Former Kent schoolboy Danny Herriott has taken a step nearer being selected for next year’s England Under-18 rugby squad.

The 17-year-old prop forward, who has just completed his first year as a member of Northampton RFC’s Academy, has been invited to attend an England summer squad training session in Leeds in August.

More than 40 boys will take part in three trial matches during the week-long camp, when the selectors will name a 26-strong England squad for the 2011 Under-18 Six Nations’ Championship

Herriott, a former junior member of Deal & Betteshanger and student at Castle Community College, played for the England Academies XV when they lost 31-21 to England Under-16s at Oxford in March.

His father Dave, a Deal physiotherapst and former Lions’ coach, said: "He played well in that game in front of some England U18 selectors and the fact he has been called-up for the England summer camp shows how much progress he has made during his first year at Northampton.

"They have got an excellent Academy there, people like (England internationals) Ben Foden and Courtney Lawes have come through it and Danny is enjoying himself."

Northampton have also arranged for Herriott to take a two-year sports studies course at Moulton College while he is at the Academy and helped them win the college championship this season.