Aiden Ainsworth-Cave

Aiden Ainsworth-Cave
Born (2006-07-21) 21 July 2006[1]
Height1.97 m (6 ft 6 in)
Weight104 kg (16 st 5 lb; 229 lb)[2]
SchoolBedford School
UniversityUniversity of Bath
Rugby union career
Position Lock
Current team Northampton Saints
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2024- Northampton Saints 2 (0)
2024-25Bedford Blues (loan) 2 (0)
International career
Years Team Apps (Points)
2024– England U18s
2025– England U20s

Aiden Ainsworth-Cave (born 21 July 2006) is an English professional rugby union footballer who plays for Northampton Saints and England U20s. His preferred position is Lock.

Club career

Ainsworth-Cave was educated at Bedford School where he played first-XV rugby union, and signed his first senior contract with Northampton Saints in May 2024.[3][4] He later studied at Bath University where he played British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Super Rugby.[5]

He made his debut for Northampton as a replacement in the Premiership Rugby Cup against Harlequins on 1 November 2025.[6]

International career

A former England U18 player,[4] Ainsworth-Cave made his England U20 debut against Ireland U20 in the U20 Six Nations Championship in February 2025.[7] He also featured for England U19 in March 2025.[8] That summer, he was a member of the England U20 squad at the 2025 World Rugby U20 Championship.[9] He continued with the side at the 2026 U20 Six Nations in February 2026.[10]

References

  1. ^ "Aiden Ainsworth-Cave". Ultimate Rugby. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  2. ^ "Aiden Ainsworth-Cave". All Rugby. Retrieved 11 February 2026.
  3. ^ Carr, Tom (17 May 2024). "Two Bedford School students sign first professional rugby contracts for Northampton Saints". Bedford Independent. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  4. ^ a b Carr, Tom (21 March 2024). "Bedford School's rugby stars named in England U18 squad for Six Nations Festival". Bedford Independent. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  5. ^ Morgan, Charlie (21 October 2025). "British university rugby is becoming more like American college sports". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 22 October 2025.
  6. ^ Vickers, Tom (31 October 2025). "Northampton Saints v Harlequins: Full team news for Saturday's cup clash". Northampton Chronicle. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  7. ^ Chapman Coombe, Louis (7 February 2025). "Meet Aiden Ainsworth-Cave: The England U20s star moulded in Courtney Lawes' frame and aspiring to reach his heights". Planet Rugby. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  8. ^ "England U19: England name Men's U19 side to face Japan". Nextgenxv. 22 March 2025. Retrieved 24 September 2025.
  9. ^ "Young Guns - Aiden Ainsworth-Cave". The Rugby Paper. 21 September 2025. Retrieved 29 January 2026.
  10. ^ Morgan, Charlie (11 February 2026). "How Steve Borthwick's DNA has bled into England A and under-20s". The Times. Retrieved 11 February 2026.