FORMER Sedbergh School pupils James Botham and Johnny McPhillips have each represented Wales and Ireland respectively in recent U20s RBS Six Nations fixtures, with current pupil Sam Moore announced in the line up for England U18s this week.

Botham was capped for the first time, playing against Scotland, and scored his first try with the red shirt on. James, blindside flanker and former Sedbergh School Football Club 1st team regular, scored a try in his first match after the team got off to a flying start. Writing for RBSSixNations.com, Ben Baker described Botham as having ‘scythed through the Scottish defence to touch down in the corner for his first Under-20s try.’ On Twitter, James said: “Great day today. Couldn’t have asked for a better group of boys to have my 20s debut with.”

Earlier this month Botham played for the Welsh international sevens side in Australia, scoring a try. Wales U20 head coach Jason Strange said: "James is a very good athlete who, through hard work, has built on his natural talents as a sportsman to become a real prospect in the game. We've seen him come through the Wales age group pathway, and most recently he's been gaining invaluable experience with the Wales Sevens programme, so the future is bright for him."

Simon Mulholland Head of Boys Games and Sedbergh 1st XV Coach said: “I am absolutely delighted to see James doing so well on the international stage with Wales 7s and the U20s. He is an incredibly talented young man who had always shown huge potential throughout his time within the SSFC.

"His quick rise throughout the Wales system is very exciting. It is great for the young aspiring players at Sedbergh to see an old boy of the school progressing through the ranks of the professional game with such success and so soon after wearing our 1st XV jersey on Buskholme.”