NINE Midlands players have been included in the England Under 16 Elite squad for a training session at Broadstreet Rugby Club near Coventry on January 25 and 26.

All were named in the 40-strong squad after they impressed the national selectors playing for the Midlands in last weekend's Divi-sional Festival at Broadstreet.

Bishop of Hereford's Bluecoat School and North Midlands' hooker George Bee has been named among the forwards selected for the two-day session. Bee's Midlands team-mates lock Sam Farmer, number eight Sam Heygate, prop Louis Padian, flanker Will Radburn and prop Tom Williams are also included.

Full-back Alex Lewington, centre Jamie Elliott and wing James Trueman have been named among the backs.

The elite squad will then be joined by 20 more players selected after a combined Midlands and North XV play a combined London and South West XV in a Divi-sional match.

A further nine Midlands players have been included in the Midlands and North XV.

They are: scrum-half Joel Dudley (Bromsgrove School and North Midlands), tighthead prop Will Bigley, centre Sam Collins, centre William Dunkley, lock John Hancock, prop Kai Hartshorn, flanker Peter Morse, back-row Jethro Rawling and lock Hamish Smithers.