The London & South Central, Midlands Central, and Midlands West Academies are set to be scrapped according to a letter sent out today by the RFU’s Conor O’Shea and Premiership Rugby’s Phil Winstanley.
When London Irish, Wasps, and Worcester Warriors collapsed, the RFU commendably stepped in to centralise the academies, protecting players’ futures and ambitions in the process, along with the job of many staff from the old academies.
As part of the new Professional Game Partnership between the RFU and PRL, it now appears that this process will be undone, with boundaries for the remaining 11 academies redrawn for the 2024/25 season and beyond to include those regions previously covered by London & South Central and the two Midlands academies.
Those 11 academies will be the 10 Gallagher Premiership Clubs’ academies, plus the Yorkshire Academy, which will remain centrally run.
However, despite the release of a letter to players, parents, and various stakeholders, the redrawing of the boundaries for each academy has not yet been agreed, leaving all interested parties still unsure as to their position and awaiting further communication regarding which academy any individual might qualify for.
It would appear as though the emphasis has been placed on players to make themselves known to academies once those boundaries have been confirmed, rather than the other way around, with the letter from the RFU and PRL stating: “Upon finalising…the boundary redrawing, you will receive…communication outlining what academy or academies you now qualify for including the contact details for these academies, we would then encourage you to make contact as soon as possible.”
With boundary issues likely to prove incredibly complex, in essence much of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Herefordshire, Middlesex, Shropshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire, are all up for grabs in whole or in part, it looks as though the academy uncertainty for 2024/25 is still very much ongoing.
RFU/PRL Letter in Full:
10* April 2024
Dear Players, Parents & Stakeholders,
The Professional Game Partnership (PGP) is the agreement between RFU (Rugby Football Union) & PRL (Premiership Rugby Ltd) that governs the professional game in England which includes how Academies are run & structured.
Within the PGP we will continue to align the academy system to the top of the pyramid and the Premiership which is now 10 clubs and this means we will have to redraw the academy boundaries. In redrawing boundaries there will of course be split CB’s but that has always been the case. Since its inception we have had a strong standalone entity in Yorkshire and that will continue to operate as is.
From July 2024 the structural changes to the system that will be implemented include the following key elements.
- There will be 11 regional academies, these will be Bath Rugby Academy, Bristol Bears Academy, Exeter Chiefs Academy, Gloucester Rugby Academy, Harlequins Academy, Leicester Tigers Academy, Newcastle Falcons Academy, Northampton Saints Academy, Sale Sharks Academy, Saracens Academy & Yorkshire Rugby Academy.
- This means that London & South Central, Midlands Central and Midlands West Academies will not continue in the 2024/25 season.
All players will be eligible for at least one of the above academies and may also qualify for others. Qualification for a regional academy at U18 age grade or below is based on the following.
- Permanent Home address within the academy region
- School address within academy region
- Registration as a player at a rugby club within the academy region prior to the player’s U13s year.
Upon finalising the PGP and confirmation of the boundary redrawing, you will receive a further email communication outlining what academy or academies you now qualify for including the contact details for these academies, we would then encourage you to make contact as soon as possible.
Yours sincerely,
Conor O’Shea
Executive Director of Performance Rugby, Rugby Football Union
Phil Winstanley
Rugby Director, Premiership Rugby
