‘5 for the Future’ – 5 England U20 stars to watch after U20 World Cup triumph

The Future of English Rugby certainly looks exciting as Mark Mapletoft’s team won the Under-20 World Championship in Cape Town last Friday night. The home of the Springboks hosted a stunning final to the tournament, with England beating a plucky French team 21-13 to take home the trophy at the DHL Stadium.

With a wealth of exciting young talent coming through the ranks, the future is now for England as the class of 2024 could soon be heading for senior call-ups. England’s triumphant campaign in South Africa was the country’s first U20 World Championship since 2016, and that crop of age-group stars included the likes of senior capped England players Joe Marchant and Max Malins.

Mapletoft’s side have had an incredible 2024, with England also claiming the 2024 U20 Six Nations title earlier this year, the team’s first since the 2021 Grand Slam. Last Friday’s victory over France marked the end of an era of French dominance of the U20 World Cup, with Les Blues having won the annual tournament for the previous three years. In what is an emphatic statement about the future of English rugby, here is a closer look at five future prospects from the World Cup-winning team.

1. Finn Carnduff (Leicester Tigers)

England’s captain to their triumphant campaign, Finn Carnduff, is a constant source of inspiration for his ‘brothers in arms’ at England U20. Carnduff went viral on social media ahead of the final, with his passionate team talk showing just how much the competition means to this group of young men. It’s clear that Carnduff’s leadership is unparalleled within the England U20s, with the fact that when the captain speaks, the team stops to listen.

The versatile forward is a stunning technical talent, with a keen understanding of how to capitalise on the set-piece. A genuine aerial menace, Carnduff rules the line-out as his own fly zone, with a telepathic link between the throwing hooker. Carnduff also excels around the breakdown, digging in for the hard yards while the likes of Junior Kpoku steal the spotlight on turnovers. Selfless, courageous and fearless, Carnduff is a testament to the Leicester Tigers system, chiselled in the determination of the Welford Road school of hard knocks.

Carnduff, who is comfortable in both the second and back rows, began his journey for England U20s in locks but has since become a mainstay on the blindside flank. Carnduff has improved immeasurably since making his Leicester debut in the 2022 Premiership Rugby Cup against London Irish, making five Premiership appearances this season, including an 80th-minute run-out in an East Midlands derby.

2. Henry Pollock (Northampton Saints)

The loose cannon of the England U20 back line, Henry Pollock is the fiery ‘Yin’ of the openside flank to match the ice-cold confidence of Carnduff’s ‘Yang’. The personification of a firecracker, Pollock’s sparks start to fly before he even crosses the pitch, as the Northampton man whips himself into a frenzy of ignition. While Pollock’s hard-hitting defence has impressed all comers, the Saints man has also made a name for himself on the front foot.

No stranger to a stunning breakaway, Pollock runs with the ball with the confidence of a playmaking centre who relishes the offensive challenge. Pollock is equally adaptable to round an opponent or power past them, and his impact as a ball carrier is what sets him apart from the rest of the Premiership’s similarly aged prospects. Pollock began his England Under-20 career with a hat-trick, scoring three tries in the 2024 Under-20 Six Nations season opener against Italy.

More recently, Pollock twice contributed to England’s U20 World Cup triumph, hitting the ball in the first and second pool games against Argentina and Fiji. For his club, Pollock made his senior debut for Northampton in the 2022 Premiership Rugby Cup, emulating his England captaincy with a first run-out against London Irish. Pollock would also make his Premiership debut in an East Midlands derby, but stepped onto the Welford Road turf while Carnduff’s first rivalry match was at Franklin’s Gardens.

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