U17s and U18s Academy v Boys Club of Wales - youngsters show the promise of things to come in convincing double header wins
- 1874tsmith
- Mar 4
- 8 min read
Updated: Mar 6
You can throw your hands up
You can beat the clock (yeah)
You can move a mountain
You can break rocks
You can be a master
Don't wait for luck
Dedicate yourself and you gon' find yourself
Standing in the hall of fame (yeah)
And the world's gonna know your name (yeah)
Hall of Fame - The Script
The weather on Sunday had a distinct Spring-like atmosphere, bringing with it the promise of fresh starts and renewal, of re-growth and the emergence of new and exciting opportunities.
It was, therefore, especially fitting that last weekend's attention shifted from the Championship to the Academy's youngsters, as the BPA hosted both the U17s and U18s in a double header against Boys Club of Wales.
Initially set up last June, Coventry Rugby's Regional Academy was created to fill the void left after both Wasps and Worcester were forced into administration. The aim was to provide talented youngsters in the region with similar opportunities to those provide by RFU-funded academies run by Premiership clubs.
It was initially hoped, and likely still is, that the Coventry Academy would serve 14–18-year-olds. However, so far, it seems to only include the 17 and 18-year-old age groups. The Pro-Combine initiative, details of which were released by the club last week, seems to be an effort to further bridge the gap for talented youngsters aged 18-21, offering a platform for 'late developers... and athletes from other sports looking to transition into rugby.'
Presumably, those who have impressed at 17 and 18 in the current Academy, along with players recruited through the Pro-Combine, will form a senior Academy squad similar to the one established during Rowland Winter's tenure which provided opportunities for players like Tom Ball, James Martin, David Opoku, and others to excel.
Whatever happens over the remainder of Coventry's season in the Championship, for me the biggest success this year will have been the further expansion of the Academy. What we saw on Saturday, and on previous outings earlier in the season, is a group of young lads many of whom appear to have the potential to play the game at a national level.
By maintaining strong connections with local schools and rugby clubs, Coventry Rugby is strengthening its ties within the community, both in Coventry and beyond, reaping numerous benefits. The Club deserves significant praise for its current achievements and its vision for future provisions for young people, many of whom have been let down in the past. And by engaging the community in its mission, the Academy ensures that players understand their role as role models for future generations, both on and off the pitch.
The rugby played on Saturday surpassed what I would have expected a year ago, and there were moments in both matches where it was easy to forget that these were 16–19-year-olds, considering their skill and physical presence.
The whole set-up oozed a professional (with a small 'p'!) approach and for a group of players that probably don't meet up more than once or possibly twice a week and who come from a very broad spectrum of schools and colleges. The comradery was very noticeable, presumably fostered by the coaches who were very proactive pre-match.
After speaking with several parents throughout the season and listening to numerous anecdotal stories from other supporters and interested parties, it's evident that the club is creating a highly positive environment where talented youngsters can excel if they possess the necessary skills and character. I've directly heard from parents who have opted to send their children to Coventry's Academy over a Premiership club because it promotes more personalized and empathetic values, with coaching that is as good as or even better than its immediate competitors. This ensures that players are well-prepared for both on-field challenges and, just as importantly, life beyond sport.
Coventry Rugby has appropriately made the Academy a primary focus this season, likely allocating a significant budget to ensure its success. As the Academy grows, it is hoped that more sponsors will want to get involved. Regardless of the amounts involved, they are likely much less than the reported £450,000 that Premiership Clubs receive, a figure more than three times the total RFU funding Coventry receives for the season. Rant all we like, Championship teams are not going to be compensated for their excellent community work, prompting the club to think creatively about what it can offer and how to achieve it.
As CEO Nick Johnston recently stated:
'We are here to disrupt, to challenge traditional recruitment pathways, and to invest in young talent. This Combine is another step in ensuring we give players every opportunity to succeed'.
Just before I move on, I did feel that Jim Hamilton's tweet earlier in the week in support of the partnership between Leicester Tigers and Coventry College was a little insensitive, stressing as it seems to do that any 'Cov Kid's' journey starts at the college and then continues at Leicester's own Academy.
The fact that Leicester feels it can poach kids from Cov's own doorstep is itself a concern, but the lack of any recognition elsewhere from Hamiton that there is an alternative pathway, one that is just as relevant for youngsters living in Coventry, is somewhat galling. Players with the reach of Hamilton via social media and tv and radio should make it their duty to sell the game at all levels rather than constantly promote this elitist view point that only the Premiership can provide quality coaching for youngsters. It does the game no favours whatsoever and is typical of the attitude of most of those involved in top tier rugby. And it stinks.
After expressing some dissatisfaction at an earlier Academy game when there was no scoreboard and no PA, Coventry seemed to be much more aware of the importance of making the occasion as close to a full match-day scenario as possible. With Richard Barnes on the mic, the scoreboard providing the scores and times and a small but appreciative and a times vociferous crowd (the Welsh contingent winning hands-down on that front), the atmosphere felt right and the players duly responded.
The first game up was the U17s.
Cov controlled the game, and although the 52-12 victory was largely due to a strong team effort, certain individual perforamnces stood out as well. Before delving deeper into the game, it's important to mention a particular incident that underscores the Academy's focus on the player's well-being.
Half-way through the first half the Coventry 14, Elefio Vulimai-Igiladi, came off worse in a tackle and was knocked out for a second or two. No-one's fault, just one of those unfortunate things that sometimes happens on a rugby pitch.
Immediately, the physio was on the pitch to stabilise the lad's head and neck and for a couple of minutes it looked, as these things often do, far worse than it actually was. Whilst all this was going on, the Senior Academy Coach, Matt Jones, identified Elefio's parents in the main stand (they were sitting behind us as it happened) and came over to explain what had happened and reassure then that he was fine and that they were just taking their time as a precaution (part of the HIA protocols, I presume). Once the lad came off the pitch, Matt J immediately invited dad down to pitch side where the physio then explained in more detail what had happened and the possibility of concussion etc.
It wasn't a big thing, but as a parent I would have been very reassured that my son was in good hands...
As for the game itself, well Cov looked really well drilled and played with far more pace and creativity than the visitors. To their credit BC of W had the stronger pack and we were shunted backwards at every scrum. However, that was the only area in which they had control and with Cov able to gain quick ball from the scrums on their own put in, even when in retreat, I think we only conceded the one penalty from the set piece.
In both games, neither team kicked out of hand to any great degree which meant that for the spectators, the game was far more open than it might have been and all the better for it. The Coventry 9, Henry Judge, was a real live wire and caused the visitor's defence problems every time he ran at the opposition. He's 5ft nothing and has no weight to him, but he's an elusive runner with a real injection of pace that BC of W had no real answer to. He scored a couple of tries and made another and, as Paul I astutely remarked, he has something of a Harry Randall about him. His distribution isn't quite in the same league but he's clearly one for the future.
As is Mylo Seckler, the Coventry hooker. His all-round support play was really impressive and whilst he's quite heavy looking he was all over the pitch and with pace to burn, he had a hand in a couple of tries and was always looking to offload, wherever possible.
The backs generally looked sharp with the outside centre, Henry Longfellow, (2) and left wing, Jacob Harris, (3) scored 5 tries between them.
The U18s game followed much the same path as that of the U17s, with a winning scoreline of 52-19. Coventry led 42-7 at half-time and look a class above BC of W. What was immediately evident was just how much physically bigger the U18s were compared to the U17s. Cov's pack was huge, comparatively, with Osea Nayasi starting at 8, and running amok in the first half, before moving to 3 and stabilising a pack that had begun to look a bit ragged in the second half.
The coaches were able to make wholesale changes at half-time which enabled the visitors to be a little more competitive for 25 minutes or so before many of those originally subbed returned and Cov once again went into overdrive. They had to defend hard at times, but the quality of the tackling was impressive, as was the general level of handling, with slick passing and offloads enabling Cov to make in-roads into the opposition half, time and time again.
The half back pairing, Tyler Smith and Fin Nicholl controlled the game well and in Taio Varndell, son of former Tiger Tom, they had a player who looked a yard quicker than anyone else on the pitch. Taio's hatrick of tries were all individual efforts and the first included three hand-offs from a starting position that looked anything but a try scoring opportunity.
I believe he and Sam Gibson, and probably one or two others, have already had training sessions with the first team which would suggest that even in this first year of the Regional Academy there are players whom Cov feel could make the step up in a year or two.
The re-introduction of the Academy appears to be the right way to go at a time when the game's funding is being squeezed year-on-year. Hopefully, we'll see more fixtures at the BPA next year and faces already becoming familiar this season will have names to them next. School and college commitments notwithstanding, perhaps more Academy games before Championship home games can be organised so that they are seen by a wider audience than just a couple of hundred or so Cov supporters, as is the case now (with attendances buoyed by parents, relatives and friends).
To its credit, Cov put on a good show on Saturday for the youngsters, with food and drinks available inside the clubhouse and there appeared to be plenty of takers on both counts. The real enjoyment for me, though, will be following the progress of many of these youngsters through the ranks and watching in three- or four-years' time, less in some cases, several of them progressing into matchday squads and ultimately the starting XV.
Whilst the Academy is about far more than just producing home grown Coventry Rugby players, it would be fantastic to see some of these lads play in the Championship or, who knows, maybe even the Premiership.
Wouldn't it be good to see some of this current crop of Cov youngsters in the Club's own Hall of Fame in the coming years...
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