Who were the youngest England stars who scored early in their international career and what happened to them?
Here are the six youngest players to cross the men in white of all-time...
6. Manu Tuilagi (20 years, 80 days) - 2011
He is the youngest of six Tuilagi brothers and is a powerful centre who is a mainstay in both the Leicester Tigers and England teams down the years. The powerhouse made his Test debut against Wales at Twickenham on August 6 2011, making an immediate impact, scoring a terrific try as England beat Wales 23-19.
5. John Tallent (20 years, 13 days) - 1931
Tallent, CBE, stockbroker and rugby player, was born on March 8, 1911. He died on April 14, 2004, aged 93.
The centre scored two tries in the first of his five internationals for England in 1931. In 1971 and 1974, however, he was chairman of the four home unions which sent overseas the most successful British Isles touring parties of the century, winning as they did a series against New Zealand and then against South Africa; he was subsequently appointed CBE for services to the game.
4. Prince Alexander Obolensky (19 years, 321 days) - 1936
The Prince, son of an officer in Tsar Nicholas's Imperial Horse Guard, was sent to Britain as a toddler to escape the Revolution. The soon-to-be war hero – with the bright corn-stoop hair and smile to match on the right-wing, agot the 70,000 strong to its feet by nervelessly showing New Zealand a clean pair of heels for England's opening try at his right corner flag. He then doubled his tally in the second-half.
When the call to war came, Obolensky joined the RAF. His lifestyle perhaps drew him to the dashing pilot image, but further to this, a desire for his adopted country to avoid the fate of his native one must have been a driving force. His life would reach a tragic end on March 29th, 1940, when his Hurricane L1946 overshot the runway during a training accident at Martlesham Heath. He was 24 years old.
3. Steve Hanley (19 years, 304 days) - 1999
Hanley was one of two Sale players to make their international debut in England’s final match of their 1999 Five Nations campaign along with Barrie-Jon Mather. Although Hanley scored a try, this proved to be his only ever international appearance despite a stellar club career with Sale Sharks.
2. Keith Fielding ( 19 years, 304 days) - 1969
Super-fit winger Keith Fielding got his first England cap at 19 and was dubbed "the fastest man in rugby league" during a glittering cross-code career. He went onto become a teacher but left the profession because he can not cope with the stress.
1. Colin Laird (18 years, 162 days) - 1927
The Harlequins teenage fly-half sensation also holds the honour of being the youngest player to have ever pulled on an England shirt when he was just 18 years and 124 days old when he made his debut for England in an 11-9 victory over Wales at Twickenham. His first try followed a month later in a 8-6 win against Ireland.
Laird went onto win 10 caps 1927 and 1929, scoring five tries and was ever-present during England's Grand Slam in 1928.
