THE roster for next season’s senior FOSROC Scottish Rugby Academy programme has been announced, with 17 new names being added to the list of Stage 3 players, including loose-head prop Sam Grahamslaw who has moved north from Leicester Tigers.
Grahamslaw made a big impression for Scotland Under-20s in their first two matches of this year’s Six Nations against Italy and Ireland, but missed the rest of the season with a back injury.
The senior Academy players will be allocated equally (five each) between Super6 teams next season.
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“The academies continue to produce players for our professional teams on a regular basis and have a major influence on our national age-grade teams – and increasingly on senior professional and national selection,” said Sean Lineen, Head of National Age-Grades and Academies.
“The players are coming through stronger club and school systems, with the introduction of Super6 later this year designed to narrow the performance gap with senior pro rugby and enhance the performance programme for promising young players in a really compelling playing environment.”
The intake for the ‘supported’ stages (one and two) of the programme will be announced after the regional age-grades series, to allow players to demonstrate their future potential and play their way into the programme.
2019-2020 Fosroc Scottish Rugby Academy Stage 3 players (30) –
Retained (13): Connor Boyle (Watsonians), Rory Darge (Melrose), Roan Frostwick (Currie Chieftains), Shaun Gunn (Edinburgh Accies), Cameron Henderson (Stirling County), Euan McLaren (Ayr), Rufus McLean (Watsonians), Finlay Scott (Jed-Forest), Ollie Smith (Ayr), Marshal Sykes (Ayr), Ross Thompson (Glasgow Hawks), Murphy Walker (Stirling County), Dan Winning (Boroughmuir).
Promoted (13): Gregor Brown (Robert Gordon’s College/Gordonians), Matt Currie (Merchiston Castle School), Angus Fraser (Glasgow Hawks), Dan Gamble (Merchiston Castle School), Jacob Henry (Melrose), Grant Hughes (Stirling County), Rory Jackson (Edinburgh Academy/Accies), Rory Jackson (Kelvinside Academy), Charlie Jupp (Heriot’s), Kristian Kay (Glasgow Hawks), Scott King (Heriot’s), Jack Mann (Edinburgh Accies), Cameron Scott (George Watson’s College)
New addition (4): Sam Grahamslaw (Leicester Tigers), Robbie McCallum (Complutence Cisneros), Harry Paterson (Fettes College / Edinburgh Accies), Nathan Sweeney (Loretto School/Musselburgh).
*Club/school at time of signing Stage 3 contract in brackets.
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