With a couple of recent articles on the Worst England XV Ever and the Wasted Talent XV, it was all getting a bit depressing on RuckedOver. Those that know me will attest to the fact that (despite my admittedly depressing hobby of writing a rugby 'blog' - I hate that word) I'm usually irritatingly cheerful. And so, hot on the heels of Stuart Lancaster's latest squad announcement, let's take a look at the uncapped youngsters who are giving England such a bright future that, even if it all goes to sh*t over the next 12 months, it doesn't matter because we'll be winning the World Cup in 2019 anyway.
No pressure, lads.
1. Nick Auturac (Bath)
Socks round his ankles like Deano, hair like Mickey Skinner, the Bath loosehead looks as if he's been hauled straight out of the late 1980s - but the 22 year old is very much in the 'new-breed' bracket for props. After joining from Saracens, Auterac has caught the eye with some frankly frightening displays of strength and an ultra-aggressive carrying style. With his scrummaging improving all of the time, the Bath front row looks in safe (and rather large) hands going forward.
2. Luke Cowan-Dickie (Exeter Chiefs)
The fact that the Exeter Chiefs hooker has made it onto this list is a real credit to his rugby-playing ability, because his hair genuinely upsets me. A junior World Cup winner, the fact that he can often nail down a starting spot at a successful Premiership club at just 21 is a success in itself, but bigger things have been earmarked for Cowan-Dickie. Having been part of England's touring party to New Zealand last June (before suffering a knee injury), the hooker's all-action style has seen him sniffing at the door of full international honours - selected for the Saxons squad announced earlier this week.
3. Kyle Sinckler (Harlequins)
'The Sink' has a lot going for him. A geometrically perfect square of muscle and testosterone, he's become known for burying opponents with ferocious hits around the fringes (have a quick search for Chris Ashton and Sinckler's name, and prepare to wince/laugh). With his scrummaging beginning to look more than solid and staggering pace for a man of his size (don't believe me? Watch him keep up with Marlande Yarde below), it's surely just a matter of time until he gets a full cap, despite the fact that England are well-stocked in the tighthead department. Now he just needs to control that temper...
4. Charlie Matthews (Harlequins)
Out of nowhere, young Matthews has become a mainstay of the Quins pack and is quickly becoming something of an enforcer, despite his tender age of just 23. In a side that prides itself on playing all-singing and all-dancing rugby, the Quins academy product brings just a bit of the old school to proceedings and some much needed balance to their brand of rugby. Whether he's destined for the mantle of 'great club player' rather than international, I don't know, but for the time being he's certainly turning some heads for the Londoners.
5. Dominic Barrow (Newcastle Falcons)
The 21-year-old product of the Leeds academy was one of the standout performers for the England under 20s in their 2013 World Cup win, proving a canny operator in the lineout and an explosive physical presence in the loose. Injuries have curtailed the impact he's been able to make for the Falcons this year but, with time on his side, Dom Barrow is a name that rugby fans can expect to get used to hearing a lot more in the future.
6. Maro Itoje (Saracens)
Saracens have a fine (and often underrated) academy system so when one bloke shamelessly gets picked by management and pundits as being the 'best of the bunch', you have to take notice. He's started making inroads into the Saracens 1st XV this season - mostly as a second row, although he is experienced at 6 - but it's been at age-group international level where Itoje has really shone. A natural leader, he learnt his lineout traits from Steve Borthwick (not bad) and was a marauding, often try-scoring presence for the under-20s as they impressed in the Si Nations and then won the 2014 Junior World Championship. A future England skipper? Stay tuned.
7. Harry Thacker (Leicester Tigers)
Ah, now I may have cheated slightly here. Young Thacker is actually a Tigers hooker - and a very promising one at that, catching the eye with two tries against London Welsh and winning the player of the month prize at Welford Road recently. But at 5 foot 8 and 13 stone, questions have been raised about his size - not that you'd know, to be fair. A strong set-piece operator, he is a ferociously aggressive carrier with a low centre of gravity and a smart rugby brain, which makes him a real handful. But his stature also makes him lethal over the ball and, with a hat-trick of tries from driving mauls in his last appearance in a 7 jersey (in the A league against Northampton), could we be witnessing the emergence of a new Neil Back?
PS the fact his dad used to be my rugby coach and that he, to be honest, still frightens me, has nothing to do with his selection. Just don't make me do pyramid runs, Troy!
8. Jack Clifford (Harlequins)
Another man to be involved in that superb 2013 Junior World Cup winning squad, the Australian born Clifford is starting to make some serious waves at club level this season. A largely injury-enforced run in the Harlequins first team has seen the 21-year-old slip seamlessly in to blindside flanker, where his powerful carries, impressive athleticism and Velcro-esque hands have made it incredibly hard for Conor O'Shea to dislodge him, even if he is fit. Take a look at some of his highlights from the under 20s, where he seems to beat half the opposition on a regular basis - Quins look to have a ready-made replacement for Nick Easter. If he ever retires.
9. Dan Robson (Gloucester)
If it feels like Robson has been around for ages, that's because he has - he made his debut in the 2010-11 season, and since then has - rather, harshly in my view - been handed the role of super-sub on the most part. Some questions remain on his kicking game but his distribution is tidy and his ability to create moments of magic like the below set him apart as a special talent. Off to Wasps next season, his battle for the 9 shirt with a scrum-half of similar qualities, Joe Simpson, will be an intriguing one.
10. Henry Slade (Exeter Chiefs)
Slade strikes me as one of those irritating people who has it all. Blessed with boyish good looks and charm in interviews, the least we could expect is a bit of timid-ness in the contact area, like any self-respecting semi-good-looking fly half would have. But no, throw anyone at them - Rene Ranger, Manu Tuilagi - and Slade not only tackles them but hits them hard. Add that to glorious distribution skills and superb vision, you can understand why many are clamouring for the young Exeter man to be part of Stuart Lancaster's plans sooner rather than later. Also keep an eye out for Alex Lozowski at Wasps - another man who has impressed with every outing and one that has the useful ability to create chances from nothing.
11. Zach Kibirige (Newcastle Falcons)
Like his club-mate Dom Barrow, Kibirige has had bad luck with injuries at Falcons, with a broken leg curtailing his season last year. But if his form for the under 20s is anything to go by, then Dean Richards has one heck of a talent on his hands. A powerful runner with sharp acceleration, the youngster oozes physical menace and if he can refine the finer aspects of his game, then maybe we can see more ridiculous tries like this at senior level.
12. Sam Hill (Exeter Chiefs)
Yet another to form part of an impressive crop of youngsters emerging from the Exeter academy, Sam Hill would almost sum up what plenty of fans dislike about England centres - physicality, aggression and solid defence. But chuck in his superb special awareness and ability to get the ball out of the tackle, and you have a centre who is a brick wall in defence, and a guaranteed gain-line breaker and gap-creator, a real cannon-ball, in attack. Already a mainstay for Chiefs at just 21.
13. Nick Tompkins (Saracens)
Perhaps I'm being unfair, but the combination of the words 'Saracens', 'centre' and 'Tompkins' fills me with an emotion somewhere between despondency and despair as I recall one of the most average players (Joel) ever to pull on an England shirt. Nick will have to do a lot to erase that mindset, but he's certainly started well - he hasn't looked out of place starting for Saracens in some big games despite being only 19. As an ex-flanker, he is solid in defence and likes the rough stuff at the breakdown, but he's also a smart line-picker in the Conrad Smith mould. He's got plenty of learning to go still, but Sarries know that they have a real prospect on their hands.
14. Charlie Walker (Harlequins)
As part of an England under-20 back 3 containing Marlande Yarde and Anthony Watson, you would be forgiven for thinking Walker had fallen away a tad. Not so. Instead, incredibly bad luck has robbed Quins of one of the most dangerous broken field runners around. With lightening acceleration and a remarkable ability to change direction without slowing down, Walker was tearing it up for Quins in late 2013/early 2014 before injury knocked him off his stride. Now recovered, he's edging his way back towards the Londoners' starting line-up - if he gets a shot, watch out.
15. Mike Haley (Sale Sharks)
The young full back would probably have had even some Sharks fans scratching their heads over who he was prior to this season, with only a handful of LV= Cup appearances to his name, but the man from Preston has certainly caught the eye this year. Making the most of injuries to some of his more experienced colleagues, Haley has shown remarkable poise under the high ball for somebody who is still just 20, has quick feet and a gliding style of running that sees him coast through gaps. A prime example of somebody take their chance with both hands - it will be interesting to see what chances come his way going forward.
Who have I missed out from this side? Comment below.
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