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National Academy Players 2006-07
Scottish Rugby has today named 31 senior and 31 junior players in its National Academy for the season 2006-07.
The number of players has increased significantly this season, as has Scottish Rugby's commitment and investment in the academy system. There will also be more fitness coaches, in order to produce Scotland's top players of the future.
The National Academy is made up of both senior and junior academy players aged between 16 and 23 years-old. They are all given individual programmes to identify what services they need to continue their rugby development.
The majority of senior academy players are full-time apprentices with the three professional teams, Border Reivers, Edinburgh Gunners and Glasgow Warriors, and will also play for their clubs when appropriate. Some apprentices are on part-time contracts to enable them to continue with their studies and vocational development skills. They all train alongside the pro players, working with their academy coach on individual skills.
Junior academy players will combine rugby with their studies, meeting their academy coach on a weekly basis and playing for their relevant schools and clubs.
Stephen Gemmell, who has been appointed senior National Academy coach, said: "The main objective is to provide an environment where players are better equipped for professional and international rugby.
"We have identified the players from their performances in age-group international, club and school rugby. We want to provide a professional service to enhance their performance so they can follow in the footsteps of former academy players like Alan Macdonald, John Beattie, John Barclay and Garry Law, who are now all full-time professionals."
The National Academy is supported in partnership by the Area Institutes of Sport. Six Area Institutes have been established throughout Scotland by the Scottish Institute of Sport. Their responsibility is to identify and nurture local talent through to Scottish Institute level. They provide support services for the players, such as performance lifestyle, strength and conditioning, nutrition, physiology, psychology, medical, and video analysis.
This support is available to all junior academy players and first year apprentices.
The partner areas for this season are: Central, East of Scotland, Grampian, Tayside and Fife, and West of Scotland.
Scottish Rugby's Head of Player Development, Henry Edwards, is in charge of the National Academy. He said: "The support we get from the area institutes of sport continues to be invaluable in delivering successful rugby programmes.
"We've increased the number of apprentices to 31 this year and we see that as a major positive. It's not just the pro teams that will benefit, the clubs will too because the academy players will be involved in a lot of club rugby during the season.
"They are the next generation of international players, at age group level and beyond. For the senior academy players, working in a full-time rugby environment will enhance their preparations and help them to play at that level."
Michael Cavanagh, the Lead Rugby Manager for the Area Institutes of Sport said: "We are really pleased to be part of Scottish Rugby's National Academy for another season. We really value our partnership with the Academy which has become stronger each year since we became involved in season 2002-03. We believe this is a model for other sports and the best way for young players to develop for the professional game."
Scottish Rugby is continuing to restructure the academy to further strengthen the programme. Currently, the National Academy coaches are Stephen Gemmell (senior national academy coach), Richie Gray, Greig Oliver, Colin Robertson and Peter Wright.
The academy players for the season 2006-07 are:
SENIOR ACADEMY PLAYERS
Borders
Scott Newlands - Kelso
James King - Melrose
Lee Kibble - Gala
Ryan Grant - Heriot's
Sean Crombie - Aberdeen Grammar FP
Ciaran Beattie - Selkirk
Scott Forrest - Hawick
Graham Hogg - Hawick
Roddy Grant - Gala
Mark Robertson - Melrose
Richard Vernon - Stewart's Melville
Bruce McNeil - Hawick
Edinburgh
Innes Brown - Heriot's
Alan Dymock - Dundee HSFP
Cameron Ferguson - Dundee HSFP
Fraser McKenzie - Dunfermline
Steven Turnbull - Heriot's
Murray Bringhurst - Watsonians
Kyle Traynor - Boroughmuir
Andrew Easson - Stewart's Melville
Dave McCall - Stewart's Melville
Ross Rennie - Stewart's Melville
Steve Lawrie - Watsonians
Glasgow
Willie Brown - Glasgow Hawks
Calum Forrester - GHA
Jamie Hunter - Hillhead/Jordanhill
Allan Kelly - Glasgow Hawks
Ben Addison - Stirling County
Colin White - Ayr
Moray Low - Aberdeen Grammar FP
Ruaridh Jackson - Cartha Queens Park RFC
JUNIOR ACADEMY PLAYERS
Callum Anderson - Melrose
Grant Anderson - Greenock Wanderers
Alex Blair - Edinburgh Academy
Kevin Bryce - Stirling County
Gavin Cameron - Hawick Wanderers/Hawick
Tom Drennan - Trinity Academy/BATS
Andrew Dymock - Dundee HSFP
Ross Gibson - Hawick PSA/Hawick
Finlay Gillies - Haddington
Richard Gray - Kelvinside Academy and Glasgow Hawks
Robert Harley - West of Scotland
Sam Hughes - North Berwick
Rory Hutton - Hawick
Peter Jericevich - Aberdeen Grammar FP
Chris Kinloch - Fettes College and Edinburgh Accies
Nicky Little - Hawick PSA
Paul Louden - Edinburgh Accies
Andrew Lundie - Glasgow Academy
Pat MacArthur - Ayr
Donald Malcolm - Glasgow Hawks
Chris Mason - Howe of Fife
Ross McCallum - Glasgow Hawks
Stephen McColl - Dunfermline
Richard Mill - Heriot's
Craig Owenson - Musselburgh
Gordon Reid - Ayr
Neil Rodger - Haddington
Joe Stafford - Hillhead/Jordanhill
Michael Tait - Kelso Harlequins
Fraser Thomson - Gala Wanderers/Gala
Steven Wilson - Howe of Fife
This article was posted on 9-Aug-2006, 17:46 by Hugh Barrow.
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