Head Coach Richard Hill believes young aspiring rugby hopefuls at Warriors have the ‘ideal environment’ to make it as professional players.
Worcester have unveiled this year’s Academy squad with Josh Buggea, Tom Carlisle, James Currie, Nile Dacres, Ryan Furniss, Ben Howard, Joe Nellany, Max Stelling, Ed Taylor, Josh Watkins and Rob Wood all keen to impress coaches Mark Hewitt and Gary Meechan.
Wood, the younger brother of England star Tom, Currie, Dacres and Furniss have all experienced senior rugby in previous seasons. Newcomers include England Under-18 duo Buggea and Watkins.
Seven of the players have already joined the senior pre-season programme – including Buggea and Watkins before they tour South Africa with England Under-18 in August – and Hill has been delighted with the response from the youngsters.
“We have seen already that the young lads have been integrated into the first team group and are getting to know the players around them. It has been full-on and they have taken everything thrown at them,” he said.
“They have a good attitude and skills and this will only improve them and accelerate their development by being alongside the senior set-up.
“All of them will have mentors in their position to look up to. Josh Buggea is a young man who can play across the back row but will look at becoming a flanker. He can look at Jake Abbott and Matt Kvesic, the way they go about things, the physicality they bring.
“He is a young man who gets to see the level of performance and dedicated he has got to reach and has two fantastic role models to aspire to.
“With the support structures that these players have across the board now, this is the ideal environment for them and they have got to grasp it with both hands.
“I have spoken to them and they are being given the maximum chance to make it. They have got to use every ounce of expertise, knowledge and resource we have. We are giving them the best possible chance to have successful professional careers.”
“I have spoken to them and they are being given the maximum chance to make it. They have got to use every ounce of expertise, knowledge and resource we have. We are giving them the best possible chance to have successful professional careers…"