English National Academy Coaches Jim Mallinder and Dorian West have selected the England U21 team to play Ireland in the final match of the IRB U21 World Championship on Sunday.
The game is the final fixture of the season and Mallinder and the team know that a victory is essential. "We're still disappointed to have lost to New Zealand and missed out on the semis by the narrowest of margins but a good performance and a win tomorrow would give us nine wins out of ten, still a successful season.
"Ireland have improved a great deal since the Six Nations and although they lost their first two games here, they've turned that around with some impressive performances including a big win over Argentina."
Said West, "Throughout the season, the players have developed as individuals as well as a team. This game the last chance the boys have to show how they have improved before they have to make the step up to senior rugby."
The match takes place tomorrow, Sunday 25 June, at 14.30 in Cournon. After the game the squad travels to the Marcel Michelin stadium in Clermont-Ferrand to watch the final, where France take on defending champions South Africa in a bid to become the first Northern Hemisphere team to lift the trophy.
England U21 team to play Ireland
15 Mike Brown (NEC Harlequins)
14 Topsy Ojo (London Irish)
13 Matt Cornwell (Leicester Tigers) captain
12 Anthony Allen (Gloucester)
11 Paul Diggin (Northampton Saints)
10 Ryan Lamb (Gloucester)
9 Danny Care (Leeds Tykes)
1 Alex Rogers (NEC Harlequins)
2 Chris Brooker (Bath Rugby)
3 David Wilson (Newcastle Falcons)
4 Richard Blaze (Worcester Warriors)
5 Tom Croft (Leicester Tigers)
6 James Haskell (London Wasps)
7 Michael Hills (Sale Sharks)
8 Jordan Crane (Leeds Tykes)
Replacements
16 Rob Webber (London Wasps)
17 Mark Lambert (NEC Harlequins)
18 Tom Ryder (Saracens)
19 Chris Robshaw (NEC Harlequins)
20 Ben Foden (Sale Sharks)
21 Toby Flood (Newcastle Falcons)
22 Matt Riley (Sale Sharks)