Good prep session this evening, taking the U18 boys down for some opposed training with the Fano 1st XV. Gelling together well for a new group of boys this year, having had little time together at training. Key, simple focuses positively impacting our development at the moment.

Over 30 boys at training, light session with review of our 29-7 win at Piacenza on Sunday, and preview /planning for this week’s trip to Prato. Huge game, winner qualifies for national U18 elite competition. Prato ranked top in qualifiers, boys are hungry and ready to rip in!

Uruguay looking class in defensive breakdowns! 👏🏻 #ITAvURU

Italy winning collisions now, makes such a difference #ITAvURU

Italy showing more respect now in this second half and not trying to play from deep. Much improved game management and brutal in the collisions now. Lamaro, Cannone, Ceccarelli carrying really well #ITAvURU

Some game of rugby that! Just become a bit of a fan of Portugal 🇵🇹 #GEOvPOR #RWC2023

En route to Prato! Hopefully drier there than Pesaro! ☔️ 🤞🏻 ☀️ Massive game today, looking forward to the challenge against a really strong team. Hopefully a place in national U18 competition awaits! 🙏🏻

Congratulations Obi 👏 The 2021 Yorkshire Rugby Academy graduate pens a full time contract with Sale Sharks 🦈 🏉 On graduating the Academy Obi has been honing his skills with @NewcastleUniRFC before securing his deal over the Pennines. #weleavebetter #madeinyorkshire

Some game of rugby that! Just become a bit more of a fan of Portugal 🇵🇹 #FIJvPOR #RWC2023

🇵🇹 The airport in Lisbon is absolutely packed with supporters to welcome the Portugal team home!

What a game that was! 35 phases at the end is an incredible effort form both teams! 👏🏻 Great discipline and decision making in defence! #IREvNZL #RWC2023

4 cracking quarter-finals, that could all have gone either way, what World Cup knockout games should be about! Ire v NZ and Fra v SA just incredible games of rugby! 👏🏻 Just hope the semis are as competitive and entertaining next weekend! 🤞🏻🙏🏻

Awesome to have John Wells at our U18 session this evening! Great experience for the boys with detail around maul defence. Valuable learning for coaches too, definitely taken my knowledge of this area forward, though probably not too difficult a task having been a fullback! 🤣

Really hope to see Radwan involved with England after RWC! 🤞🏻 Look at best teams in the world + threats they have on the wing… Kolbe / Arendse / Penaud / Telea / Jordan / Hansen. Wingers job is to finish / provide attacking threat. Not sure any English wingers do that better.

Gutted! Outstanding from England, reckon we deserved to win that on balance. Nche + Koch changed the game when they came on! But IMO Koch’s angle at that scrum should have seen penalty go the other way. That’s what happens when you’ve won penalties at last 3/4 scrums though 😔