Stelling – Talk of youngsters progressing appealed to me

Max Stelling admits talk of the club’s youngsters progressing to the first-team under Director of Rugby Dean Ryan appealed to him before he signed a new contract.

The academy player will link up with the first-team in the summer after putting pen to paper and says he wants to be part of the future at Sixways.

He said: “What was really appealing for me is all the talk about the young players and how big a part they will play in taking this club into a new successful era.

“A lot is said of the youngsters developing this club and moving forward so I’m really happy to be part of that.”

Stelling made his Warriors debut in the Amlin Challenge Cup against Bizkaia Gernika in 2012 as an 18-year-old.

His bow was a memorable one as he scored the quickest hat-trick in the club’s history – racking-up three tries in the space of six second-half minutes.

Stelling has continued to develop under Ryan and has made seven first-team appearances this season, including his Aviva Premiership debut as a replacement against Northampton Saints in November.

Following the arrival of Ryan and his coaching team in the summer, Stelling believes he will improve even more as he gains further experience.

He added: “I’ve really enjoyed the last 18 months here and I’m looking forward to the next two seasons and trying to get as much game time as I can.

“A big factor in my decision to commit to the club was the arrival of people like Nick Johnston. He makes us work hard and I think that will pay off.

“I’ve played a mix of first-team games and Cavaliers games under Mark Hewitt and Sam Vesty. I’ve been working really closely with Sam and he’s been a big help.”


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