Eight signed up to Senior Academy

[COYW15]

https://www.wasps.co.uk/news/eight-wasps-under-18s-to-join-the-senior-academy-next-season/?fbclid=IwAR0LsyEZhQWSmU5IXz09aoy0rqsRoWVDQ6BxTout8sFVQd-wWxRughg9kLg

Wasps are delighted to announce the signing of eight Wasps Under 18 players to the Senior Academy for the 2021/22 season.

Eight represents the joint-highest number of players ever signed from Wasps’ Under 18s into the club’s Senior Academy Squad. The same number were signed for the 2019/20 season, a group that included Alfie Barbeary and Zac Nearchou.

All eight players joining this time round, have been involved in England Under 18 training camps this season and many of whom have been involved with the club since the age of 14. The octet will start training with the Senior Academy in July.

Wasps Under 18 graduates

Archie McArthur – Loosehead prop

(Oxfordshire DPP / Oxfordshire County / City of Oxford College ACE)

Alfie Bell – Lock

(Warwickshire DPP / Warwickshire County / King Henry VIII School)

Fyn Brown – Backrow

(Oxfordshire DPP / Oxfordshire County / Oxford Harlequins RFC / Shiplake College)

Aaron Florestein – Backrow

(Buckinghamshire DPP / Merchant Taylors School)

Kofi Cripps – Backrow

(Buckinghamshire DPP / Buckinghamshire / Amersham & Chiltern RFC / Rugby School)

Greg Fisilau – Backrow

(Caldicott Prep School / Oxfordshire DPP / St Edwards School / City of Oxford College ACE)

Rekeiti Ma’asi-White – Centre

(Caldicott Prep School / Harrow School)

Ollie Dawkins – Fullback

(Buckinghamshire DPP / Buckinghamshire / Marlow RFC / Sir William Borlase Grammar School / RGS High Wycombe)

Head of Academy and Recruitment Kevin Harman said: “We are delighted to welcome a record number of players from our Under 18s side up to the Senior Academy.

“We are thrilled to see so many progress through from the Developing Player Programme (DPP).

“It shows the value in investment made at the start of the player pathway. I would like to say a massive thank you to all the coaches, practitioners, teachers and families that have played their part in the players’ journeys to this point.”

“We’re looking forward to continuing our work with them and we feel they can really push on and have the potential to become Premiership Rugby players with us.

"Credit must also go to all the Academy staff who have been involved with this group of players over the years, as this has definitely been a multi-disciplinary effort from the Rugby Coaches, Strength and Conditioners, Medics and Support Staff.

“There is so much unseen work going on behind the scenes. It makes me feel very proud to be a part of the Academy. I am really looking forward to see how these players progress, knowing the hardest part is about to begin.”

[Rifleman Harris]

Congratulations to them all, and hopefully we will see them in the senior squad in the future.

[hookender]

Hopefully this a d the new training centre will give us a foothold for the future.

[will311293]

Anyone know much about the lads ? U18 always seem to do very well so imagine all good quality.

Was Ollie Monye already in the Senior Academy?

[HDAWG]

Anyone know much about the lads ? U18 always seem to do very well so imagine all good quality.

Was Ollie Monye already in the Senior Academy?

+1 I'm curious about those questions too

[Steve from Cov]

Great news.

I’m particularly pleased to see the youngster from King Henry V111 has joined the senior academy.

The school produced some outstanding talent in years gone by - David Duckham, Peter Rossborough, Andy Goode, Tim Buttimore - but the talent dried up.

[MarleyWasp]

Great news. Interesting that of the eight, four are back rowers. I've felt for a number of seasons that we've lacked depth in the back row especially and that it's an area where we have our highest injury rates, especially with long term injuries, so I find it encouraging that it's being looked at now.

[Heathen]

Good news. Please to see that the youngsters from Bucks are still progressing.

[JonnyD]

Anyone know much about the lads ? U18 always seem to do very well so imagine all good quality.

Was Ollie Monye already in the Senior Academy?

+1 I'm curious about those questions too

Ollie Monye is on a uni contract with the academy which started in this year.

With this U18 bunch ma’asi-white could be a real star, was amazed he had another year in school this year after how good he looked last season. Tongan heritage and a big powerful centre, has been in the wasps u18 set up for 3 or more years now
Fisilau has been in and around the England U18s set up I believe, big number 8 and another with PI roots.
Kofi Cripps has also been in the u18 set up for a while but don’t know much about him or the others I’m afraid.

Very early for us to announce these already compared to what has happened historically but guess with not a lot of rugby happening this year for these lads the club are signing them up and trying to get them involved early

[HDAWG]

Anyone know much about the lads ? U18 always seem to do very well so imagine all good quality.

Was Ollie Monye already in the Senior Academy?

+1 I'm curious about those questions too

Ollie Monye is on a uni contract with the academy which started in this year.

With this U18 bunch ma’asi-white could be a real star, was amazed he had another year in school this year after how good he looked last season. Tongan heritage and a big powerful centre, has been in the wasps u18 set up for 3 or more years now
Fisilau has been in and around the England U18s set up I believe, big number 8 and another with PI roots.
Kofi Cripps has also been in the u18 set up for a while but don’t know much about him or the others I’m afraid.

Very early for us to announce these already compared to what has happened historically but guess with not a lot of rugby happening this year for these lads the club are signing them up and trying to get them involved early

Reckon we'll see any train with senior squad or get early opportunities with senior squad? Like Atkinson or Curran

[JonnyD]

Worth having a look back at some of U18 footage on YouTube, the centre making the regular big breaks is ma’asi-white when he was 16/17 - could be in line for early integration with the senior squad.
Some of the backrowers look like big lads too

[Shugs]

Good luck to all of them. Certainly the right direction of travel for us.

[Raggs]

Anyone know much about the lads ? U18 always seem to do very well so imagine all good quality.

Was Ollie Monye already in the Senior Academy?

+1 I'm curious about those questions too

Ollie Monye is on a uni contract with the academy which started in this year.

With this U18 bunch ma’asi-white could be a real star, was amazed he had another year in school this year after how good he looked last season. Tongan heritage and a big powerful centre, has been in the wasps u18 set up for 3 or more years now
Fisilau has been in and around the England U18s set up I believe, big number 8 and another with PI roots.
Kofi Cripps has also been in the u18 set up for a while but don’t know much about him or the others I’m afraid.

Very early for us to announce these already compared to what has happened historically but guess with not a lot of rugby happening this year for these lads the club are signing them up and trying to get them involved early

Reckon we'll see any train with senior squad or get early opportunities with senior squad? Like Atkinson or Curran

Senior academy (at least last time I read) practice with the senior squad once a week. Covid may have changed that.

[backdoc]

The Wasps website could do with an update on academy players.

It is at least a year out of date, and doesn't contain players like Eckersley who were signed last summer, and still has Flament and Wilson who left.

Nudge.

[MarleyWasp]

A bit more about Fyn Brown here: https://www.henleystandard.co.uk/news/shiplake/160748/brown-set-to-join-wasps-senior-academy-after-college.html