MATTHEW Banahan joins up with the Rugby Football Union’s Junior National Academy for a five-day training camp at Bath University tomorrow.

That is the same day that Jim Mallinder assumes control of the National Academy, replacing Brian Ashton who is leaving to become head coach at Bath.

Banahan and his contemporaries will also be under the watchful eye of coaches of the calibre of John Wells, Jon Callard, Dorian West, Nigel Redman and Mike Friday.

The RFU’s Academy system has helped hone the skills of the likes of Leicester Tiger and England Under-21 wing Tom Varndell, who achieved his first cap and first try against Manu Samoa and just returned from being named player of the Emirates Airlines Sevens, where he was top try scorer.

The coaches will be giving a final polish to the best young rugby players in England before they go into competition mode.

After meeting Wales, Italy, Scotland, France and Ireland in the U19 Six Nations, many will go to Dubai in April for the IRB U19 World Championship.

The Junior National Academy features 18 players, with London Irish lock Banahan among a further five invited to attend the training camp.

Said Mallinder: ‘Working in partnership with the Guinness Premiership clubs, we aim to introduce young players to the standards they need to reach to make it to the top of the sport.

‘I am sure that some of these players will one day be running out onto the Twickenham turf with the England team.’