SHIPLAKE College student Tom Howe has been called up to the England U18 rugby squad.

The upper sixth form pupil’s selection comes after a successful August camp where he finished first amongst the aspiring young players over both the 10 metre (1.61 seconds) and 40 metres (4.83) trials.

The next stage for Howe is a squad training session in Leeds at the end of this month where he will put himself in the frame for selection for European U18 internationals in the spring of next year followed by the possibility of playing further internationals in the southern hemisphere.

Howe, who began playing when he was just four years old, had his first taste of professional rugby union recently when Wasps selected him as a substitute for their A team game versus London Irish.

With 15 minutes remaining he came on from the bench and soon ran in his first try at A team level.

Published 15/10/12