FORMER Taunton RFC and Heathfield Community School player Richard Capstick has retained his place in the England side to face Ireland in the Under-20 Six Nations this Friday.

England have made six changes to their starting XV from their previous match, a win over Scotland, but flanker Capstick - now at Exeter Chiefs - keeps hold of the number 6 jersey.

The game will be played at Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton, starting at 7.45pm.

England team: 15. Freddie Steward (Leicester Tigers), 14. Gabriel Hamer-Webb (Bath Rugby), 13. Connor Doherty (Sale Sharks), 12. Charlie Watson (Saracens), 11. Tom Roebuck (Sale Sharks), 10. George Barton (Gloucester Rugby), 9. Sam Maunder (Exeter Chiefs); 1. Sam Crean (Saracens), 2. Theo Dan (Saracens), 3. Luke Green (London Irish), 4. Hugh Tizard (Harlequins), 5. George Hammond (Harlequins), 6. Richard Capstick (Exeter Chiefs), 7. Josh Gray (Gloucester Rugby), 8. Rusiate Tuima (Exeter Chiefs).
Replacements: 16. Ben Atkins (London Irish), 17. Emmanuel Iyogun (Northampton Saints), 18. Harvey Beaton (Saracens), 19. Chunya Munga (London Irish), 20. Rob Farrar (Newcastle Falcons), 21. Blake Boyland (Bristol Bears), 22. Will Haydon-Wood (Newcastle Falcons), 23. Max Ojomoh (Bath Rugby).

Another Exeter player, Sam Skinner - who spent a season at Taunton in 2013/14 - has not made the cut for Scotland's senior Six Nations match against Italy.

Forward Skinner was added to Gregor Townsend's squad, having not played for Scotland since last summer’s World Cup warm-up match against France at Murrayfield, where he sustained a hamstring injury.

Not considered for Scotland’s first two Six Nations matches, Skinner’s return to fitness and form with Exeter forced his way back into Townsend’s thinking, but he has not made the matchday 23.