By Chris Wearmouth 
Coventry Rugby has reaffirmed its commitment to developing the area’s best Under-18 players in 2020/21, also confirming the season’s first preliminary talent identification dates during the October half-term holiday.
The Under-18s developed in leaps and bounds during 2019/20, with regular training sessions at Butts Park and fixtures against teams associated with Premiership Academies.
And while rugby union is still under restrictions plans are in place for this momentum to continue over the next few months.
There will be two talent identification sessions on Monday, October 26th and Tuesday, October 27th, with each session lasting between 1:30pm and 4pm. Players choose one of the two days and registers via THIS GOOGLE FORM. Sessions will be held within RFU Return-to-Play guidelines.
Coventry Rugby is looking for players who have represented their County (or Constituent Body) or who have been a part of a Premiership club’s Elite Player Development Group or Developing Player Programme. Coventry Rugby also welcomes personal recommendations from club or school coaches.
Selections will be made for all positions, with successful players being invited to two sessions per month. Once fixtures are allowed by the RFU we will be aiming for one game per month against Premiership Academy standard teams.
Individuals within the programme will receive advice regarding nutrition, strength and conditioning, and other information to help them become better players.
Academy Manager Ross Stewart says that it is important that the Under-18s programme continues to build and grow.
“We had a really good 2019/20 and it’s essential that we don’t lose that momentum,” he says. “The players developed a lot, we played some good rugby and were in a good place before the lockdown. This is why we’re keen to get the programme back up and running with talent identification sessions and then our training schedule, all within RFU Return-to-Play guidelines.
“We know that there are a lot of talented youngsters across the West Midlands and are already working with good players at Moulton College as well, so the pieces are all there for the Under-18s to continue going from strength-to-strength and providing the core of the senior squad in years to come.”
Coventry Rugby is also gathering expressions of interest from club and schools coaches who would like to join the 2020/21 Coach Development sessions once they begin. These are free for attendees and cover a wide range of areas. CLICK HERE to complete the EoI form!
Specific questions regarding the Under-18s programme can be emailed to Ross Stewart via rstewart@coventryrugby.co.uk
