Monday sees the return of the RFU Academy Festival, with Malvern College again hosting the week long camp for all 14 of the academies.
The 14 academies will be in the picturesque setting from Monday 8th August to Friday 12th August and will participate in various training sessions, both on field and in the classroom as well as a number of different activities from anti-doping guidance to nutrition guidance and skills masterclasses.
The 14 academies are the academies for the 13 Gallagher Premiership clubs plus the Yorkshire Academy, which was formerly linked to Leeds Tykes (formerly Leeds Carnegie and Yorkshire Carnegie).
On Tuesday and Wednesday there will be a series of short half-hour Festival style games, Tuesday sees 8 teams in action, while the remaining six take to the field on Wednesday. Many of the academies have played a fixture or two in the build up, but this marks the real ‘official’ start of the year in many way.
Tuesday sees Bath, Bristol Bears, Exeter Chiefs, Gloucester, London Irish, Northampton Saints, Sale Sharks, and Worcester Warriors in action, with each side playing three games over the course of the afternoon.
On Wednesday Harlequins, Leicester Tigers, Newcastle Falcons, Saracens, Wasps, and Yorkshire Academy then take to the field, again with each side playing three games.
It should be a fantastic week of rugby, and with the focus being largely on development of the individual, a chance for some outrageously good skill to be put on show too!
Tuesday 9th August: 8 Teams, 3 Pitches
Participants: Bath, Bristol Bears, Exeter Chiefs, Gloucester, London Irish, Northampton Saints, Sale Sharks, Worcester Warriors
1pm
Worcester Warriors v Bath (Pitch 1)
Exeter Chiefs v London Irish (Pitch 2)
Bristol Bears v Sale Sharks (Pitch 3)
1.55pm
Exeter Chiefs v Sale Sharks (Pitch 1)
Worcester Warriors v Gloucester (Pitch 2)
Northampton Saints v Bath (Pitch 3)
2.50pm
Bristol Bears v Northampton Saints (Pitch 1)
Gloucester v Sale Sharks (Pitch 2)
Worcester Warriors v London Irish (Pitch 3)
3.45pm
Northampton Saints v London Irish (Pitch 1)
Bristol Bears v Bath (Pitch 2)
Exeter Chiefs v Gloucester (Pitch 3)
Wednesday 10th August: 6 Teams, 3 Pitches
Participants: Harlequins, Leicester Tigers, Newcastle Falcons, Saracens, Wasps, Yorkshire Academy
1pm
Leicester Tigers v Newcastle Falcons (Pitch 1)
Harlequins v Yorkshire Academy (Pitch 2)
Saracens v Wasps (Pitch 3)
1.55pm
Saracens v Yorkshire Academy (Pitch 1)
Leicester Tigers v Wasps (Pitch 2)
Harlequins v Newcastle Falcons (Pitch 3)
2.50pm
Harlequins v Wasps (Pitch 1)
Saracens v Newcastle Falcons (Pitch 2)
Leicester Tigers v Yorkshire Academy (Pitch 3)
