feature that included 31 metres from two ball involvements and winning a turnover.
Ben White started back-to-back games for Scotland for the first time, as he and Gregor Townsend's side picked up a 35-7 win over Wales.
White broke two tackles and put in four tackles of his own, making 26 metres and passing 48 times as the Thistle lifted the Doddie Weir Cup at BT Murrayfield.
Four more Exiles were involved in international action this weekend, the quadruple taking to the same field as Henry Arundell and Ollie Hassell-Collins of England encountered Italians Danilo Fischetti and Luca Morisi.
The Round 2 Guinness Six Nations match saw Hassell-Collins make consecutive starts from the left wing, going up against counterparts Fischetti and Morisi.
England would get their first win of this year’s Championship, taking a 19-0 lead into the break before finishing up 31-14 at Twickenham Stadium.
In 54 minutes of pitch time, Hassell-Collins would make 17 metres from two carries and four tackles, including a try-saving stoppage, before being replaced by Clubmate and Academy graduate, Arundell.
The outside back made his Twickenham debut and first tournament appearance, making sure it was a memorable one with another try whilst wearing the Rose to round off the game in the 70th minute.
The score means that Arundell has dotted down twice in 55 minutes of senior international rugby, an incredible record that was further complemented on the afternoon with 12 metres made from to carries and two tackles.
Conversely, for the Azzurri, Fischetti and Morisi managed a double-figure tackle count (10 each), with the centre registering 27 metres gained in possession.
Congratulations to our international Exiles!
