England U20 head coach Mark Mapletoft has revealed his squad to take on Scotland in Round 3 of the 2025 U20 Six Nations—and there are some fresh faces ready to make their mark.
Find your local Greene King and settle in for the 2025 Six Nations!
So far, England’s young guns have been on fire, securing a 19-3 win over Ireland in Cork and backing it up with a 27-10 victory against France in Bath.
Next up, they host Scotland at Kingston Park, Newcastle, on Friday, February 21st (kick-off 7:15 pm), with the action streaming live on BBC iPlayer.
Mapletoft’s message
“Returning from a fallow week, the mood around camp is buoyant and energetic after a good start to the tournament,” said Mapletoft. “Nevertheless, the boys are taking ownership to remain absolutely focused on another demanding evening under the lights.
“Coming to Kingston Park after seven years as an U20 Men’s team will mark this as a special occasion for all involved, but a special mention must go to Tye Raymont for his first start and to George Pearson and Campbell Ridl on their deserved first caps.”
Junior Kpoku clears eligibility hurdle
Unlike the senior setup, Junior Kpoku—who plays his club rugby in France’s Top 14 with Racing 92—is still eligible to represent England U20, giving Mapletoft another powerful option in his forward pack.
With momentum on their side and home advantage at Kingston Park, England U20 will be aiming to make it three wins from three under the Friday night lights.
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UPDATED: Foreign-born players in the 2025 Six Nations
The following breakdown, based on data compiled by Americas Rugby News, examines the composition of various national teams, shedding light on the number of foreign-born players and how they qualify for their respective squads.
This international blend underlines rugby’s global nature, with some nations leaning on overseas-born talent more than others. Ahead of round two, we’ve broken down the squads – and Scotland lead the way by a mile when it comes to foreign-born players.
ENGLAND
HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 39/41 (95.2%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 3/41 (7.3%)
- Bevan Rodd (Scotland) – Parent
- Chandler Cunningham-South (England) – Born in England
- Harry Randall (England) – Born in England
- Marcus Smith (Philippines) – Parent
- Tom Roebuck (Scotland) – Parent
FRANCE
HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 39/42 (92.8%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 6/42 (14.2%)
- Dany Priso (Cameroon) – Residency (2008)
- Uini Atonio (New Zealand) – Residency (2014)
- Giorgi Beria (Georgia) – Residency (2002)
- Joshua Brennan (Ireland) – Residency (2005)
- Emmanuel Meafou (New Zealand) – Residency (2023)
- Émilien Gailleton (England) – Parent
IRELAND
HOMEGROWN PLAYERS: 30/36 (83.3%)
FOREIGN-BORN PLAYERS: 9/36 (25%)
- Rob Herring (South Africa) – Grandparent
- Finlay Bealham (Australia) – Grandparent
- Cormac Izuchukwu (England) – Parent
- Joe McCarthy (USA) – Parent
- Jamison Ratu Gibson-Park (New Zealand) – Residency (2020)
- Bundee Aki (New Zealand) – Residency (2017)
- Ciarán Frawley (Australia) – Parent
- Mack Hansen (Australia) – Parent
- James Lowe (New Zealand) – Residency (2020)
