The Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League begins again this weekend with all fourteen academies taking part once again, the thirteen Gallagher Premiership Academies, and the Yorkshire Academy.

They are, as ever, split into two pools of seven, North and South. The North pool consists of the Yorkshire Academy, Newcastle Falcons, Sale Sharks, Wasps, Worcester Warriors, two time champions Northampton Saints, and Leicester Tigers, who have won the last three U18 Academy League titles, beating Gloucester in the 2018 and 2019 finals, and drawing with London Irish for a share of the 2019 title.

The South pool sees London Irish, who also lifted the crown in 2016, joined by 2017 champions Harlequins and 2015 champions Saracens, as well as Bath, Bristol Bears, Exeter Chiefs, Gloucester. 

The league was unable to take place in the 2020/21 season due to covid but returns this year, with the first round taking place this weekend, Round 2 on the 23^rd December, Round 3 on the weekend of the eight of January, Round 4 on the weekend of the 15^th, and Round 5 on the weekend of the 22^nd. Rounds 6 and 7 take place on the weekends of the 5^th and 12^th February, with Finals Day set to take place on the weekend of the 19^th February.

The venue for finals day is yet to be decided, but all being well it looks set to be a play off game for every team in the league, with Top in the North playing Top in the South in the Final, the two second placed sides meeting in a third place play off, and so on.

For just about every player involved it will be a first taste of the U18 Academy League, there were some fixtures played in May of 2021 but they were not part of the league. The league showcases the very best young players in the country as the best of schools rugby, ACE rugby, and club rugby all unite together under the umbrella of the U18 Academies.

It is, in many ways, and eight week shot at being in the shop window as professional academy contracts for the 2022/23 season begin to get considered, with players training and playing games with the academy coaches for the first time in a consistent manner.

On the field, the rugby ought to be glorious and it will all begin on Friday night as Northampton Saints host Leicester Tigers in a massive East Midlands derby in the North Pool, kicking off at 7pm at Bedford Athletic. At 7.30pm the South Pool will begin with a derby of its own as Bath host Bristol Bears at Chippenham RFC.

Onto Saturday and the North Pool sees Worcester Warriors host Sale Sharks at RGS Worcester and Yorkshire Academy host Wasps at Bishop Burton College, meanwhile in the South Pool it’s an early start for Saracens, they head to Truro College to take on Exeter Chiefs at 11.30am, while London Irish host Gloucester at Hazelwood at 12pm.

As team news starts to be announced, we will be previewing the first round of games in detail.

Premiership Rugby U18 Academy League Fixtures:

Round 1

North

Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers – Friday 17^th Dec, 7pm, Bedford Athletic

Worcester Warriors v Sale Sharks – Saturday 18^th Dec, 2.30pm, RGS Worcester

Yorkshire Academy v Wasps – Saturday 18^th Dec, 2pm, Bishop Burton College

Newcastle Falcons – Bye

South

Bath v Bristol Bears – Friday 17^th Dec, 7.30pm, Chippenham RFC

Exeter Chiefs v Saracens – Saturday 18^th Dec, 11.30am, Truro College

London Irish v Gloucester – Saturday 18^th Dec, 12pm, Hazelwood

Harlequins – Bye

Round 2

North

Leicester Tigers v Sale Sharks – Thursday 23^rd Dec, 2pm, Oval Park

Northampton Saints v Yorkshire Academy – Thursday 23^rd Dec, 2pm, Bedford Athletic

Wasps v Newcastle Falcons – Thursday 23^rd Dec, 3pm, Broadstreet RFC

Worcester Warriors – Bye

South

Bristol Bears v Gloucester – Thursday 23^rd Dec, 2.30pm, Dings Crusaders

Harlequins v London Irish – Thursday 23^rd Dec, 12pm, Cobham RFC

Saracens v Bath – Thursday 23^rd Dec, 1.30pm, Harpenden RFC

Exeter Chiefs – Bye

Round 3

North

Newcastle Falcons v Leicester Tigers – Saturday 8^th Jan, 5.15pm, Kingston Park

Sale Sharks v Northampton Saints – Sunday 9^th Jan, 2pm, Heywood Road

Wasps v Worcester Warriors – Saturday 8^th Jan, 2pm, Aylesbury RFC

Yorkshire Academy – Bye

South

Bath v Exeter Chiefs – Saturday 8^th Jan, 1pm, Marlborough College

Gloucester v Harlequins – Saturday 8^th Jan, 12pm, Kingsholm

Saracens v London Irish – Saturday 8^th Jan, 12pm, Harpenden RFC

Bristol Bears – Bye

Round 4

North

Leicester Tigers v Yorkshire Academy – Saturday 15^th Jan, 5pm, Loughborough Uni

Sale Sharks v Newcastle Falcons – Sunday 16^th Jan, 2pm, Heywood Road

Worcester Warriors v Northampton Saints – Sunday 16^th Jan, time TBC, Sixways

Wasps – Bye

South

Bath v London Irish – Saturday 15^th Jan, 12.15pm Chippenham RFC

Bristol Bears v Saracens – Saturday 15^th Jan, 1.30pm, Dings Crusaders

Exeter Chiefs v Harlequins – Saturday 15^th Jan, 12pm, Truro College

Gloucester – Bye

Round 5

North

Newcastle Falcons v Worcester Warriors – Saturday 22^nd Jan, 2pm, Kingston Park

Wasps v Northampton Saints – Saturday 22^nd Jan, 2pm, Aylesbury RFC

Yorkshire Academy v Sale Sharks – Sunday 23^rd Jan, 3pm, Keighly RUFC

Leicester Tigers – Bye

South

Exeter Chiefs v Gloucester – Saturday 22^nd Jan, 2pm, Truro College

Harlequins v Bath – Saturday 22^nd Jan, 2pm, Venue TBC

London Irish v Bristol Bears – Saturday 22^nd Jan, 1pm, Hazelwood

Saracens – Bye

Round 6

North

Newcastle Falcons v Yorkshire Academy – Saturday 5^th Feb, 2pm, Kingston Park

Sale Sharks v Wasps – Sunday 6^th Feb, time TBC, Manchester Met Uni

Worcester Warriors v Leicester Tigers, Saturday 5^th Feb, 2pm, Sixways

Northampton Saints – Bye

South

Harlequins v Bristol Bears – Saturday 5^th Feb, 2pm, Cobham RFC

Gloucester v Saracens – Saturday 5^th Feb, 2pm, Cheltenham Tigers

London Irish v Exeter Chiefs – Saturday 5^th Feb, 1.30pm, Hazelwood

Bath – Bye

Round 7

North

Leicester Tigers v Wasps – Saturday 12^th Feb 5pm, Welford Road

Northampton Saints v Newcastle Falcons – Saturday 12^th Feb, 2pm, Franklin’s Gardens

Yorkshire Academy v Worcester Warriors – Saturday 12^th Feb, 2pm, Doncaster Knights

Sale Sharks – Bye

South

Bristol Bears v Exeter Chiefs – Saturday 12^th Feb, Dings Crusaders

Gloucester v Bath – Saturday 12^th Feb, 2pm, Kingsholm

Saracens v Harlequins – Saturday 12^th Feb, 1pm, StoneX

London Irish – Bye

Finals Day: Saturday/Sunday 19^th/20^th February – Venue TBC (7 games)