England turn to youth to take on Barbarians

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A potential glimpse of England’s rugby future will be on display

at Twickenham on Monday (NZT) when a fledgling team, including

three uncapped starters and another six on the bench, take on the

Barbarians.

Players involved in the British and Irish Lions tour and

tomorrow’s Premiership final between Leicester and Northampton were

not available for the non-cap match and coach Stuart Lancaster has

used the situation to have a look at many of the youngsters

knocking on the door of the senior team.

Both wingers are uncapped as Christian Wade, who on Thursday was

voted player of the year and young player of the year by his fellow

Premiership professionals, starts on the right and London Irish’s

Marland Yarde on the left.

Flanker Matt Kvesic is the other uncapped starter in a team

captained by Bath hooker Rob Webber.

Attacking five-eighth Freddie Burns starts and razor-fast

Gloucester back Jonny May is among the replacements, giving a real

fizz to the squad.

Mike Brown, Joe Launchbury and Alex Corbisiero add experience

but the starting XV still boasts nine players aged 24 or under.

“We’ve selected a young and exciting side and this is a great

opportunity for these players who have shone in the Premiership

this season to step up in front of passionate home crowd at

Twickenham,” Lancaster said in a statement.

“Taking on a very experienced Barbarians team is the first

challenge they face this summer with matches in Uruguay and

Argentina to follow and this sequence of games is a key part of our

development as a team.”

England: 15-Mike Brown, 14-Christian Wade, 13-Jonathan

Joseph, 12-Billy Twelvetrees, 11-Marland Yarde, 10-Freddie Burns,

9-Richard Wigglesworth, 8-Ben Morgan, 7-Matt Kvesic, 6-Tom Johnson

5-Dave Attwood, 4-Joe Launchbury, 3-David Wilson, 2-Rob Webber (c),

1-Alex Corbisiero.

Replacements: 16-David Paice, 17-Joe Marler, 18-Henry Thomas,

19-Kearnan Myall, 20-Billy Vunipola, 21-Haydn Thomas, 22-Jonny May,

23 Kyle Eastmond.

England turn to youth to take on Barbarians