ST AMBROSE College supplies more rugby players to the under-18 England training squad than any other school in the country.

This year rugby first XV captain and Number Eight at the Hale Barns school, Ciaran Booth, along with scrum half Raphael Quirke have been called up for training.

They will meet up with former team-mates, centre Connor Doherty and scrum half Tom Walsh, who played rugby from Year 7 to 11 at St. Ambrose until last year when they were awarded sports scholarships by two of the region's leading independent schools.

Ciaran and Raphael are part of the Sale Sharks development system with Ciaran previously playing at Manchester RUFC and Raphael at Broughton Park.

Raphael, 16, who has already played for England under-16s said: “The coaching is fantastic at all age levels at St. Ambrose and we have some of the best facilities in the country. The influence of Sale is also important. I feel I have been closely monitored by the region's parent club and have benefitted from their coaching and lifestyle expertise.”

Both young men want to become professional rugby players, though Raphael, in the mould of JPR Williams and Jamie Roberts, is thinking about combining his rugby with studying Medicine.

Ciaran said: “I live and breathe rugby, train twice a day, take any opportunity to go the gymnasium and play as often as I can. I have been given a contract by Sale for next year and that's my one objective.”

Nigel Handy, St Ambrose College's director of sport, said: “We are lucky to have a string of hugely dedicated coaches at all age levels at St. Ambrose who give so much time to developing the boys from Year 7 onwards. It's a great reward when you see them develop into young men with such outstanding potential. We work closely with Sale who have a fantastic pedigree of developing local talent.”