Illness has ruled rising Norfolk rugby star Will Evans out of this summer's World Rugby Under-20s Championship in Georgia.

Eastern Daily Press: Will Evans scoring a try for England against Scotland during the World Rugby U20 Championship in Manchester last summer. Picture: David Davies/PA WireWill Evans scoring a try for England against Scotland during the World Rugby U20 Championship in Manchester last summer. Picture: David Davies/PA Wire (Image: PA Wire)

The former Wymondham RFC junior continued his rise to prominence with Leicester Tigers this season when making 18 appearances – but has not played since the end of January.

Evans, originally from Woodton, near Bungay, played a key part in England winning the world U20 crown on home soil last summer, when the openside flanker was named in the team of the tournament.

The 20-year-old former Wymondham College pupil was not part of the squad which won the U20s Six Nations Grand Slam earlier this year, having been named in a 45-man senior England training squad at the start of the season.

However, the Norwich-born forward was included in the U20s squad last month ahead of England's title defence in Georgia getting under way on May 31.

Harlequins back-row Dino Lamb has replaced Evans in England's 28-man squad, which gathered in Guildford last week for a pre-tournament training camp.

'It's a shame to lose Will at this early stage however this is a fantastic opportunity for Dino,' U20 head coach Ian Vass told EnglandRugby.com.

'We are pleased with how the training camp went last week and the players are hugely excited by what is ahead.'

Evans became the second youngest forward to debut for Leicester when he made an unexpected Aviva Premiership start in April 2016 and signed a new Tigers contract in January.