Leicester Tigers Academy duo Will Evans and Paolo Odogwu are included in the England Under-18 squad who departed for France today to defend their European Championship title.Tigers flanker Evans and wing Odogwu are among a 26-man squad who go into the tournament after two wins in three games so far this season.   England have beaten France (21-5) and Scotland (39-27), but lost 23-15 to Wales earlier this month.   The squad collected a third consecutive European title last season with wins over Portugal, Wales and Ireland in Poland. Their opening fixture is against Portugal on Friday afternoon in Montauban, southern France.   The coaching team will be led by head coach John Fletcher and forwards coach Pete Walton.   Fletcher said: “It will be a really good opportunity for the team to play three competitive games in a European tournament. Our first game is against Portugal where we will want to put in a good early performance and then we will wait and see who we get in the remaining two games. “Winning the competition would be great, but first it’s about collectively as a group getting better and better.” England Under-18s squad Forwards Will Allman (Northampton Saints, Trent College) Charlie Capps (Prince Henry's, Yorkshire Carnegie) Tim Cardall (Northampton Saints, Moulton College) Josh Caulfield (Exeter Chiefs, Bicton College) Joe Craggs (Newcastle Falcons, Gosforth Academy) Ollie Dawe (Exeter Chiefs, Bicton College) Dan Frost (Bath Rugby, Filton College) Jack Edmondson (Bath Rugby, Sherborne) Will Evans (Leicester Tigers, Wyggeston & QEI College) Curtis Langdon (London Irish, St Pauls Sunbury) Nick Isiekwe (Saracens, Haileybury College) Zach Mercer (Bath Rugby, Merchiston Castle School) Jake Pope (Sale Sharks, Myerscough College) Archie White (Harlequins, Epsom College) Backs Sam Aspland-Robinson (Harlequins, Wellington College) Darren Atkins (Bath Rugby, Millfield School) Theo Brophy Clews (London Irish, Abingdon School) Mark Dixon (Sale Sharks, Lymm HS) Gabriel Ibitoye (Harlequins, Trinity) Max Malins (Saracens, Felsted) Jack Maunder (Exeter Chiefs, Blundells School) Johnny McPhillips (Newcastle Falcons, Sedbergh School) Alexander Mitchell (Sale Sharks, Lymm HS) Dominic Morris (Saracens, New Hall School) Paolo Odogwu (Leicester Tigers, Leicester Grammar School) Max Wright (Yorkshire Carnegie, Prince Henry's)