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Postion-by-position academy productivity: Premiership and PRO14

Maro Itoje and Nick Isiekwe are at the spearhead of Saracens' impressive pedigree at the lock position. (Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

The Gallagher Premiership and Guinness PRO14 may differ from the NFL in how they go about it, but the process of talent identification and player development is paramount to each competition’s ability to succeed as a professional sport.

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Whereas the NFL reaps the uber-talented and resourced pool of players in the college football system, clubs, provinces and regions in the Premiership and PRO14 rely on privately-owned academies or union-controlled pathways out of school and into university or semi-professional rugby.

Each route has its own merits and though these things can often be quite cyclical, where a previously productive academy or college system has a quiet few years, certain institutions can swiftly become known for being particularly efficient at developing players at specific positions.

Miami was regularly referred to as ‘Wide Receiver U’ due to their ability to send high-level receivers to the NFL, whilst Alabama would have a strong grasp on the same mantle for running backs and linebackers right now. It’s a frequent debate among the fans and media of American sports, so what would happen if we transferred the same debate to the Premiership and PRO14?

Below, we have tried to breakdown the most productive academy or pathway in those two competitions over the last 10 or so years – capped at players below the age of 30 – to get an idea of who might be ‘lock A-Cad’, who is leading the way at fly-half and whose raft of wings are the envy of the northern hemisphere.

Continue reading below…

Watch: Worcester Warriors have furloughed most of their playing and non-playing staff

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Loosehead PropBristol Bears

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You thought we would go Leinster, right? It’s a fair assumption, given the province’s track record at the position, though Cian Healy falls just outside of this time period and the talented Andrew Porter has since been switched to tighthead. And in addition to that, Bristol’s crop gets nowhere near the appreciation it deserves.

First they brought through Mako Vunipola and then they backed it up with Ellis Genge. That’s the current England and British and Irish Lions starting loosehead and perhaps the biggest threat to his international jersey, both from the same club. Ollie Dawe has also impressed at the U20 level and after a brief sojourn at tighthead, has returned to his favoured position of loosehead where he should kick on. Then came Tom Rowlands who is currently playing BUCS Super Rugby at Bath University and the latest is Andrew Turner, an England U18 international who should be going on to a professional contract this summer.

HookerSaracens

It wasn’t going to take long for Saracens to get their name up here and few can argue with their production at the position. England’s incumbent starter, Jamie George, just sneaks in, whilst the club also developed one of his main rivals, Jack Singleton. In addition to the two England internationals, the club also moulded USA senior cap Kapeli Pifeleti, whom big things are expected of in the coming years, and they boast current England U20 Theo Dan.

Tighthead PropLeinster

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After narrowly missing out at loosehead, Leinster get themselves on the board at tighthead. Tadhg Furlong is the glittering jewel in their crown, although Porter is pushing him hard for province and for country. The Dubliners also brought through Marty Moore, who is doing an excellent job for Ulster, and they have Jack Aungier as the next man up on the production line.

LockSaracens

There’s plenty of competition here, not least so domestically where Bath have brought through Charlie Ewels and Tom Ellis, as well as sitting on a pair of very impressive U18s in Ewan Richards and Ethan Staddon. Over at Leinster, James Ryan is dominant at all levels with Ross Molony and Ryan Baird coming along in his wake, whilst Glasgow Warriors’ contingent of Jonny Gray, Scott Cummings, Callum Hunter-Hill and Cameron Henderson is equally eye-catching.

That said, none can match Saracens at this position, where Maro Itoje, Nick Isiekwe and Joel Kpoku are all excelling. George Kruis didn’t come through their U18 side, having grown up in Surrey, though they deserve some credit for spotting something in him that no one else did, whilst their impressive cadre is rounded out by Cameron Boon and Jonathan Kpoku, two players with plenty of long-term potential. Don’t sleep on U18 squad member Obinna Nkwocha, either.

FlankerDragons

The Dragons might seem an unusual choice at first, but if you delve into the players they have produced in recent years, they quickly look like a very solid selection. Welsh internationals Aaron Wainwright and Ollie Griffiths shine brightest at the moment, though it shouldn’t be too long before they are joined by the likes of Harrison Keddie and Taine Basham as senior international caps. James Benjamin shouldn’t go unrecognised, either, and lock Max Williams could be included as an option on the blindside, too.

The last 10 years have not been the kindest to the Munster academy, though their options on the flank certainly haven’t been limited. Jack O’Donoghue has done well whenever given an opportunity, whilst Gavin Coombes and John Hodnett are the future for the province. Peter O’Mahony falls just outside the bracket, but it’s enough for an honourable mention for the men from Limerick.

No 8Leinster

As easy a call as Saracens were among the lock contenders, Leinster’s production at No 8 has been sublime. Even with the time frame missing out on a player as gifted as Jamie Heaslip, Leinster have still managed to nurture and bring through Jack Conan, Max Deegan and Caelan Doris. As far as the quality of that trio goes, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a better group in the northern hemisphere at any single position. If you were to shift one of Deegan or Conan over to blindside, Leinster would have been a sure bet to take top spot at flanker, too.

Scrum-halfGloucester

Scrum-half doesn’t tend to be a position where clubs bring through multiple quality players in a short space of time, although Gloucester have done well to stymie that assertion. Dan Robson achieved great things at Gloucester before going on to do likewise at Wasps, and that’s a pathway that Ben Vellacott will hope is similarly fruitful. Charlie Chapman, a former Scotland U20, is doing well and he has been joined by Stephen Varney, another of the club’s academy to play abroad, as he turns out for Italy U20s. Italy international Callum Braley came through Bristol’s academy, though Gloucester are due praise for his development post-moving to Kingsholm.

One side who could surpass Gloucester in the coming years is Exeter, with the side from the south-west of England currently boasting Stu Townsend, Jack Maunder and Sam Maunder as products of their academy, whilst Tom Cairns, their starting U18 this season, is also gifted. It’s a largely unproven group at this point in time, but it does not lack for potential.

Fly-halfLeinster

Similar to scrum-half, it can be challenging for clubs to bring through multiple players at fly-half in a relatively short space of time. That said, even with incumbent Jonny Sexton in place, Leinster have managed to develop Joey Carbery, Ross Byrne and Harry Byrne, as well as the versatile Ciarán Frawley. No one else can quite match that quantity of productivity across the two competitions, though Saracens, if Max Malins is considered a fly-half and not a full-back, would be a valid option, as Malins would join Owen Farrell and current England U20 Manu Vunipola.

CentreSale Sharks

Sale might have lost a couple of these players to rival clubs, but that doesn’t diminish the productivity of their pathway in the midfield. Both Sam James and Luke James have been integral to the club’s march up the Premiership table, providing playmaking and distribution around Sale’s power and speed options. Will Addison was a consistent performer at outside centre before moving to Ulster in order to represent Ireland and Cam Redpath, who made a mid-season move to Bath, is a phenomenal prospect who could soon be donning an England jersey at the senior level. Young stars such as Tom Curtis and Tom Roebuck could yet find their way into midfield roles, too.

A team to keep an eye on as a potential rival to Sale in the coming seasons is the Ospreys. They’ve bolstered their senior squad with players from other regions recently, though the trio of Owen Watkin, Kieran Williams and Tiaan Thomas-Wheeler could be a special one over the next few seasons.

WingLondon Irish

Ulster’s band of young wings deserves a mention, with Jacob Stockdale spearheading a quintet of Robert Baloucoune, Angus Kernohan, Rob Lyttle and Aaron Sexton, as does a Scarlets group that boasts Josh Adams, Steff Evans, Ryan Conbeer and Liam Williams, if the latter is considered as a wing and not purely as a full-back.

As far as wing options go, though, you’d struggle to find a better production line than London Irish. Not only have they brought through British and Irish Lion Anthony Watson, they also developed his Bath teammate Joe Cokanasiga. Both players are international calibre and even talented centre Jonathan Joseph spent some time on the wing at Irish when he was coming through. Their next generation of talent is led by Ben Loader, whilst Ollie Hassell-Collins made the headlines this season when he scored four tries against Gloucester in February.

Full-backLeinster

There are some interesting contenders at full-back but you’d struggle to find a better group than the one produced by Leinster, and that’s without including Rob Kearney, who misses out on this time frame. Leinster have developed Jordan Larmour, Cian Kelleher and Jack Kelly, the latter of whom impresses for the Ireland 7s side now alongside another Leinster academy product, Billy Dardis. The previously mentioned duo of Carbery and Frawley can also be discussed at this position, which is enough to give the province a vice-like grip on this spot and see off the challenges of Northampton Saints and Saracens.

Watch: Isolation Nation – Episode 1

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JW 43 minutes ago
Super Rugby draw heavily favours NZ sides but they can't win in Australia

Yep I’m not sure where he went wrong but his reasoning definitely didn’t click with me. Perhaps he didn’t realise what effect gonig from five to four would have?


Like now/last year, they (Aus) go from having three (two?) doubleup games, so say 50%, to now.. what, 100% of their conference competition being doubleup, home and away games? That’s a big difference in perception, so 4 home games (each local side) and 3 or 4 (half) of the rest. So if you can follow me so far, 2 of those home games could be the Drua and Moana, so it’s just random if you end up getting just two, or even just the one, kiwi team at home (where as the 6 NZ sides have 4 aus teams for their 3 or 4 non local home games?).


I think I might be making sense there. You can see his point though, he thinks it might be more advantageous to have a top team at home, rather than the bottom. But honestly I see no skin in the game between having it safe and a gaurenteed home win, versus banking on beating a good side at home and also being able to win away. I saw no truth offered by the article in that perception though.


Perhaps it’s a flaw in the system to have the doubleup games made up like that? Especially with the third conference, the Pacific, Drua and Moana, automatically playing each other twice? I’m sure they always have, so how did they balance the rest of their doubleup games? Perhaps a proper fixture model was pointless this year with 11 teams, but the new committee might be advised to find a proper way of creating the season rather than the hand picking of games, and who plays who, which doubleups would be most interesting etc, that we all know it is now.

18 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
New generation incoming: 'Mark Tele'a has assessed the lay of the land'

That’s one of things I’m going to be disappointed not to see, how good his longevity would be. Take away even the type of winger he is compared to those others, it was the age factor, would coming into pro rugby, as in full time contact and strength work, injury relatable activities, some 3 or 4 years later than most, extend that typical life span of a winger through to the next World Cup?


I can’t believe he’s getting twice as much money. I think that is probably an error or an exaggeration comparing his last contract to this new one. He would surely have received a big bump up from NZR as well in a new contract. Or is the climate that volatile for everyone? I’d imagine he’d be able to get 500k+ from NZR, theres no way you need more than that to setup any amount of family, so that’s a copout for real reasons like the management and treatment.


Two years out is next year Liam (🤣), so between now and then, basically over the course of the year, I think you’d need to wane out both Reece (there’s no way someone would go that far to favour Sevu Reece) and Tele’a out and have potential RWC players starting. Who would they be.. worth looking at this year (because they may come next or the year after)?


Clarke and Leicester are you’re locks for the left wing.


Big Jim, even though they’d be looking at him and Jordie being the main #23 options for the side, could indeed get gametime on the right wing this year before being moved into 12.


Caleb is the obvious one of course. I could have him in through the French tour, more likely just in the RC squad, but definitely in by Nov if you’re ensuring your not rushing him in when he’s uncomfortable. He does appear to be that guy however, he’ll .. you know.. from the get go. But he’s gone better on the left this year.


Nareki is your main starter replacement. He’s experienced, and got the skills and team work that Tele’a and Reece don’t. I can’t see any reason why he can’t shift to the right and be their versatile player instead of Jordan. His skills are just going to last and be more relevant than Reece’s.


Next up are different footballers, like James Lowe, that need smart open minds to be appreciated. Leroy Carter has been immense coming into the professional environment of Super Rugby, from sevens, having had a few season at NPC level where I never really took note. He has a very good alround game and looks to be a top class professional and top bloke, I’d definitely feel safe with him on one with and threats in the other two spots. Also Kryen Taumoefolau looks more a League winger to me, which would need a much different plan than for Tele’a or Reece, and probably more time than the rest of this season and some NPC might give.


Then you’ve got guys I’m not so sure I’d want to see this year like, wait for it.. Fihaki (keep waiting), Stevenson, Love, Etene Nanai-Seturo, Zarn Sullivan as their replacements (some good fullback prospects in that group though). Might Jordan need to be used more at 14 if they jettison them both early like Liam suggests they will? I haven’t forgotten you if you’re still waiting, my next Dagg, the next Corey Jane for me is Jacob Ratamaitavuki-Kneepkens. Played superbly last season for a good 7-8 weeks the Landers, and solid in the skills department for the rest. Would love to be able to see if stats indeed show he has a low error rate, he could show he has the class to play both positions tactically (at a minimum) and really add to the teams counter attack threat.


Emoni Narawa is not really someone I’m that sure about anymore, after having a season at center and looking good mainly. It just feels to me like he’s not going to perfect his craft enough as a wing to AB class despite having the ability to. Certainly more productive than someone like Fihaki, in all three facets, running, kicking, and on defence. Even more than Reece if I’m honest (who appears to have already hit that barrier referenced in this article, not much he can do about it), not that that would be hard for two of them.


Looking further though, Springer I have wraps on and he should already be starting over the other two at SR level, but I don’t think Razor should do a Farrell and select him before he’s first taken his place in the Crusaders team. Further down the line it’s not worth naming prospects for at this point, next to zero chance they come through this season.


The loss of Mark in particular puts the AB’s in a bit of a pickle if you ask me.

6 Go to comments
T
Trace George 2 hours ago
Vern Cotter reflects on his side's recent turnaround in form

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Trace George 2 hours ago
Can Rugby Australia afford to go ‘all in’ on the Queensland Reds?

This April, I lost my entire savings to a Solana crypto scam, and I vowed never to trust anyone again. I had invested my hard-earned money in what I thought was a promising opportunity, but it turned out to be a fraudulent scheme. Initially, my investment in the stock market seemed to thrive, with profits blooming in the first few months. I felt optimistic and excited about my financial future. However, everything came crashing down, and I lost it all instantly. The sleepless nights and constant worry took a significant toll on my mental health, leaving me feeling anxious, defeated, and overwhelmed. Determined to recover my lost funds, I began a relentless search for the criminals behind the scam. I spent countless hours researching and reaching out to various organizations, but I felt lost in a sea of misinformation and uncertainty. That’s when I discovered TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY, a recovery agent specializing in retrieving lost funds from fraudulent schemes. Their reputation for helping victims like me gave me a glimmer of hope. With their expertise, I was able to recover my entire investment, which felt like a miracle after the despair I had experienced. TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY not only helped me reclaim my lost funds but also assisted in tracing the scammers' location. They took swift action, bringing the full force of the law upon those responsible for the fraud. Their commitment to recovery was evident throughout the process, and I felt supported every step of the way. They provided regular updates and guidance, which helped ease my anxiety and restore my sense of control. If you find yourself in a similar situation, I cannot recommend TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY enough. They have the skills and resources to help you navigate the complexities of fund recovery. Don’t hesitate to reach out to them; they can make a significant difference in your journey to reclaim what you’ve lost. Trust may be hard to come by after such an ordeal, but with the right support, recovery is possible. With TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY by your side, you can regain your cryptocurrency and restore your faith in the process, allowing you to move forward with renewed hope.HIRE TECH CYBER FORCE RECOVERY FOR HELP +15617263697  EMAIL.. Tech cybers force recovery AT cyber services DOT com

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PedroCayetana 2 hours ago
Gloucester-tormentor Finn Russell returns for Bath

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