Colts

Thanks to sponsorship from Friends of Scottish Rugby we provide an academy like setup for our Colts with professional coaching provided by:

• Michael Mullins – who runs the rugby programme at Isleworth and Syon, one of our partner schools
• Neil MacFarlane – who has coached these age groups for the last 4 years and is currently at St Mary’s university
• Phil Cringle – 1st Xv prop and ex Scottish U20 player who has worked with the group for the last two years
• Deanna Bailey – Physio, who has looked after the players for the last two years

We are now well into the season and train each Wednesday from 6:30 – 7:45, with matches on Sundays.

We play a variety of matches throughout the season to keep it interesting and make sure the guys get challenged, these include

• League Games – we play league matches at each age group as part of the Herts and Middlesex leagues
• Friendlies – against a variety of teams from near and far
• Colts matches – competitive friendlies against local opposition with a similar set-up (Ealing, Saracens, Reeds Rugby)
• Elite – Tough matches against top quality opposition dotted throughout the season. This season we are looking forward to playing the public School Baa-baas – Lambs’ rugby, Frankfurt Rugby and our annual fixture with Modena Rugby)
• Sevens – This year we will be sending an U18 side to play at Melrose Sevens alongside other teams from London Scottish

Within the group we have a number of players who play county rugby for Middlesex, Surrey, are on the Scottish regional Development programme, or are linked to premier club academies so hopefully you would find it an interesting group and a challenge.

Post Age group rugby we have a number of options available to players which include:

Professional rugby – over the last two years those that followed this route have needed time to develop after Colts rugby and have joined the club’s Professional Entry Programme (PEP) which allows them to develop with other clubs, until they are ready to make the step up. You’ll see on the clubs website that Matas Jurevicius and Miles Wakeling are ex two Colts players who have followed that route and have signed with the club for next season.

Senior amateur rugby – a number of former players now play with the London Scottish Lions teams who play competitive rugby in the league structures below our 1st XV, both teams gained promotion last year and they have a very good coaching set-up as well. Many of our players who go away to university come back to play for the Lions on holidays or after leaving university.