COVENTRY Rugby’s academy celebrated a landmark moment after Taio Varndell made his debut for England under-19s on the international stage.
Varndell’s call-up to the England under-19 squad saw him become the first senior academy player at the club to receive an international call-up since its launch in 2024.
The wing came off the bench to score a try as England suffered a 45-31 defeat against Japan’s National High School team at Oxford University Rugby Club.
Coventry academy manager, Matt Jones said: “This is a significant milestone in Taio’s journey and an important moment for him as an aspirational young player.
“His selection for England under-19 presents a valuable opportunity to step into a higher-level environment and test his current skillset against stronger opposition.
“He will follow Will Dorrell in becoming the club’s second player to be invited into national pathway activity, which is a fantastic marker for both him and the wider environment.
“We are pleased to see him access this level of exposure and are proud to be a vehicle for aspirational, Midlands-based players to experience the demands of the next level and move towards these opportunities.”
Varndell is the son of the Premiership’s third highest-ever try-scorer Tom Varndell.
