The Bristol Academy is turning out future stars
Doing a fine job
By Duncan Wood
May 13 2002
A couple of the Academy lads have signed senior deals this season. The claims of some more are soon to be debated. Youth is being given a chance at Bristol and the first team is reaping the benefits.
A quick look at the Bristol squad for the away win at Saracens on Sunday shows just how much of an impact the work done by Paul Hull and the Bristol Academy team is starting to have.
It goes without saying that not every player coming through the Academy setup is going to make the grade or make the breakthrough at Bristol.
Lee Best is a bit of a tenuous link but he did feature occasionally in the U21 team when he first arrived from La Rochelle a couple of seasons back. However, there were better examples featuring alongside Besty on Sunday.
On the wing, for example, was Alex Cadwallader. Alex seems to have been around forever but only turned 21 a couple of months ago. Sunday was actually the first time he has appeared for the first XV this season and he made his mark with a try in the first half. He has been involved with the England Students team this season along with another team mate from Sunday, prop Tim Payne.
In the pack on Sunday were Chris Morgan and Saul Nelson. Morgs has recently signed a 2 year senior deal and has been getting some game time from the bench and Sunday was his first full start. Saul 'graduated' from the U21 setup last season and has seen a fair amount of first team action this season as back up to Neil McCarthy. He toured Japan with the full Wales side last summer.
On the bench on Sunday were Ross Blake, Rhys Oakley and Alex Brown. Ross captained the U21 team to the league title last season and has proved to be a more than able deputy for Agustin Pichot. Rhys made his first substitute appearance on Sunday and we'll be seeing more of him as he has also signed a senior contract.
Alex is coming to the end of his second full season as part of the senior squad. A couple of seasons back, he formed a superb second row partnership in the U21s with Andrew Sheridan. Sheri needs no introduction.
When you consider that Paul Hodgson has been involved with the senior squad on occasion and Chris Rowland toured Argentina during the preseason, you can see that youth is being given its chance.
Jack Rowell says today in the Bristol Evening Post that the claims of Richard Skuse, Richard Hunt, Ollie Kohn and Rowland will be discussed with Dean Ryan and Paul Hull shortly. It's hugely encouraging and rich reward for the hard work of so many.