GUS Jones is hoping for a career in professional rugby after captaining England Under 18s to victory in the FIRA/AER European Champion-ship.

The 18-year-old openside flanker, from Oxford, led England to a 25-13 success over Ireland in Madrid on Saturday.

And he is now looking to combine studying at Oxford University with progressing through the ranks with London Wasps to whom he is attached.

“It was fantastic to win the title,” said Jones, who is a former Dragon School, Oxford, pupil.

“We went into the competition knowing that if we played our best rugby we would win.

“Thankfully we came good in the final.

“It was a repeat of last year’s final when we lost to Ireland, so it was good to get revenge this time.

“The tournament was a crescendo for us. We felt we built on every performance as a squad.”

The Eton College pupil has a place to study biological sciences at Oxford University in October, subject to his exam results.

James Wade, the Dark Blues’ head coach, is also Wasps’ high performance manager, so Jones would be helped by this connection.

Jones said: “I am with London Wasps and hoping to continue my relationship with them.

“The academy begins at 18, so I would start there and hope to make it to the first-team squad in the end.

“Playing professionally is my long-term aim.”

Jones played junior rugby with Oxford Harlequins from under nine until under 13 level.

He said: “Playing for England has always been the dream.

“It became a realistic goal around under 16 level.”

Position-wise, Jones said he can play anywhere in the back row and has appeared at centre in school matches.

But he stressed: “I am pretty much a seven through and through.”

After the highs of victory in Madrid, Jones is now revising for his exams back in Oxford where in a few months’ time he could be in action at Iffley Road.

  • COKETHORPE School centre Henry Purdy scored a superb solo try as England Under 18 Clubs and Schools lost 28-25 to Leicester Tigers Academy at Welford Road.

Purdy, who came through Chipping Norton’s ranks before joining Gus Jones at Wasps, opened the scoring on three minutes after threading through the Leicester cover.