The 2023/24 U18 Academy League begins this week, with two rounds of fixtures to close off the summer and the remaining five rounds taking place at the start of 2024, rounding off with finals day on the 18th February 2024.
Information from Premiership Rugby regarding the 2023/24 U18 Academy League has been non-existent, however the fixtures have been published by the RFU.
London Irish are the reigning champions, though are now rebranded as South Central London Academy after the RFU stepped in to rescue the academy following the collapse of the club, similarly Wasps are now RFU run Midlands Central, and Worcester Warriors Midlands West.
All three are in action in the opening round, with South Central London hosting Gloucester on Saturday, Midlands Central heading to Yorkshire Academy on Thursday (tomorrow), and Midlands West hosting Sale Sharks on Saturday afternoon.
As in previous years, the league is split North/South with seven teams in each. Leicester Tigers, Midlands Central, Midlands West, Newcastle Falcons, Northampton Saints, Sale Sharks, and Yorkshire Academy in the North, and Bath, Bristol Bears, Exeter Chiefs, Gloucester, Harlequins, Saracens, and South Central London in the South.
This means that in each round one team from each conference has a bye, in round 1 that is Newcastle Falcons in the North and Harlequins in the South.
Round 1
North
Midlands West v Sale Sharks (Saturday 26th August, 3pm)
Northampton Saints v Leicester Tigers (Friday 25th August, 12pm)
Yorkshire Academy v Midlands Central (Thursday 24th August, 2pm)
South
Bath v Bristol Bears (Saturday 26th August, 12.15pm)
Exeter Chiefs v Saracens (Wednesday 23rd August, 12pm)
South Central London v Gloucester (Saturday 26th August, 1pm)
Round 1 sees games on Wednesday (today), Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, with Exeter Chiefs and Saracens kicking things off with a 12pm kick off on Wednesday.
Thursday then sees Yorkshire Academy host Midlands Central, before Northampton Saints and Leicester Tigers meet in the East Midlands derby on Friday lunchtime. The remaining three fixtures, Midlands West v Sale Sharks, South Central London v Gloucester, and the West Country derby, Bath v Bristol Bears, all take place on Saturday.
Round 2
North
Leicester Tigers v Sale Sharks (Friday 1st September, 3pm)
Northampton Saints v Yorkshire Academy (Friday 1st September, 1pm)
Midlands Central v Newcastle Falcons (Saturday 2nd September, 3.30pm)
South
Bristol Bears v Gloucester (Sunday 3rd September, 2pm)
Harlequins v South Central London (Friday 1st September, 1pm)
Saracens v Bath (Saturday 2nd September, 2pm)
Round 2 swiftly follows on the first weekend of September, with three games on Friday 1st, Leicester Tigers v Sale Sharks, Northampton Saints v Yorkshire Academy, and a first game of the campaign for Harlequins as they host South Central London. Saturday then sees Midlands Central host Newcastle Falcons, Newcastle’s first game of the season, and Saracens hosting Bath, then the summer action is finished off on Sunday 3rd as Bristol Bears host Gloucester.
Early Chance to put Malvern plans into action
The summer action follows swiftly on from the RFU Academy Festival at Malvern College, the annual camp that sees all academies participate in on field and off field development as well as some competitive games through the week.
These opening two rounds of games represent a quick chance for sides to put the lessons from that week into practice on the field in a competitive situation.
Though most will be without their England U18 players, who have just returned from the U18 International Series in South Africa, which saw them beat France and Western Province comfortably before a competitive defeat to the hosts, it will be a real opportunity for players to showcase their potential ahead of the school and academy season to come.
Further Rounds
After the first two rounds the league takes a pause until the New Year, with three consecutive weekends of fixtures to kick off 2024. A week off is then followed by back to back weekend’s in early February ahead of Finals Day on the 18th, which sees the top sides in the North and South meet in the U18 Academy League final, second face second for third place overall, third for fifth, and so on.
Round 3 (Weekend of 6th January)
North
Midlands Central v Midlands West
Newcastle Falcons v Leicester Tigers
Sale Sharks v Northampton Saints
South
Bath v Exeter Chiefs
Gloucester v Harlequins
Saracens v South Central London
Round 4 (Weekend of 13th January)
North
Leicester Tigers v Yorkshire Academy
Midlands West v Northampton Saints
Sale Sharks v Newcastle Falcons
South
Bath v South Central London
Bristol Bears v Saracens
Exeter Chiefs v Harlequins
Round 5 (Weekend of 20th January)
North
Midlands Central v Northampton Saints
Newcastle Falcons v Midlands West
Yorkshire Academy v Sale Sharks Academy
South
Exeter Chiefs v Gloucester
Harlequins v Bath
South Central London v Bristol Bears
Round 6 (Weekend of 3rd February)
North
Midlands West v Leicester Tigers
Newcastle Falcons v Yorkshire Academy
Sale Sharks v Midlands Central
South
Gloucester v Saracens
Harlequins v Bristol Bears
South Central London v Exeter Chiefs
Round 7 (Weekend of 10th February)
North
Leicester Tigers v Midlands Central
Northampton Saints v Newcastle Falcons
Yorkshire Academy v Midlands West
South
Bristol Bears v Exeter Chiefs
Gloucester v Bath
Saracens v Harlequins
Final Day: 18th February 2024
