England overhaul the rugby pathway structure

The Rugby Football Union (RFU) have overhauled their pathway structure to ensure that future England players remain in close contact with the national system after leaving the Under-20s, The Observer can reveal.

Among the moves set to be announced today, the England Under-20s coach Mark Mapletoft will move into a new head of England men's player pathways role while also coaching the recently revived England ‘A’ side. In his new role, Mapletoft will be a point of contact for those players who have graduated from the England U20 side but have not yet been called up by Steve Borthwick to join the senior England team.

Mapletoft will be replaced as U20s head coach by Andy Titterell, the former England hooker who has worked in the English pathway system since 2020 and was previously the U20s forwards coach.

Joining Titterell’s coaching staff will be a new addition in Kevin Sorrell, the former Saracens backs coach who left the club earlier this summer after a 30-year association with Saracens.

Sorrell’s arrival is viewed as a coup by the RFU, having played a key role in Saracens’ multiple triumphs in the Premiership and Europe as a coach after he retired following 300 appearances as a centre for the club.

“Kev was just an outstanding fit,” Conor O’Shea, the RFU’s executive director of performance rugby, said. “A senior coach who has coached European Cup-winning teams, he has been at the very top level for a very long time. He delivered with a clarity and a passion and enthusiasm which was absolutely mind-boggling.”

A former player coached by Sorrell revealed to The Observer why he was so effective as a coach.

“Very detailed - on the breakdown, how square we were in attack, our running lines. He is very immersed in the game, always wants to help players,” said the source, while noting that Sorrell’s approach in attack – “very flat” – had an Australian influence linked to his playing career at Saracens under coaches Alan Gaffney and Eddie Jones.

While Sorrell's depth of knowledge will be invaluable, Mapletoft's new role seems to be the biggest development in this restructure. Mapletoft was previously England Under-18s head coach before taking charge of the Under-20s two years ago, with the side winning the U20 world title in 2024.

Two players from that team, Henry Pollock and Asher Opoku-Fordjour, have already been capped by the senior side but as noted by O'Shea, players mature at different rates and sometimes wait years between representing the Under-20s and making their Test debuts, if they ever make that leap at all.

O'Shea explains: "When they finish up with us in the pathway, going from U16s through to U20s, some have been through a four-year programme of development. We want to make sure they’re not lost in terms of contact to us for a period of time. We’re going to make sure that we monitor and keep an eye on what we feel is a host of players who are only destined for better things."

That aspect of Mapletoft's role, along with his responsibilities overseeing the pathway as a whole and coaching the England 'A' side, is an area that O'Shea and the RFU have wanted to address for some time.

"I’ve been very open that I wanted to do it probably since Mark has re-joined [the RFU in 2020]. We’ve always earmarked this specific role over the past couple of years of business planning. Everyone can see the number of high-quality young players, 21 and 22-year-olds that we have."

The England 'A' side, reintroduced at the start of last year, is viewed as another significant stepping stone to playing Test rugby, with 10 players who featured for the 'A' side in the 2024/25 season going on to win senior caps. They will face a New Zealand XV in November.

The talented U20 crop pushing through includes Billy Sela and Kepu Tuipulotu, the two Bath front-rowers, Saracens centre Angus Hall and Ben Redshaw, who has left Newcastle Red Bulls this summer to join Gloucester. Jack Bracken, son of the former England scrum-half Kyran, is a rapid wing who still needs time to develop but has impressed in pre-season at Saracens. Sorrell's addition will also benefit other young coaches in the pathway, with Will Parkin, the backs coach for England U18s, highlighted as one to watch.

Injuries and unavailability hampered the U20s at this summer's World Championship, finishing sixth, while their hopes of a Grand Slam in the U20 Six Nations were wrecked by Wales on the final day. A dip in results, compared to winning the previous year's world title, but not quality.

"There are probably more talented players in that team that we've had for a number of years," insists O'Shea. Hence the sense of urgency from the RFU, dealing with a generational group, to ensure that the bridge between the pathway and Test rugby is as secure as possible.