The 2024 U18 Six Nations is in the history books, and England U18s have returned home from Italy as the only undefeated team in the competition. The tournament’s structure saw each side compete in three test matches over a week and a half, with England achieving victories against Wales, Scotland and competition newcomers Georgia.
The competition had plenty of discussion points, as England U18 head coach Jonathan Pendelbury spoke exclusively to RUCK to review his side’s performance and the overall tournament. For the first time, Georgia and Portugal were introduced to the competition, with the Georgians even recording a landmark victory over France, to make a real statement.
Looking at his side’s performance, Pendlebury did not put too much onus on the fact that the England U18s won three wins on the bounce. The head coach views the tournament as more of an ‘exam’ to assess the promise of his U18 talents, in what marks the beginning of the season for the England Pathway side.
“I think it’s maybe maybe easy to say now, but look, it’s not that. That’s not the intentions, that are going out there to be undefeated. You can’t win the under 18 Six Nations, there’s not a full programme, there’s not necessarily ‘points, mean prizes’ on the games. It’s just genuinely using it as an exam, as a test. Literally a test, like a Test match, to test the guys on where they’re at and where they’ve come from.
So if you think, we’ve got lads that might have been in development camps across the Under 18 (last) season. Far back as Under 17, so February, March and April 2023, then end up going into it (2024 U18 Six Nations). It’s just a bit of an exam, a test, and a layer on top of what they’ve been getting in the community clubs and schools and after the Academy season.”
England impressed all onlookers out in Parma, as the U18s narrowly edged passed Wales on match day one. England achieved the win with the last kick of the game, as James Linegar sent a conversion sailing through the uprights for a memorable 36-35 win. Pendlebury’s men achieved a more straightforward victory on match day two, with his side powering over Scotland for a 28-6 triumph, and line-up the Georgian finale.
The England players had the opportunity to scout out their Eastern European opponents ahead of the third and final round. Pendlebury shared how his side were huddled round the hotel TV screens, and watched on with intent as the ‘Junior Lelos’ handed France an unexpected defeat. This ended the U18 Six Nations undefeated streak for France, which stretched back through the 2023 and 2022 competitions.
“We were in the hotel. We played, and we were watching it back. The games were streamed, we’d got access to it. We were watching it back, some of the guys were watching it recovering. Some of the guys were watching it because we know that we were playing them next and everything like that. You’re trying to do a bit of homework, but yeah, somebody said, ‘oh, last kick of the game could win it for Georgia’. So everybody’s then watching it on the big screen.
Pendlebury then discussed how his ambition for the U18 England side is to gain more experience with test matches at home and overseas. The former Wasps coach discussed how the introduction of Georgia and Portugal has worked wonders to elevate the U18 test match circuit, with England eager to gain a litany of experiences against a variety of opponents.
“I think it’s good, great that the Six Nations were able to invite Portugal (as well) and they were able to commit, and come out with their players and support group the same as Georgia, and their growing. I think these are challenges that are different to what the players get if we are facing the home unions with more regularity.
“If we are facing Italy and France in these Six Nations contest, and going and having an experience versus Portugal at home or away or going and having an experience with Georgia, home or away, it is probably something that we need to keep looking and developing and progressing.”
Pendlebury then explained how an interesting element of the U18 Six Nations Festival, is that every player in the 26-man squad must get at least one starting cap for their country. This system enables a wider array of promising young talents to experience the stage of an international test match, and continue to progress their already exciting careers. Having to organise three matches across a week and a half is no easy feat, and Pendlebury explained the load management system his side utilised throughout the campaign.
“It’s super important. We don’t have a six day turn around or a seven day turn around, that they need at the senior end of the game. And when these guys are competing and preparing for a fixture, or even recovering and looking to progress from a fixture that has just happened. You’ve got shorter turnarounds, you’ve got a 26 man squad and selection is a big part of it. We’re honest with the boys, that said, that is the most important part. It is the hardest part for us.”
“We’ve got slightly different laws, in that we’ve got rolling substitutions if needed. The Six Nations want each player to have at least one start, so that’s an agreement that all the unions could come in on. But then, you’ve probably pencilled in just through what you’ve seen developmentally before. You want to reward the guys, they’re going to start in game one. You might have a bit of an idea of who’s starting in game two, but you also might want to just make some selection calls of who you think is right for a combination on the day.”
Two players that certainly stood out from the England U18s squad, was the captain Connor Treacey and centre Nick Lilley. Beginning with the midfielder, Lilley is plying his trade in the Exeter Chiefs Academy and plays his club rugby with Ivybridge RFC in Devon. The centre had a starring role in the final match of the competition, as he bagged two second half tries, to send England victorious and complete a second half comeback against the Georgians.
“I think somebody like Nick had also recognised how far they’ve come in themselves. The hardest thing in the world is talking about yourself, and what you’re good at, or what you’re trying to work on.
“But I think Nick could acknowledge himself, coming out of the ACE (Academy Colleges and Education) into Under 17s. When he was 16, in lower sixth, to then getting selected for our camps. He’s been a quiet member across the group. But then, he grows on and off the pitch and is more confident in his rugby ability on it.
“In South Africa (2023 International Series), the lads voted him Player of the Festival, so he goes with great confidence back into his Academy and his ACE programme and then being an integral member of the development camps that we end up having.”
Leading the way out in Italy was Connor Treacey, who Pendlebury believed presented valiant leadership traits throughout the campaign. The Bath lock was praised by his head coach, as he brought forward his man-management skillset, whether or not he was apart of the leadership group for a particular fixture.
“Connor was our captain through through this block of four games, he captained us out in South Africa in the middle fixture out there, he’s been a leader for for Bath Academy. He’s been a leader on and off the pitch where we sort of challenge the guys in camps, whether that’s a September or an October camp and different challenges.
“Little expectations that we might put on some of the players off the pitch, that might be getting them to organise a a preview meeting or a review meeting, and Connor’s been involved in that. But it’s not just been Connor who’s captained, he’s had support. He’s had the support of all his squad who have been involved in reviewing fixtures, and they’ve all been taking part in reviewing tasks of the three fixtures, Wales, Scotland and Georgia. As well as previewing those fixtures.”
Looking to the future, and the England U18s next saddle up for a trip overseas this Summer, with an exciting venture to South Africa on the cards. Pendlebury will select his 26-man squad in due course, as the England U18s head out to the Western Cape for series of matches against a host of leading unions. England, South Africa, France and an unnamed nation will compete against each other in the land of the Springboks this August, in what will be a fantastic opportunity for the age-group talents.
“Just the same as when we end up travelling down to South Africa. A big thread I always talk about, is we’ve got to keep exploring with these 17,18 year olds and they’ve got to keep exploring different challenges, whether it’s club, school, Academy and age group international rugby, or whether it is playing nations in their own back garden. That’s something that the RFU wants to commit to, in getting these lads abroad, to getting these guys used to travelling abroad and representing England abroad.”
“There’s always a summer tour planned. There’s an international window in the summer. There’s obviously activity that goes on on at home, there’s international age group activity. We were there (U18 Six Nations Festival), as the eight unions chatting about, well, what’s what’s next for 2025, 2026, 2027, 2028 and what can we present to all the home union leaders, of what we feel is next best for the development of the youngsters.”