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'Incredibly strong and has a very high ceiling': England U20 prop Scola pens new deal
By Josh Raisey
England U20 loosehead prop Oliver Scola has signed a new deal at Northampton Saints.
The 20-year-old joined the Saints academy at the age of 14 and made his senior debut in the PREM Rugby Cup in November against Harlequins before making his Gallagher PREM debut a month later in Northampton’s memorable 41-21 victory over reigning champions Bath at the Rec.
The loosehead, who has enjoyed spells at Bedford Blues and Cambridge, has started all four matches for England at the U20 Six Nations this season.
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Saints director of rugby Phil Dowson said that there is “plenty of his game to develop” after the deal was announced, but highlighted his eagerness to learn and his “high ceiling”.
“Continuing my journey here in Northampton was a no-brainer for me,” said Scola. “I was born in the town and I’ve grown up here.
“Last season I spent a lot of time out on loan and that was really important for my development, particularly in terms of scrummaging at senior level. Experiencing the intensity and physicality of the Champ has helped me grow massively as a prop.
“That also made getting opportunities back here with Saints even more rewarding, first in the PREM Rugby Cup and then in the PREM. It’s a big step up, learning the different calls and adapting to the speed of the game at this level, but I’ve loved every minute of it so far.
“Making my debut this season was really special, and that game away at Bath is probably the best I’ve played so far. Getting consistent minutes under my belt has brought my game on a lot, and I know there’s still plenty more improvement to come.
“Working alongside Jaco [Pienaar] has been huge for me. He’s shown real trust in me, both in training and on matchdays, and that belief has given me confidence that I can compete in the scrum at PREM level, even at a young age.
“My focus now is on pushing for regular first-team rugby here at Saints. I know this club and these coaches reward hard work, and I want to keep improving and see how far I can go with Saints.”
Dowson added: “Developing tight-five forwards takes time, and there are a lot of tough lessons along the way, but the maturity and growth Oli has shown over the last 12 months has been really pleasing.
“You can see that reflected in his progress with England Under-20s. This year he’s starting games and playing big minutes, whereas last season he was coming on for shorter spells, and that’s a strong indicator of how far he’s come.
“The relationship he’s built with Jaco has been excellent, and the step change in his professionalism has really stood out.
“He’s constantly knocking on the coaches’ door for feedback, asking for clips, sitting down one-to-one and wanting to understand exactly what he needs to do to get better, which is exactly what you want to see from a young prop.
“There’s still plenty of his game to develop, but he’s incredibly strong and has a very high ceiling, particularly given where his set-piece is already. A lot of what comes next is about experience – learning the nuances of the scrum, decision-making, and understanding situations – and Oli is someone who will take as much as he can from those lessons.
“He had an excellent preseason, and bringing Jaco into our environment has been really valuable in helping him take that next step. We’re excited about Oli’s potential and very pleased he’s committed his future to Saints.”
