Mercer has been in impressive from in the Blue, Black and White in the back row making 10 appearances in the Aviva Premiership and was amongst the try scorers in Bath's 69-10 victory against Pau last weekend.

Joining the 19-year-old in the squad are Tom Parton (London Irish), Jake Pope (Sale Sharks) and Alex Seville (Gloucester Rugby), who come into the squad as injury replacements for Ralph Adams-Hale (Saracens), Charlie Capps (Yorkshire Carnegie) and Ali Crossdale (Saracens).

Winger Paolo Odogwu (Sale Sharks) makes way for Saracens’ Dominic Morris as the fourth change to the squad.

Morris and Pope have the experience of featuring in last year’s Six Nations and, along with Parton and Seville, joined the rest of the group for a training camp in Loughborough last week as the team prepare to face France U20 at Exeter’s Sandy Park on Saturday 4 February (12:00pm kick-off).

The EPS includes five players who have featured in Aviva Premiership Rugby this season while 10 of the squad have already been capped at this level.

England visit Eirias Park in Colwyn Bay for their second match of the tournament to face defending champions Wales before a home fixture against Italy at Darlington Mowden Park on Friday 24 February at 7:45pm.

England’s penultimate game of the Six Nations is against Scotland on Saturday 11 March at Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton, kick off 6:15pm. The side then finish their campaign in Dublin, Ireland.

England U20 Elite Player Squad 2017:

Sam Aspland-Robinson (Harlequins)
Jamie Blamire (Newcastle Falcons)
Theo Brophy Clews (London Irish)
Will Butler (Worcester Warriors)
Josh Caulfield (Exeter Chiefs)
Justin Clegg (Worcester Warriors)
Joe Cokanasiga (London Irish)
Ben Curry (Sale Sharks)
Tom Curry (Sale Sharks)
Ollie Dawe (Bristol Rugby)
Ben Earl (Saracens)
Ted Hill (Worcester Warriors)
Gabriel Ibitoye (Harlequins)
Nick Isiekwe (Saracens)
Ciaran Knight (Gloucester Rugby)
Curtis Langdon (Sale Sharks)
Max Malins (Saracens)
Jack Maunder (Exeter Chiefs)
Zach Mercer (Bath Rugby)
Alex Mitchell (Northampton Saints)
Dominic Morris (Saracens)
Joseph Morris (Worcester Warriors)
Joe Mullis (Gloucester Rugby)
Jack Nay (Saracens)
Tom Parton (London Irish)
Jake Pope (Sale Sharks)
Harry Randall (Gloucester Rugby)
Alex Seville (Gloucester Rugby)
Jamie Shillcock (Worcester Warriors)
Jacob Umaga (Wasps)
Max Wright (Yorkshire Carnegie)
Zac Xiourouppa (Worcester Warriors)

England U20 2017 Six Nations fixtures:

All of the home England U20 Six Nations fixtures will be shown live on Sky Sports.

England v France: Saturday 4th February – Sandy Park, Exeter (KO 12:00pm)

Wales v England: Friday 10th February – Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay (KO 7:15pm)

England v Italy: Friday 24th February – Darlington Mowden Park (KO 7:45pm)

England v Scotland: Saturday 11th March – Franklin’s Gardens, Northampton (KO 6:15pm)

Ireland v England: Friday 17th March – Donnybrook Stadium, (KO 6:00pm)

Mercer named in England U20 Elite Player Squad

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