THREE youngsters from Kent are having trials for the England Under-16 rugby squad this weekend.

James Catt, of Cornwallis School, Maidstone, Sam Stone, of Sutton Valence, and Jordan Mitchell, of Hayes, are in the London and South East squad for trial matches against the Midlands on Friday and the North on Sunday, at Castlecroft, near Wolverhampton.

Nine of last year’s London squad went on to represent England’s unbeaten 16 Group side.

Team secretary Ian Rice said: “Last year was very special when we got lots of players into the England side and it’ll be difficult to do that again. But this is a good group of players with a lot of spirit who will work hard together.”

After this weekend’s games, a reduced squad will go forward to the second festival, on January 22-23, from which three England squads (Full, A and B) will be announced.

This season’s international programme gets under way in March and includes games against Italy Under-17 on March 26 (at Old Albanians), two meetings with Wales on April 2 (at Hull Ionians) and April 9 (at Bridgend).

There is also an international festival involving Canada, France and Wales at Millfield School in Somerset from March 30 to April 4, and a match at A team level against Wales on April 10.

Meanwhile, four Kent rugby players have been selected for the 77-strong England Under-18 squads.

Tonbridge School scrum-half Rob Springhall, and Whitgift School wing Nick Canty, both of whom play for Bromley, are in the squad for the Home Unions Festival in South Wales from March 25 to April 1.

Whitgift prop Adam Janowski, who plays for Wasps, and Dulwich College lock Adam Preocanin, who plays for Dartford, are in a separate squad for the Association Européen Rugby Festival in Lille, France, from March 17 to 26.

The squads will next train at RAF Halton, Buckinghamshire, between February 4 and 6.