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Rees-Zammit's English rugby nursery has joined forces with Welsh PRO14 sides
Hartpury College, the English nursery club that helped propel Gloucester’s Louis Rees-Zammit on the way to likely Test stardom with Wales, have teamed up with some Welsh PRO14 clubs in the hope of assisting other future stars. More than 200 Hartpury alumni have played international rugby or signed professional contracts around the world, including Lions and Wales wing Alex Cuthbert, back row Ross Moriarty and Rees-Zammit.
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With a rise in players committing to their respective Welsh regions, the partnership will enable players to undertake A-levels and diploma qualifications at Hartpury College – rated Ofsted Outstanding for its academic provision – while continuing to remain part of their Welsh club’s U18 academy.
Two of the latest students looking to benefit from this dual career pathway while remaining with their regional academies will begin their studies at Hartpury in September – Louie Hennessy-Booth (Cardiff Blues) will take A-levels and Josh Hathaway (Scarlets) has enrolled on the level three national diploma sport (rugby).
The student players will also enjoy access to Hartpury College’s highly qualified coaches and state-of-the-art training facilities, including its new £8.8million sports academy, as members of its acclaimed junior rugby academy.
Junior academy manager Wayne Thompson said: “We’re delighted to be working with regional clubs in Wales to provide their academy players with an opportunity to gain an academic qualification from an Ofsted Outstanding institution as well as continuing to play rugby with their respective regions.
We've helped to develop some great Welsh rugby talent over the years.
There's room for plenty more! https://t.co/oyYPqjlIUT
— Hartpury Rugby (@HartpuryRugby) July 17, 2020
“An increasing number of players aged 16 to 18 are realising that it would be rewarding for their future career prospects to gain an academic qualification alongside their chosen rugby academy. As a specialist institution, we try to be as flexible as possible with the diploma and A-level courses that college-level students can study, which means they can combine different subject areas with their rugby development.
“It means our students can fully capture a broad range of academic disciplines and continue to play top-level rugby, which they may not be able to do elsewhere, so they enjoy the best of both worlds.”
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Cardiff Blues boss John Mulvihill added: “We have some great partnerships within our region and are proud of our development pathway with some excellent rugby and educational opportunities. However, we must keep broadening our horizons as, for many young players and their parents, there is the natural urge to look at different opportunities and benefits.
“When we look through an objective lens, and our academy staff have spent quality time with Wayne and his department, it’s clear that Hartpury has similarly aligned programmes that promote rugby excellence with fantastic educational support, which is really important in helping our players grow on and off the field.
“Academy manager Gruff Rees and our academy staff are delighted to work closely with Hartpury and feel it will be great for Louie to challenge himself in a different environment but with appropriate A-level options and a strong support network with his family and ongoing connection and time with Cardiff Blues.
Kev George, Scarlets academy manager, said: “At the Scarlets we are aware of the diverse needs of our young players and the importance of partnership to allow them to maximise their potential. We are happy to be entering into a partnership with Hartpury that will allow the players to stay within the Scarlets set-up.”
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'The move back wasn’t an easy decision'@J0nnyMay tells @samrobertsrugby ???why he left @gloucesterrugby in 2017
… and why he's decided to come home. https://t.co/axYYUkOb9D
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) July 19, 2020
Comments on RugbyPass
A lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
3 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.
1 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…??? 🤑🤑🤑
2 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
2 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)
3 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?
2 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.
4 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.
21 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
21 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.
3 Go to commentsBeaches? In Cardiff? Where?
1 Go to commentsHe is right , the Crusaders will be a threat. Scott Barrett, ( particularly), Fergus Burke , Codie Taylor, ( from sabbatical) etc due back soon for the Crusaders. There are others like Zach Gallagher too. People can right the Crusaders off, Top 8 , here we come !!
1 Go to commentsWe will always struggle for money to match the other sides but the least the WRU can do is invest properly in Welsh rugby. Too much has been squandered on vanity projects like the hotel and roof walk amongst others which will never see a massive return. Hanging the 4 pro sides out to dry over the last decade is now coming back to bite the WRU financially as well as on the pitch. You reap what you sow.
1 Go to commentsWhat do you get if you cross a doctor with a fish? A plastic sturgeon
14 Go to commentsWhat happened to feleti Kaitu’u? Hasnt played in a while right?
1 Go to commentsGregor I just can’t agree with you. You are trying to find something that just isn’t there. Jordie Barrett has signed until 2028. By the end of that he would have spent probably 11-12 years on Super Rugby and you say he can’t possibly have one season playing somewhere else. It is absurd. What about this scenario, the NZR play hard ball and he decides to leave and play overseas. How would that affect the competition. There seems to be an agenda by certain journalists to push certain agendas and don’t like it when it’s not to their liking. I fully support the NZR on this. Gregor needs to get a life.
3 Go to commentsHope he stays as believe he can do a great job.
1 Go to commentsMake what step up? Manie has a World Cup winner’s medal around his neck and changed the way the Springboks can play. He doesn’t have anything to prove to anyone. The win record of the Boks with him in the team is tremendous. Sacha can be wonderful and I hope he has a very succesful Bok career, but comparing him to Manie in terms of the next Bok flyhalf is very strange. Manie is the incumbent (not the next) and doing pretty incredibly.
4 Go to comments