With one week to go to the 2009 Four Nations Tournament in Wales, the England U16 squad have been urged to express themselves by head coach Phil Stanlake.

The 26 players in the England squad are drawn from schools all over the country, and they will come together for matches against Italy, Wales and France in the annual competition from April 9-15.

The highlight is bound to be the tussle between old rivals England and Wales at the 15,000-capacity Parc y Scarlets in Llanelli on Easter Sunday.

"The principal aim is to enable players to express themselves on the field with confidence," said Stanlake, who succeeded long-serving head coach Gareth Rees this season and has been mentored by former England coach Brian Ashton.

"At this age the accent is on development and if our squad goes out and performs to the best of their potential, I can't ask more than that.

"And, of course, we are entering the tournament wanting to win all our matches."

Yorkshire's Dominic Barrow, a second-row forward from Bradfield School near Sheffield, will captain England U16, following on from Owen Farrell who led the side last season and has since played first XV rugby for Saracens.

In last year's Four Nations Tournament in France, there was a mixed bag of results for England: a 13-12 defeat to Wales, a 12-3 win over Italy and a 24-24 draw with the French hosts.

Wales, coached by Simon Davies, will be bidding to repeat their clean sweep of three wins last season now they are on home soil in Llandovery, Llanelli and Cardiff.

Stanlake said: "This is the England boys' first exposure to international rugby and we don't know how they will react.

"But they do realise the responsibility of the position and they look well prepared to take it on their young shoulders.

"That's what makes this job so special and it is a very intense time for the coaches, who are all teachers in their day jobs.

"From the time earlier in the season when around 200 boys were in contention, they have had the same message that the boys can buy into what they and the management wish to do - and into representing their country.

"We also say to some of them that this may not be their year. They may come through at Under 18 level."

Stanlake, a former fly-half and full-back with Cheltenham, Gloucestershire and England Colleges, praised the improved pathway of communication with England U18 coaches John Fletcher and Peter Walton among those attending the 16s' training and practice matches.

Stuart Lancaster, the RFU's head of elite player development, has also been involved, while Roy Headey, the RFU's head of sports science, has undertaken fitness testing for the boys, and Tony Ashton will be in Wales to conduct the video analysis he also undertakes for Martin Johnson's senior team.

"The boys come from massively different backgrounds in rugby," said Stanlake.

"Everything has been full on to get our points across. We have had several training weekends and practice matches, and there have been a lot of mini-games with plenty of onus on the players to coach themselves.

"We keep it relatively basic and always try to make it enjoyable."

A time of uncertainty while a debate ensued over which of the experimental law variations would be utilised in Wales has ended - ELVs 2 and 3 relating to the maul will not be in use - and now it is all systems go for Barrow's young side.

For each of the three matchdays tickets are £5 for adults, £3 for concessions and U12s go free.

England U16 squad, Four Nations Tournament in Wales 2009

Backs: Tommy Bell, inside centre (Ivybridge and Devon) Alex Brown, wing (Bramdean School, Exeter Saracens and Devon), Elliot Daly, outside centre (Whitgift School, Dorking and Surrey), Christopher Gemmell, full back (Giggleswick School and Yorkshire), Charlie Gordon, scrum half (Wellington College and Oxfordshire), Ed Hainsworth, fly half (Bradford Grammar School and Yorkshire), Sam Hill, outside centre (Queen Elizabeth Community College, Crediton and Devon), Mark Jennings, full back (Lymm High School, Manchester and Cheshire), Elliot Markham, fly half (Wellington College, Cobham and Berkshire), Oliver Massy-Birch, scrum half (Kelly College, Crediton and Devon), Jack Masters, full back (King's School Canterbury, Canterbury and Kent), Charlie Walker, outside centre (Oakham School, Oadby Wyggestonian and Leicestershire).

Forwards: Kieran Ball, loose-head prop (Felsted School, Romford & Gidea Park and Essex), Dominic Barrow, second row (Bradfield School, Leeds Carnegie and Yorkshire, capt), Luke Cowan-Dickie, loose-head prop (Mounts Bay School, Pirates and Cornwall), Tom Crozier, hooker (Colchester Royal Grammar School, Colchester and Eastern Counties), Christopher Downham, number eight (Queen Katherine, Kendal and Cumbria), Matt Hankin, open-side flanker (Langley Park School for Boys, Blackheath and Kent), Tom Knight, blind-side flanker (Reepham High School, North Walsham and Eastern Counties), Nathan Morris, front row (Sedbergh School, Carlisle and Cumbria), Joe Robinson, second row (Kirkbie Kendal, Kendal and Cumbria), Kyle Sinckler, tight-head prop (Graveney School, London Scottish and Surrey), Alex Stout, number eight (RGS Guildford, Cobham and Surrey) Will Tanner, hooker (Queen's College Taunton, Taunton and Somerset), Vadim Toczylkin, second row (Wellington College and Oxfordshire), Julian Watkins, number eight (Cokethorpe School, Henley and Oxfordshire).

Fixtures

Thursday, April 9, Llandovery RFC: Wales v France, 2pm, Italy v England, 4pm.

Sunday April 12, Parc y Scarlets, Llanelli: Wales v England, 2pm, France v Italy, 4pm.

Wednesday April 15, Cardiff RFC, Cardiff Arms Park: England v France, 2pm, Wales v Italy, 4pm.