TWO Devon players have been selected to tour Ireland in April with the England Counties’ Under-18 squad.

Ivybridge’s Mat Burns and Kingsbridge’s Seb Tooke have both been named in England’s 23-man party for the two-match tour.

The squad was selected following a national development weekend at Stourbridge where Burns and Tooke joined fellow Devon players Pete Keanie, Freddie Herring and Jed Reid in representing the South West.

Devon Under-18 head coach Glenn Channing said: “As a management group we are very pleased for the lads that have been picked.

“Both Joel Caddy and Ed Powell have worked very closely with both players, they both have said that there selection is well deserved and hopeful that players will use the aspirational pathway as a way of getting some recognition.”

England Counties will gather on April 18 at HMS Temeraire in Portsmouth to prepare for two fixtures in Dublin against Ireland U18 Clubs and Schools. 

The first match will take place on Friday, April 19 followed by the second on Wednesday, April 24. 

Last year England Counties won two thrilling encounters against their Irish counterparts, winning the first match 15-13 before backing that up with a 32-29 victory. 

However, the last time the side toured Ireland in 2017 he hosts won both fixtures. 

Head coach Giles Heagerty will once again take charge of the squad in what will be his eighth and final year involved with the programme. 

He will be supported by assistant coach Matt Hutchings, team manager Dave Penberthy and Andrew Rickard in the role of assistant team manager. 

“Every year I’m incredibly impressed by the skill level on show at our national development weekend and this year was no different,” said Penberthy. 

“The selected players have done exceptionally well and they should all be incredibly proud of reaching this stage.

“Pulling on the white shirt at any level is a great honour and I’m sure the players are aware of that.”

Penberthy says the team will travel to Ireland with confidence following last year’s results but isn’t underestimating what he expects to be two very tough fixtures. 

“We know Ireland will be very strong and so our job is to create an environment that our players can thrive in,” he said.

England Counties U18 – 2019 squad 

BAILEY Jacob – Stoke-On-Trent RFC – Denstone College – Staffordshire
BEER Louis – Kettering RFC – Moulton College – East Mids
BLOOMER Thomas – Winchester RFC – Churcher’s College – Hampshire
BROWN Josh Syston – RFC Brooksby – Melton College – Leicestershire
BROWN Max – Watford Grammar School for Boys – Hertfordshire
BULLOCK Maxwell – Medway RFC – Sir Joseph Williamson Mathematical  – Kent
BURNS Mathew – Ivybridge RFC Ivybridge Community College – Devon
CHANCE Joel – Bromley RFC – Hayes School – Kent
CHAPMAN Ben – Crowborough RFC – The Skinners’ School – Sussex
CHESSUM Oliver – Kesteven RFC 0 Carres Grammar School – NLD
FARRANCE Beau – Old Elthamians RFC – Hayes School – Kent
GOODWIN Jack – Hereford RFC – Hartpury College – North Mids
HARDING-TERRY William – Worksop College – NLD
HEANEY Alessandro – London Irish RFC – Wellington College – Berkshire
KENDRICK Louis – Hertford RFC – Richard Hale School – Hertfordshire
MCPHUN Elliot – Saracens Amatuer RFC – Oaklands College – Middlesex
NORWOOD Tyler – KCS Old Boys RFC – Caterham School – Surrey
OLIVER Harry – Macclesfield RFC – Wilmslow High School – Cheshire
PEARCE-COWLEY – Ethan St Austell RFC – Truro College – Cornwall
SCOTT Charles – Maidenhead RFC – The Henley College – Berkshire
SMITH William – Ripon RFC – Queen Elizabeth’s Sixth Form – Yorkshire
TOOKE Sebastian – Kingsbridge RFC – Plymouth College – Devon
WALKER Fergus – Newbury RFC – Millfield School – Berkshire