PANGBOURNE College student Alex Zenda will tour Canada in April after being named in the England Lambs’ Under-18 rugby squad.

The 18-year-old prop from Thatcham is included in the 38-strong touring party after impressing in trials in Wisbech, Cambridgeshire.

The England Lambs offer top prospects at independent schools – outside Premiership Rugby Academies – a chance to play representative rugby and to shine in an international shop window.

Upper Sixth student Zenda (pictured above), who hopes to read architecture at university after leaving Pangbourne, underlined all his industry and resilience by overcoming a serious shoulder injury, which ruled him out for almost all of last season.

He said: “I was really excited when I received the email from England Lambs. Past players have gone on and done so well in rugby. This is a great opportunity for me to do bigger things in the game.

“After missing the whole of last season I was hungry for rugby and hungry to reach a higher level. Whilst I was re-habbing I just had to take every day as it came and focus on the next target, because there are so many setbacks.”

He continued: “You just have to have faith and say, ‘Okay, there will come a time when I can get back training and I can get stronger and faster’.

“The first XV coaches at the college were pivotal to my comeback. They constantly encouraged me and gave me feedback to help me tweak my game and reach that next level.”

The Lambs will play six warm-up matches from January 22 to March 6, before flying out to Canada on March 30. The Lambs kick-off in North America against Caplilano in Vancouver, British Columbia on April 1.

They also play Pacific Loggers in Seattle, followed by a British Columbia Select XV back in Vancouver. The Lambs end the tour by tackling Canada U18.

Pangbourne coach Charlie Sutton said: “It is a massive achievement for Alex to make the squad. He is a talented boy, dedicated and he always wants to improve his game. He deserves his selection.”

Lambs National Director Alex Laybourne said: “The quality of competition for places on the squad this year is a real testament to the boys and to their schools. We have a very strong squad.”

Three fellow Upper Sixth College students – Matthew Atkins, Louis Ellis and Oliver Jones – too were invited to attend the trials in Wisbech for this year’s Lambs squad, but narrowly failed to be selected. Alex’s achievement follows Old Pangbournians James Costin-Pratt and Will Vaughan’s Lambs U18 call-ups in 2016 for the tour to Argentina.