CHARLIE SHARPLES believes the experience he has gained from the Guinness Premiership this season can help him to glory at the Toshiba IRB Junior World Championship in Japan.

The former Dursley youth player flew out to Japan yesterday with the rest of the England under-20s squad and thinks they can go one step further than last year when they were runners-up to New Zealand.

Sharples, 19, made one start during that tournament when he was one of the youngest members of the squad, and despite being a regular in the under-20s setup, his opportunities have been limited mainly due to his progress with Gloucester.

He started England’s first game of the Six Nations against Italy but missed the rest of it as he was recalled to the Kingsholm club, going onto make nine first team appearances.

But the winger, who played at full back in his last England outing, is hoping to make an impression in Japan and says playing Premiership rugby has put him in good stead for the tournament.

“I missed the Six Nations because I was involved with Gloucester but there’s no interference now and I’m pleased that I’m fit and selected,” said Sharples.

“I would like to get a couple of games out there and a couple of tries hopefully.

“I was quite nervous in the last game I played (for England) but now I’ve had a few games in the Premiership with Gloucester it’s given me a lot of confidence and valuable experience to take into my game.

“It’s been hugely beneficial playing with or against Premiership and international players and hopefully I’ll take that experience into the World Cup.”

Sharples added: “The mindset in the team is very much to do better than last year but we don’t want to get ahead of ourselves.

“We had a tough loss to Loughborough in the training camp, we’ll be playing in a hostile environment, so we don’t want to over estimate ourselves.

“We must respect our opposition and take every game as it comes but we’ve got the potential to go far.”

Sharples, who scored his first Premiership try against Bath in February, was an unused substitute in Gloucester’s heavy 50-12 EDF Energy Cup final defeat at Twickenham against Cardiff last month.

Despite the disappointment, Sharples felt he gained something from the experience.

“Being involved in the final was an eye opener to the huge stage,” he said.

“There was a big crowd against Cardiff Blues, who are probably one of the better teams in the Northern Hemisphere.

“I was relishing the challenge of getting an opportunity but I don’t think it would have been beneficial to go on.

“But it prepares you for the next time of what to expect for the big games.”