Six Saints players make England A matchday squad for Ireland encounter

Curtis Langdon, who has been named as a vice-captain, Tom Lockett and Tom Pearson will all start the match.

Tarek Haffar, Luke Green and George Hendy are among the replacements.

Saints assistant coach Matt Ferguson will be the England A scrum coach, meaning there is a strong Northampton presence in camp.

Teenage backs Billy Pasco and Rafe Witheat have also been involved in England A training this week, but they are not in the matchday 23.

Leicester Tigers scrum-half Jack van Poortvliet will skipper the England side in a match that is available to watch for free via RugbyPass TV.

England A head coach Lee Blackett said: “Players and staff from across the RFU and Premiership Rugby have embraced the challenge of working with three training days and implementing the brand of rugby we want to play.

"It’s been a pleasure to work with this talented and varied group this week – it’s kind of test you savour as a coach.

“Nine of the squad involved against Australia A have since been involved in England senior camps, with four of them going on to achieve further caps.

"The opportunity in front of players this Sunday is clear.

“It’ll be great to take the Men’s A side to another big rugby city in Bristol following on from Leicester and London in 2024, and we’re all excited for a strong, physical test against Ireland A this weekend.”

England A team to face Ireland A: 15 Joe Carpenter (Sale Sharks, West Park Leeds RUFC); 14 Tobias Elliott (Saracens, Harrow Rugby Club), 13 Max Ojomoh (Bath Rugby, Chippenham RFC), 12 Will Butt (Bath Rugby, Wimborne RFC), 11 Ollie Hassell-Collins (Leicester Tigers, Newbury RFC); 10 Charlie Atkinson (Gloucester Rugby, Oxford RFC), 9 Jack van Poortvliet (c) (Leicester Tigers, North Walsham RFC); 1 Phil Brantingham (Saracens, Northern FC), 2 Curtis Langdon (vc) (Saints, Hornets Rugby Club), 3 George Kloska (Bristol Bears, St. Brendan’s RFC); 4 Hugh Tizard (Saracens, Guildfordians RFC), 5 Tom Lockett (Saints, Northampton Saints); 6 Tom Pearson (Saints, Bromyard Rugby Club), 7 Jack Kenningham (Harlequins, Richmond RFC), 8 Alfie Barbeary (Bath Rugby, Banbury RUFC).

Replacements: 16 Gabriel Oghre (Bristol Bears, Walcot RFC), 17 Tarek Haffar (Saints, Grasshoppers RFC), 18 Luke Green (Saints, Richmond RFC), 19 Richard Capstick (Exeter Chiefs, Taunton Rugby Football Club), 20 Greg Fisilau (Exeter Chiefs, Devonport Services RFC), 21 Will Porter (Harlequins, Amersham and Chiltern RFC), 22 Jamie Shillcock (Leicester Tigers, Southam RUFC), 23 George Hendy (Saints, Shipston-on-Stour RFC).

England Men A coaching staff for Ireland A fixture: Lee Blackett – head coach and attack coach (Bath Rugby), Haydn Thomas – defence coach (Exeter Chiefs), Louis Deacon – forwards coach (Red Roses), Matt Ferguson – scrum coach (Saints).