Premiership U18 Finals Day a respite for controversy-hit English rugby
Amidst the drama of Saracens’ salary cap infractions, the reports that South Africa could soon join the Guinness Six Nations and the shocking revelations that the RFU will cut Greene King IPA Championship sides’ funding in half, there is, thankfully, some actual rugby to watch this weekend.
With the Six Nations on a rest week, the Gallagher Premiership and Guinness Top 14 return, although if you prefer your rugby with an eye on the future, the Premiership U18 Academy Finals Day is set to be played at Sixways Stadium on Sunday.
It is the culmination of the league which consists of the U18 sides of the 14 Premiership Rugby Limited academies and Worcester will play host to the 5th/6th place, 3rd/4th place and 1st/2nd place playoffs, with plenty of new faces among the contending teams.
The likes of Harlequins, Wasps and Sale Sharks, who have all been regulars at Finals Day in recent seasons, are not involved this year, with a fresh cast of the likes of Worcester Warriors, Bristol Bears and Newcastle Falcons on display instead.
We have taken a look at the three matches below and picked out a number of players to keep an eye on from the sides involved.
Continue reading below…
Watch: Dai Young to step back at Wasps
Bristol Bears vs Newcastle Falcons, 5th/6th place playoff
This is a refreshing match-up of two teams that rarely get to this stage of the competition, as they can often struggle against the sides that boast more fruitful recruiting regions in the country. It’s a testament to the coaching staff at the two clubs, as well as the work done by the schools in their respective regions, that they have been able to make their way to the playoffs this year.
Bristol are built around their SGS Filton core, with dynamic wing Deago Bailey, imposing lock Charlie Rice and skilful loosehead Andrew Turner representing not only Bristol and SGS Filton, but have also been recently called up to the England U18 training camp set to take place in the February half term. They are joined in that England training squad by Colston’s fly-half TJ Wilstead, whilst another SGS Filton student, versatile back three player Chay Mullins, is already in the sights of the Irish Exiles programme.
Up at Newcastle and they are also built around a strong core from a particularly impressive RGS Newcastle side. Props Mark Dormer and Phil Brantingham have plenty of potential, whilst scrum-half James Blackett has been a more than steady hand on the tiller for the side from the north-east. They are also able to call upon a talented Gosforth Academy contingent, which includes free-scoring wing Matty Ward, with both Ward and Brantingham set to join those Bristol players in the England U18 training camp later this month.
It's been a Wednesday of mounting fury in Championship rugby circles… @chrisjonespress hears from two club coaches furious with the RFU's budget cut https://t.co/S4guDoJjDN
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 12, 2020
Saracens vs Worcester Warriors, 3rd/4th place playoff
Whilst Saracens are a fairly regular sight at these season-ending events, Worcester are not, and it is again of particular credit to their coaches and local schools that they have been able to make it all the way to second spot in the northern conference. Home advantage should definitely help Warriors with this game scheduled for the first kick-off on Sunday, which will prompt an early start from the travelling Saracens players.
One of the defining characteristics of Saracens this season has been the dominance of their scrum and set-piece, and that group is spearheaded by Felsted loosehead Tristan Smith. He and club and school teammates Sam Bryan and Obinna Nkwocha have all made the cut for the England U18 training camp, with the scrum-half and lock respectively both having also gone very well this season for the Londoners. The offensively talented Brandon Jackson of Sutton Valence and well-rounded Berkhamsted back rower Toby Knight complete Saracens’ five-man England contingent.
As for Worcester, their hopes of finishing third overall will be led by Warwick pair Jack Forsythe and Fin Smith. Forsythe, a versatile back row, was unlucky to miss out on playing for England last season as injury ruined his chances for the annual tour to South Africa, whilst Smith, a gifted fly-half, has arguably been the standout player at his position over the course of the academy season. They will be more than ably assisted by the Bromsgrove duo of scrum-half Ollie Wynn and centre Seb Atkinson, with Worcester’s 9-10-12 axis of Wynn, Smith and Atkinson as good as any the league has seen in recent years.
They're fuming over the lack of consultation
https://t.co/KuCtIKPjgU— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 12, 2020
London Irish vs Leicester Tigers, 1st/2nd place playoff
This is the big-ticket match-up. Tigers have won the last two Premiership U18 titles and look in ominously good shape to complete the ‘threepeat’ on Sunday, whilst Irish lifted the trophy in 2016 under then Academy Director Nick Kennedy. Gloucester have been unable to stop Leicester in the last two finals, so the challenge now falls to the Exiles on Sunday.
Irish were in a strong position coming into the academy season, with their affiliate side, St Paul’s Catholic College, having triumphed in the AASE competition and providing the core of the Irish U18 group. Props Tarek Haffar and Joe Keohane, back three players Michael Dykes and Alex Harmes, and scrum-half Rory Morgan all call the school home and will prove influential on Sunday. Elsewhere, Will Joseph of Millfield, Joe Vajner of Whitgift and Monty Bradbury and Marcus Rhodes, both of Wellington College, are also among the Irish players who will need to come to the fore if they are to stop the juggernaut that is Tigers U18s.
And worryingly for Irish, Leicester are once again loaded for talent, despite having seen a number of stellar players graduate to the senior academy over the past two seasons. Hooker Archie Vanes and scrum-half Sam Edwards of Brooksby Melton College will make themselves known, as will Leicester Grammar School tighthead Jack Rowntree and Denstone College centre Ollie Smith. Perhaps where the side is strongest, though, is in the back row, where Oakham’s Kit Smith and Rugby School’s Emeka Ilione and Ben Muncaster all prowl. It’s a pack that can do a lot of damage if Irish can’t match up physically.
Watch: The Academy – Part One
Comments on RugbyPass
Absolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
9 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
5 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
22 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
9 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
14 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
14 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
14 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to commentsWhat a player! Not long until he’s in the England side, surely?
4 Go to commentsHe seems to have the same aura as Marcus Smith - by which I mean he’s consistently judged as if he’s several years younger than he actually is. Mngomezulu has played 24 times for the Stormers. When Pollard was his age he had played 24 times for South Africa! He has more time to develop, but he has also had time to do some developing already, and he hasn’t demonstrated nearly as much talent in that time as one would expect. If he is a generational talent, then it must be a pretty poor generation.
6 Go to commentsThe greatest Springbok coach of all time is entirely on the money. Rassie and Jacques have given the south african public a great few years, but the success of the springbok selection policy will need to be judged in light of what comes next. The poor condition that the provincial system is currently in doesn’t bode well for the next few years of international rugby, and the insane 2026 schedule that the Boks have lined up could also really harm both provincial and international consistency.
22 Go to commentsJake White is a brilliant coach and a master in the press. This is another masterclass in media relations and PR but its also a very narrow view with arguments that dont always hold water. White wants his team to win, he wants the best players in SA and wants his team competitive. You however have to face up to the reality of a poor exchange rate and big clubs with big budgets. SA Rugby cant compete and unless it can find more money SA players will keep leaving regardless of Springbok eligibility and this happened in 2015 - 2017. Also rugby is not cricket. Cricket has 3 formats and T20 cricket is where the money is at. When it comes to club vs country the IPL is king but that wont happen because the international calendar does not clash with the club calendar in rugby. So the argument about rugby going down the same path as cricket is really a non-starter
22 Go to commentsNZ rugby seem not to have learnt anything from professional rugby. Super rugby was dying and SA left before they died with the competition. SA rugby did a u turn on their approach to international players playing overseas and such players are now selected for Bok teams. As much as each country would love to retain their players playing in local competitions, this is the way the world is evolving my friends. Move with it or stay 20 years behind the times. One more thing. NZ rugby hierarchy think they are the big cheese. Take a more humble approach guys. You do not seem to have your players best interests at heart.
5 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to comments