ENGLAND UNIVERSITIES head coach Adam Houston and his assistant Mark Sloan have named a 26-strong squad for the 2025 campaign.
The side will defend both the President’s Cup and the Student Four Nations over the next few months, in addition to playing a friendly.
The selection process was completed after last month’s North versus South Origin game at Loughborough, which the North won 30-12.
That game followed regional trial games involving Midlands, North East, North West, South East and South West.
Eighteen new faces are included while Ben O’Donnell, Ben Price, Freddie Ziegler, Harry Lowery, Isaac Coleman, Jake Dickinson and Leon Stewart featured last year. Ted Davidson, an absentee since 2022, is also included.
Houston said: “It has been a challenging selection process with more than 200 players putting themselves forward, of whom 120 played at Regional level, reduced to 40 for the Origin game.
“As ever, there were some difficult choices to make, but Mark and I are confident that we have picked the best squad.
“The feedback received from the Regional and Origin coaches along the selection journey has been invaluable and we are very grateful to all those coaches who helped us to get to this point once again.
“Everyone who has earned selection should be proud of their achievement so far, but of course the hard work does not stop here. They now need to show us they have earned the right to wear the England shirt.”
The squad, which convened in Nottingham over the weekend, is: Ben Bell-Thorn, Ben Price, Freddie Ziegler (all Nottingham), Ted Davidson, Jamie O’Keeffe, Dan Perry, Alex Ringshall, Freddie Smith (all Loughborough), Fin Balback, Ben Grindley-Roberts, Waldimar Matahwa, Mackauley Stephenson (Leeds Beckett), Elliot Martin, Ben O’Donnell (Liverpool John Moores), Charlie Yeomans (Newcastle), Danny Salkeld (Teesside), Deusjes Nzage, Leon Stewart (Hull), Harry Kirk (York St John), Jake Dickinson, James Leach, Will Lintin, Harry Lowery (Northumbria), Isaac Coleman (York), Jayden Crellin (Manchester Met), Oli Winterbottom (Gloucestershire).
Backroom staff, in addition to Houston and Sloan, are Lucy McIntosh and Ellie Burt (both medical), James Strudwick (strength and conditioning) and David Butler (team manager).
The President’s Cup, against Great Britain Teachers and UK Armed Forces, will be played during the spring while the Student Four Nations, with a 20-man squad to be named against Ireland, Scotland and Wales, is set for June.
