LEWIS WILSON is tantalisingly close to nailing down a place in the England Under- 16s rugby union team.

The Pocklington rugby club and Woldgate College back-row came through the U16 divisional festival with flying colours.

One of 100 young players identified as potential junior internationals by the RFU player development department, he ran out for the North at openside flanker at Coventry.

He was part of a squad that drew 22-22 with the London and South East division.

Wilson, from Stamford Bridge, has been in top form for Pocklington all season and captained Yorkshire U16s against the other northern counties in October and November last year.

He is also a member of the Leeds Carnegie U16 Academy and in the summer plays cricket for Stamford Bridge CC.

After an impressive performance for the North, he remains with the North U16s for a couple of training camps in March leading up to the Wellington International Festival, in Berkshire, in April.

At Wellington, all four England divisional sides will be in action along with two representative squads from France and Wales, and one each from Scotland and Italy.

The England selectors will then choose their full England U16 side to meet Italy on April 19 and Wales on April 27.