Worcester Warriors have continued their plans to work with young rugby players across the West Midlands by launching its fifth Junior Academy Centre on Wednesday evening.
The latest centre is based at Warwick School and will provide the most talented young players in the area with a route to a career in the professional game.
Youngsters will work closely with Warriors’ experienced coaches and will be provided with strength and conditioning, nutritional, medical and game support as they look to realise their rugby potential.
Director of Rugby at Warwick School Mark Nasey said: “Warwick School has enjoyed a strong relationship with Worcester Warriors for more than six years, which has been of mutual benefit to both.
“Warwick School facilities are used by Worcester to host a Junior Academy Centre, which provides opportunities for school-aged rugby players in the area to attend technical and conditioning sessions led by Worcester staff.
“This provides a wonderful opportunity for players and staff at Warwick to work closely with professional coaches and support staff.
“Not only does it provide for those players with aspirations to participate in the game beyond the school and club level but also acts as a catalyst for their development in the junior grades.”
Warriors have placed an increased emphasis on its youth development structure since the arrival of Director of Rugby Dean Ryan and High Performance Director Nick Johnston in 2013.
The Sixways club have already launched centres at King Edward’s School in Birmingham, Barkers’ Butts Rugby Club in Coventry, Luctonians Rugby Club in Herefordshire and Telford College of Arts and Technology in Shropshire and will also be opening a centre at Hereford Cathedral School later this year. There is also a centre at Warriors’ Sixways Stadium.
Twelve of Warriors’ 16 Academy players have also made their debuts for the first-team under Ryan, while Worcester’s second string Cavaliers side, which has provided opportunities to a number of the club’s Under 18s players, reached the Aviva A League final earlier this week.
Warriors High Performance Director Nick Johnston added: “We have focused our efforts on initiating these centres to allow us to work with the best young rugby players across the region and ensure local talent can be fed into our first-team in years to come.
“We have witnessed the success of our Cavaliers side this season, who were close to winning the Aviva A League, and the standard of our whole squad will only continue to increase further down the line on the back of these Academy Centres.”