England completed their preparations for this season's AER European U18 Championships by drawing 5-5 with Scotland in a development match at Percy Park RFC in North Shields today.

The game was England's third and final warm-up match before they take on Portugal in their AER opener in Biarritz on Sunday, April 1.

England will be attempting to win the competition for a third consecutive season.

No caps were awarded for the Scotland game which was played in 20 minute quarters to give England's coaching staff the opportunity to assess the full squad ahead of their flight to Biarritz on Thursday.

England called up scrum-half Oliver Frost (Bromsgrove School, Worcester Warriors and North Midlands) and openside flanker Tom Calladine (Mansfield, Nottingham and Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire) to cover for injuries and the inclusion of scrum-half Joe Burford in the England U18 Six Nations Championship squad.

Frost and Calladine, who impressed for the Midlands in the Divisional Festival in December, both acquitted themselves well in a game in which the main feature was two well-organised defences.

There was no score in the first three quarters but England broke the deadlock in the final period when good work by the pack and Scott Morris and Rory Clegg allowed Sean Morris (Westcliff HS for Boys, Saracens and Essex) to score the opening try which went unconverted.

Scotland levelled with another unconverted try two minutes later and England's defence was tested again before the final whistle.

"It was another good work out and we were pleased with the way things went," said Ted Atkinson, England's team manager.

"We were reduced in numbers because of injuries and illness but the players that stepped in gave a very good account of themselves."

Burford (Colston's Collegiate School, Bristol and Devon) is expected to return from duty with the Six Nations squad to play in the AER opener against Portugal next week.

Flanker Duke Seymour (Truro College, SWERA and Cornwall) missed today's game because of flu but he is expected to be fit to travel to Biarritz.

Flanker Josh Ovens (Milton Abbey School, Bath and Dorset & Wiltshire) and centre Tom Casson (Sedbergh Schjool, Sale Sharks and Cheshire) both missed the game because of shoulder injuries sustained playing sevens for their school last week. Ovens is expected to be fit to face Portugal but Casson may be forced to sit out the AER opener.

England U18 AER squad - Backs: William Browne (Hampton School, London Welsh and Middlesex), Rory Clegg (Barnard Castle School, Newcastle Falcons and Durham), George Drake (Sedbergh School and Yorkshire), Oliver Frost (Bromsgrove School, Worcester Warriors and North Midlands), Scott Morris (Colston's Collegiate School and Gloucestershire), Sean Morris (Westcliff HS for Boys, Saracens and Essex), Harry Owens (Worcester Warriors), Michael Penn (Bromsgrove School, Worcester Warriors and North Midlands), Samuel Smith (Cranleigh School, NEC Harlequins and Surrey), Ross Swanson (Harrow School), Oliver Winterbottom (Rednock School, Gloucester and Gloucestershire), Daniel White (Hymers College, Leeds Tykes and Yorkshire).

Forwards: Greg Bateman (Cranleigh School, NEC Harlequins and Surrey), Robert Bell (Durham School, Leicester Tigers and Durham),Tom Calladine (Mansfield, Nottingham and Notts, Lincs & Derbyshire), Christopher Davies (Altrincham GS, Sale Sharks and Cheshire), Joel Diggins (Bromsgrove School and North Midlands), Peter Elder (RGS High Wycombe, London Wasps and Buckinghamshire), Christopher Locke (Northampton School for Boys, Bedford Blues and East Midlands), George Porter (St Peter's Sixth Form, Gloucester and Gloucestershire), Mitchell Quoi (Colston's Collegiate School and Somerset), James Rodley (Portsmouth GS, London Irish and Hampshire),Edward Stagg (Colston's Collegiate School, Bath and Dorset & Wiltshire), Phillip Swainston (Harrogate GS, Leeds Tykes and Yorkshire), Christopher York (Epsom College, NEC Harlequins and Surrey).