England calling after Howe hits top speed (From Bucks Free Press)

Flackwell Heath teenager on international radar

1:39pm Wednesday 10th October 2012 in Sport By Alan Feldberg

WINGER Tom Howe is flying this week after being selected for the England U18s rugby squad.

The former RGS High Wycombe pupil was selected after a successful August training camp, where his speed off the mark singled him out as one to watch.

Howe, who has also represented England at U16 and U17 levels, was first over 10m and 40m in 1.61 seconds and 4.83 seconds.

Later this month he will join up with the squad in Leeds for another training camp, with a view to earning a place in the team for a series of spring internationals followed by a summer tour to the southern hemisphere.

Howe, from Flackwell Heath, certainly has the credentials. He is the top try-scorer at Shiplake College this season and recently came off the bench to score for Wasps A against London Irish.

Shiplake coach Sam Beckett said: “Tom has blistering pace, an ability to break-through tackles and the willingness to seek out work, whether it is running support lines or tracking back to make vital tackles.

“Yet those attributes alone are not enough to bring international selection.

“Tom is a team player, he plays for his team mates and they play for him. His passion to develop and improve is what has impressed the England U18 selectors.”