Worcester Warriors are pleased to announce that Academy Manager Andrew Stanley and Assistant Manager Gary Meechan have both signed new deals at the Guinness Premiership club.
Academy boss Stanley and Meechan have both penned new contract extensions that will see them continue to develop the next generation of Warriors at Sixways Stadium.
The thriving Academy section at Warriors has produced a conveyer belt of talent in recent seasons with a number of players coming through the ranks to break into the first team.
Last season a record-breaking number of players came through with stars like Tom Wood, Miles Benjamin, Matt Mullan, Chris Pennell, Joe Carlisle, Graham Kitchener, Matt Cox and Jonny Arr all guided into the first team by the work of Stanley and Meechan.
Director of Rugby Mike Ruddock said: “I’m delighted to announce that Andrew Stanley and Gary Meechan, two senior figures in our Academy, have both signed contract extensions.
“We’re pleased that both will continue to assist the Warriors as we take things to the next level both on and off the field in the coming seasons.
“I’m a big believer in promoting young players whenever possible, for example during my time at Leinster as coach. There was a perfect example there of how young players, when given the opportunity, can deliver and during my time we gave first professional contracts to the likes of Gordon D’Arcy, Brian O’Driscoll, Girvan Dempsey and Shane Horgan. This just shows that talented young players can soon become household names.
“I believe that we have the same opportunity here with an outstanding crop of young players that have been developed by Andrew Stanley and his staff and already this season eight players on Academy contracts playing for the first team. I believe a number of those will go on to become household names in the future.
“Now that Andrew and Gary have agreed to stay on hopefully they will continue their excellent work and we will continue to attract the cream of talent in our region. Particularly as all aspiring young professionals in under age rugby now see that we are a club that are prepared to give young players an opportunity.”
Stanley, a recently qualified RFU Level 5 coach, played almost 200 first team games for Gloucester before he retired from senior rugby in 1998. A former lecturer in construction management at Gloucestershire College of Arts and Technology in Cheltenham, he joined the Warriors Academy from Hartpury College in Gloucestershire, where he was director of rugby, in January 2005.
“I’m delighted to stay and it was an easy choice to commit my future to Warriors given the fantastic support we’ve received from the club in our goal to develop local talent for the first team,” said Stan.
“There has been an enormous amount of job satisfaction seeing a significant number of young players coming through to the first team and given their chance to make a real impact.”
Meechan played rugby for England Schoolboys before a successful spell as player and coach at Stourbridge. A former RFU Rugby Development Officer for North Midlands, he was brought to Sixways to coach the Academy backs before taking up a full-time as Assistant Manager.
“The success of the Academy is often measured by the output of players that are given a chance by the first team and this year we have seen a record number break into the senior side. That is a leading factor in why I have committed to Warriors, our work is very much being recognised and being put to good use,” said Meechan.
“We’ve now got our eyes on the next crop of players with our success at Under 16 level this year and we’re hoping now that Warriors will be rewarded by seeing these lads play on the Sixways Stadium pitch over the next two to three years.”