England Under-20s fixtures

Friday February 2    v Scotland U-20s    Bath, 7.30pm
Friday February 9    v Italy U-21s           Bath, 8pm
Friday February 23  v Ireland U-20s       Athlone, 7.30pm
Friday March 9        v France U-21s       Northampton, 7.30pm
Friday March 16      v Wales U-20s        Newport, 7.40pm

Tickets for England Under-20s’ games against Scotland Under-20s and Italy Under-21s at the Recreation Ground are available from £8 for adults and £4 for juniors, or £12 for adults and £6 for juniors for a two-match ticket, from 0871 721 1865.

DANNY CARE hopes a week spent trying to outwit England's senior stars will stand his Under-20s in good stead against Scotland at the Recreation Ground tomorrow night (7.30pm).  The 20-year-old NEC Harlequins scrum-half and his team-mates have been anything but tackle bag holders at the University of Bath, playing a valuable part in preparing for Saturday's Calcutta Cup clash at Twickenham, while honing themselves to face their own Scottish challenge.  Care, who spent Tuesday on the attack and part of yesterday pitting his 5ft 9in, 12st 2lbs frame against the likes of England lock Louis Deacon, says the sessions have been a real boost to Nigel Redman's side.

"It's been awesome. You look around and see people like Jonny Wilkinson and Phil Vickery…I think we did well as a team against them in attack on Tuesday and I think we did well in defence yesterday so that's definitely something that can help us tomorrow," said Care.

"It was really good experience to come up against them - you learn so much from them and you aspire to be like them."

Care can complete a hat-trick of victories over Scotland in three different age groups in less than 12 months. He has already tasted success for the Under-19s last February - a thumping 36-5 victory at the Stoop last February in which he scored two tries and as an unused replacement in the 31-12 win for the Under-21s in last June's World Championship.   Now Care gets a crack at Under-20s level after the Rugby Football Union, along with the other Home Unions, switched from Under-21s, with France and Italy due to follow suit in 2008 in an Under-20s Six Nations Championship.

"I am really excited, especially to captain the side. It's a really big honour and just can't wait for it now," said Care. "There is pressure on us to perform and the main thing we can do is to go out and show people what we can do."   "First of all we have to concentrate on Scotland and try and get the victory and the performance that we want so we can build for the Italy game," he added.

"There is a lot of young talent coming through these days and guys are younger than me. I always used to be one of the youngest but now I am one of the oldest so I've got to try and get my experienced head on. The skill levels of some of the guys coming through is awesome and they are going to be pushing for places."

England will finalise their team tonight but will be without centre Dom Waldouck (hamstring), while London Wasps team-mate Danny Cipriani will have a fitness test on an injured ankle.   London Irish centre Charlie Gower, Saracens fly-half Frankie Neale and London Wasps No 8 Hugo Ellis - in place of the injured Andy Saull - have been drafted in to the squad.

England Under-20s
Forwards
Dave Attwood (Bristol Rugby)
Charlie Beech (Northampton Saints)
Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
Matt Cox (Worcester Warriors)
Hugo Ellis (London Wasps)
Jack Forster (Gloucester Rugby)
Phil Hoy (Northampton Saints)
Ross McMillan (Gloucester Rugby)
Matt Mullan (Worcester Warriors)
Chevvy Pennycook (Bristol Rugby)
Alex Shaw (Leicester Tigers)
David Tait (Sale Sharks)

Backs
Danny Care (NEC Harlequins)
Daniel Cipriani (London Wasps)
Ollie Dodge (Leicester Tigers)
David Doherty (London Wasps)
Charlie Gower (London Irish)
Sebastian Jewel (NEC Harlequins)
Selorm Kuadey (Sale Sharks)
Frankie Neal (Saracens)
Tom Parker (London Irish)
Adam Powell (Saracens)
Adam Thompstone (NEC Harlequins)  

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