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Seven Wasps academy products graduate to first team

By Online Editors
Joe Launchbury, Michele Campagnaro and Rob Miller. (Photo by Alex Davidson/Getty Images)

Wasps have confirmed that Seven Academy players have signed first-team deals ahead of the 2019/20 campaign.

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Tom Willis, Gabriel Oghre, Will Porter, Tim Cardall, Callum Sirker, Owain James and Sam Spink have all graduated from the Academy, reinforcing the Club’s intent on bringing through and developing young talent.

The septet have all impressed in the Premiership Rugby Shield for Wasps A while some have gone on to play first-team rugby in the Premiership Rugby Cup in 2018/19.

Willis, Oghre and Porter also all went on to make their Premiership debuts during the 2018/19 campaign, as an exciting crop of talent prepare for their first seasons in the senior set-up.

Wasps Director of Rugby Dai Young said: “We’re thrilled to see these lads come through the system and we’re really pleased with how they’ve performed across the competitions over the last 12 months.

“They’ll now take that next step up to test themselves at a higher level, and to also learn and train regularly alongside more experienced and talented individuals.”

Wasps Academy Manager Jon Pendlebury added: “To have seven Senior Academy players progress into the first-team set-up is a testament to the work that goes on behind the scenes here at Wasps.

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“We have some incredible coaching staff with Matt Everard, Andrea Masi and Matt Williams, while the support staff play a key role in preparing these players physically and mentally for the challenges and expectations of a senior professional game environment.

“I have no doubt that we will see more players coming through the system in the coming seasons and hopefully this group will really step up in 2019/20, earn more first-team recognition, and contribute to the success of the Club.”

Wasps 2018/19 Graduates

Tom Willis

Back-row
18/01/99 (20)
Younger brother of Wasps first-team star Jack
Made Premiership debut v Saracens in October 2017, first Premiership start in November 2018 v Northampton Saints
Honours: England U18, England U20 – scoring four tries in five appearances at recent Six Nations and also captaining them in final three games
Heading to Argentina later this month for World Rugby U20 Championship
Made 11 Wasps first-team appearances, six during 2018/19 season
Scored maiden Wasps try in November v Northampton in Premiership Rugby Cup
Featured six times in Premiership Rugby Shield including one try in 2018/19
Named as 2018/19 Academy Player of the Season
Gabriel Oghre

Hooker
25/05/98 (20)
Honours: England U20
Made Premiership debut this season off the bench against Saracens
Featured in nine of Wasps A’s ten matches in the Premiership Rugby Shield, captaining the side on occasions while also crossing for three tries
Six first-team appearances, including three in 2018/19
Will Porter

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Scrum-half
14/12/98 (20)
Honours: England U18
Made seven appearances in 2018/19 Premiership Rugby Shield, crossing for two tries – including one stunning length-of-the-field burst again Leicester Tigers A
11 first-team appearances, including seven in 2018/19
Tim Cardall

Lock
13/01/97 (22)
Honours: England Students
Played every minute in all ten of Wasps A’s Premiership Rugby Shield games, scoring two tries
Has made three first-team appearances, two of which came in this season’s Premiership Rugby Cup
Spent time with Nottingham Rugby on dual registration during 2018/19
Callum Sirker

Winger
14/05/98 (21)
Scored a whopping 11 tries in ten Shield appearances, second top-scorer in the competition to Adam Radwan who had 12
Honours: England Sevens
Made his Wasps first-team debut this season in Premiership Rugby Cup, his sole appearance to date
Spent time with Richmond on dual registration during 2018/19
Owain James

Full-back
23/09/96 (22)
Eight first-team appearances including two tries
Restricted to only two Premiership Rugby Shield and two Premiership Rugby Cup appearances this season due to an ACL injury
Sam Spink

Centre
06/10/99 (19)
Two first-team appearances
Played five Premiership Rugby Shield games during 2018/19, scoring one try, but had opportunities limited this season through injury
Honours: England U18, England U20 – earned his first U20 cap in April but an unfortunate ankle knock means he’ll miss this summer’s World Rugby U20 Championship
Featured in one game for Nottingham Rugby in 2018/19, scoring one try

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Adrian 34 minutes ago
Will the Crusaders' decline spark a slow death for New Zealand rugby?

Thanks Nick The loss of players to OS, injury and retirement is certainly not helping the Crusaders. Ditto the coach. IMO Penny is there to hold the fort and cop the flak until new players and a new coach come through,…and that's understood and accepted by Penny and the Crusaders hierarchy. I think though that what is happening with the Crusaders is an indicator of what is happening with the other NZ SRP teams…..and the other SRP teams for that matter. Not enough money. The money has come via the SR competition and it’s not there anymore. It's in France, Japan and England. Unless or until something is done to make SR more SELLABLE to the NZ/Australia Rugby market AND the world rugby market the $s to keep both the very best players and the next rung down won't be there. They will play away from NZ more and more. I think though that NZ will continue to produce the players and the coaches of sufficient strength for NZ to have the capacity to stay at the top. Whether they do stay at the top as an international team will depend upon whether the money flowing to SRP is somehow restored, or NZ teams play in the Japan comp, or NZ opts to pick from anywhere. As a follower of many sports I’d have to say that the organisation and promotion of Super Rugby has been for the last 20 years closest to the worst I’ve ever seen. This hasn't necessarily been caused by NZ, but it’s happened. Perhaps it can be fixed, perhaps not. The Crusaders are I think a symptom of this, not the cause

6 Go to comments
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Trevor 3 hours ago
Will forgotten Wallabies fit the Joe Schmidt model?

Thanks Brett.. At last a positive article on the potential of Wallaby candidates, great to read. Schmidt’s record as an international rugby coach speaks for itself, I’m somewhat confident he will turn the Wallaby’s fortunes around …. on the field. It will be up to others to steady the ship off the paddock. But is there a flaw in my optimism? We have known all along that Australia has the players to be very competitive with their international rivals. We know that because everyone keeps telling us. So why the poor results? A question that requires a definitive answer before the turn around can occur. Joe Schmidt signed on for 2 years, time to encompass the Lions tour of 2025. By all accounts he puts family first and that’s fair enough, but I would wager that his 2 year contract will be extended if the next 18 months or so shows the statement “Australia has the players” proves to be correct. The new coach does not have a lot of time to meld together an outfit that will be competitive in the Rugby Championship - it will be interesting to see what happens. It will be interesting to see what happens with Giteau law, the new Wallaby coach has already verbalised that he would to prefer to select from those who play their rugby in Australia. His first test in charge is in July just over 3 months away .. not a long time. I for one wish him well .. heaven knows Australia needs some positive vibes.

21 Go to comments
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Bull Shark 7 hours ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

29 Go to comments
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