Gloucester sign a Championship team captain... and stick him in their senior academy
Gloucester have confirmed an unusual signing on Wednesday – they have snapped up Simon Linsell, the Hartpury captain and player of the season, but have only included the consistent Championship second row as part of their senior academy for next season rather than as a fully-fledged member of Johan Ackermann’s first team squad.
Coming back to Kingsholm is something of a homecoming for Linsell, who played a big part in ensuring Hartpury maintained their Greene King IPA Championship status.
Earlier in his career, he was part of a Gloucester under-18s set-up that also included the likes of Lewis Ludlow and Ollie Thorley. Linsell also featured in Premiership Rugby A League action several times.
He moved away from the area to study Arabic and Middle Eastern studies at Exeter University and captained the university side before returning last season to join Hartpury at the age of 23 where he made a real impact.
In agreeing his first professional contract, he will be part of a senior academy squad that in recent seasons has seen a number of players feature at first team level, both domestically and in Europe, and move up to the first team squad.
?SIGNING@SLinsell joins @gloucesterrugby as Senior Academy squad for 2019-20 is confirmed.
For more details ?? https://t.co/juFQCawv5e pic.twitter.com/u0N89Z9qyR
— Gloucester Rugby ? (@gloucesterrugby) May 15, 2019
Moving up from the successful under-18s set-up are Harry Fry, Ethan Hunt, Jenson Boughton, Joe Howard, Jack Clement, Josh Gray, Stephen Varney, George Barton, Isaac Marsh and Louis Rees-Zammit.
Linsell admitted that he’s delighted to return to familiar territory. “It’s fantastic to be returning to where it all first started for me. I’ve really enjoyed my rugby at Exeter University and with Hartpury, but I’m massively looking forward to moving into a fully professional environment and seeing what I can achieve.
BIG news as skipper @SLinsell – voted Player of the Year at last week's dinner – signs his first full-time contract with @gloucesterrugby
We are very proud to have played our part in Simon's development and wish him every success at his new club…https://t.co/yp67Z4EYUB pic.twitter.com/QCufY9znVV
— Hartpury RFC (@HartpuryRFC) May 15, 2019
“I’d like to thank Hartpury in particular. Last season was incredibly challenging, but I learned a lot as a player and am obviously delighted that we managed to stay up. But now, I can’t wait for pre-season, to link up with my team-mates and to see what contribution I can make.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
Aha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
85 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
29 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
226 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
226 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
19 Go to commentsI would like to see a rule change, when the attacking team is held up over the try line, by allowing the defensive team to restart a goal line drop out releases the pressure for the defensive team, but what if the attacking team had to restart a tap 5m out from the defensive team it gives the attacking team to apply more pressure, there are endless options for the attacking side and it will keep the fans in suspence.
2 Go to commentsLess modern South African males predictably triggered.
19 Go to commentsMy heart is with Quins, but the head is convinced Toulouse have too much. Ntamack is back, his timing and wisdom has been missed.
1 Go to commentsWow, what a starting line up for the Sharks) Tasty up front,kremer vs Tshituka or venter …fiery ,,Lavannini ,,will he knobble etzebeth? Biggest game for belleau?
1 Go to commentsIt was rubbish to watch, Blues weren’t even present. Did what they had to do, nothing more. Should be better next week against canes.
1 Go to commentsI’ve just noticed that this match has an all-French refereeing team. Surely a game like this ought to have a neutral ref? Although looking at the BBC preview of the Saints game, Raynal is also down as reffing that - so there may be some confusion about who is reffing what.
1 Go to commentsIf Havili can play anywhere in the back line, why not first 5. #10.
11 Go to comments