Six set to join England Schools squad

Six players still harbouring hopes of winning the Daily Mail Under 18 Cup are in the England team to face New Zealand Schools at Twickenham on January 30.

Three days after Oakham reached the quarter-finals, captain and No 8 Gray Cullen plus outside centre Tom Gregory came through the weekend trial and Whitgift provide inside centre Mark Foster and fly half Ross Broadfoot.

Jon Hammond of RGS High Wycombe plays at full back and Cullen is joined in the back row by Luke Abraham of Leicester Grammar and RGS High Wycombe's Tom Rees. Merchant Taylor's fly half Neil Hunter is among the replacements.

England Schools: Jon Hammond (RGS H Wycombe and Bucks); Andrew Frost (King John and E Counties), Tom Gregory (Oakham and Leics), Mark Foster (Whitgift and Surrey); Ross Broadfoot (Whitgift and Surrey), Greg Nicholls (Arnoldand Lancs); Mark Hanson (Kirkham and Lancs), Peter Allen (Lymm and Cheshire), Michael Guess (King John and E Counties), Stephen Burns capt (Mt St Mary's and Yorks), Geoff Parling (Durham School and Durham), Luke Abraham (Leicester GS and Leics), Tom Rees (RGS High Wycombe and Bucks),Gray Cullen (Oakham and Leics). Replacements: Joe Clark (Barnard Castle and Durham), Robert Elloway (Sedbergh and Lancs), Martin Halsall (Kirkham andLancs), Tom Ryder (Uppingham and Leics), Will Skinner (Bedford and E Midlands), Joe Bedford (Woodhouse Grove and Yorks), Neil Hunter (MerchantTaylor's and Lancs).