Academy Graduates

[Rifleman Harris]

I think Sarries are a bit short of players. 

[BG]

Congratulations to the 7 players. I can only imagine as an up and coming rugby player to be told you've been selected to be promoted to the senior squad.

They must be "buzzing" (see what I did there)

[mike909]

I won’t deny Mike, my heart did sink a little when I realised he wasn't named as it just seems to be another player heading for pastures new. However, I'm clinging to hope that there is another explanation and that he's off on loan again either to the championship or NZ (although surely that won’t change the fact he's graduating from the academy?).

I'm assuming Cameron Anderson is either heading north of the border or being retained in the academy for another year?

To keep things on a positive spin.... who are people most excited to see given their chance?.... I'm anticipating a number of answers being Sirker! I'm keen to see Cardall, but fear he may be focussing on weight gain in the gym next season.

Even as a fat old prop, I like to see the magic from the backs (if only when playing, for a breather...) and I'm hoping he has got a summer in NZ playing rather than bench warming and a whole season with a Championship club at 10/15

But yes, I'm looking forwards to Mr Sirkir being given the ball a lot! I miss Chris W and the excitement of him just getting the ball and also the other Willis, who is a real prospect for the future.

[AKWasp]

Worth mentioning that Umaga is only 21 and there no point promoting his if he isn’t going to play. James is 22 and has just been promoted (huge congrats to him doing that despite his ACL- would’ve been easy to wait until after his recovery was complete to make a decision). Cardall is also 22 and has got his chance (maybe no need for another lock signing).

Umaga may have one more year of loans etc and then promotion next year as we do not seem drastically light at 10, especially if we could recall him if we run into issues.

Congrats to the rest of the grads, no point signing new players if we have a load to promote from within

[Rory87]

Dai made a point of saying how highly Umaga was thought of within the club at the point of his loan to NZ, which is why we went to all the effort of facilitating it to aid the development process, Im guessing. My hope is that with all the effort we've put in to him, we would ensure he doesn't leave. That being said, as we've seen with others, sometimes it's out of the clubs hands in terms of what we can offer.

Raggs, Oghre is a good shout on players to watch. He looks the mobile Hooker we seem to have in TT and Cruse. It was interesting to see Dai and Co name certain players Capt in the latter A League games (which gave me an indication of who we would promote). Oghre was one of them.

Not seen anything of Spink but Gopperth and Fekitoa will be great players to play along side and learn from.

If Wasps can implement a strong mentoring system (if they haven't already) then these 7 can really learn from some top top players. As stated in the article on the Offy, they will now be in and around the main guys day in day out.

[JonnyD]

Spink coming up is strange as he’s only 19 but I think this is some very clever salary cap working going on here.

As our homegrown players in the senior squad are now only West, Willis J and Launchbury they are entitled to 50k each towards their salary in RFU credits with a club receiving a maximum of 600k in this manner.
Therefore we could essentially have promoted 8 players from the academy for free if they’re all on below 50k - bigger squad and more money to be spread elsewhere on other squad members.

Cardall and Oghre however are not homegrown as signed on after their 18th birthdays, Sirker probably counts as he was with us before he left, the others all count and Umaga might have just crept in if he was 17 when signed from Leicester and of course if he was retained - I imagine there is a bit more to this story and all will be revealed soon and he’ll hopefully be back after the S15 season and possibly therefore not included in our cap for the year.

So Spink is clearly highly regarded so makes sense to promote him now and claim the RFU credits. Anderson, Simmonds and Atta etc are possibly not quite there yet and can stay where they are.

Reiterate the point above on Owain James, so pleased for him as thought he could be in for the chop after being out injured all season. In previous seasons he could have been. Can’t wait to seen him progress now

[Chunky24]

Some positives sounding responses to a query about further academy graduates from Jon Pendlebury

https://twitter.com/JonSkindlebury/status/1131167737529741312?s=19

[backdoc]

"Spink coming up is strange as he’s only 19 but I think this is some very clever salary cap working going on here."

Spink is very physically mature - very powerful. What is there to wait for?

[NellyWellyWaspy]

Some positives sounding responses to a query about further academy graduates from Jon Pendlebury

https://twitter.com/JonSkindlebury/status/1131167737529741312?s=19

That conversation suggests more news about academy players coming in the next few days or week:

Lot’s still to be announced this week and maybe next...good things and all...

[BG]

I'm wondering if (and the tweet suggests there will be) more promotions that the unannounced ones have slightly more complicated contracts in place. We are beginning to assemble a large squad

[Raggs]

I suspect we have promotions to senior academy to announce, and then I agree with BG, slightly more intricate ones to be announced separately.  Being on loan in NZ sounds more intricate to me.

[Heathen]

I really like the idea of a larger squad bringing the young guns through. Sarries and Chiefs do this and it pays dividends in the long run.

Also as already said, boosts the EQP quota.

Win, win IMHO.

[JonnyD]

Yes imagine there could be news on u18 promotions and any extras so a final academy roster announcement.

Then potential loans and news on any university contract players, new ones and someone like Seabrook who could be finished this year

[Rory87]

I mentioned it on a thread some weeks back about making a big deal of the academy promotions as in my eyes, they are just as significant as signing a marquee player.

Really pleased with yesterdays announcement the more I think about it. Taking the Umaga situation off the table, we have just produced seven players from our academy in one crop... SEVEN!!

Dai and others have acknowledged this will be a rebuilding season and he is looking to reshape the squad, so what a time to produce these players! I'm getting more and more excited about this. I just hope that the development of them next season is handled right, which I'm sure it will be.

[Neils]

Another thing raised in discussion last night - they ALL know our systems of play so have no learning period. They JUST have to adapt to top grade rugby.