Fifteen pupils from Pocklington School have been identified as potential elite rugby players and accepted into the Rugby Football Union’s coaching programme for talented youngsters.
The England Rugby Developing Player Programme (ERDPP) is the first step on the RFU’s talent development pathway, offering players aged between 13 and 17 training in the knowledge and skills to help them reach their potential.
Richard Wareham, Teacher i/c Rugby, said: “It’s an amazing achievement to have so many pupils from our school accepted onto the ERDPP programme in each age group squad. It is a measure of the quality of coaching, our learning environment, facilities and the hard work of everyone involved.”
The ERDPP is being delivered in Yorkshire by Yorkshire Carnegie and Yorkshire County RFU, working in six regional centres to help players progress on and off the pitch. Pocklington School staff are also helping to coach the ERDPP sessions, giving our players consistent focus and coaching, and helping more pupils reach the required standard.
Mr Wareham said: “We currently have five coaches, from the U14 to U17 teams, working with the best players across the region. The impact of this is that our players get a consistent focus and coaching to help them reach the top: every age group from U13 up to the 1st XV at School has an ERDPP coach assigned to it. Our coaches are also stretched in their learning by working with better players and receiving excellent support from Carnegie for their own coach development. It is a win win situation for everyone.”
The Sports Department’s focus on the technical, tactical, physical and mental development of the individual within a team is also reaping rewards, as reflected by the School’s success in the last three years’ National Schools Cup and National 7's tournaments.
Players are also moving through the ERDPP into the RFU’s Senior Academy, professional rugby and England age group squads. Danny Prescott and Billy Spruyt (4th Year) and Kobby Fofie (5th Year) have progressed to the Junior Development Squads (JDS) at Yorkshire Carnegie and Harry Matthews (Lower 6th) is in Carnegie’s Gold JDS. Louis Sangwin (L6) is an extended England Academy squad member.
Alex Todd (U6), who has also progressed from the ERDPP to the England Academy squad, played for a victorious Yorkshire U18s team in their match against Durham U18s last Sunday. Ben McNamara (L6) is an RFU England Academy U18 player and also represented England Youth in a Rugby League tour of France in the summer.
Mr Wareham said: “Just as in the classroom, learning is important, we push, support and work with the players so they learn how to best prepare for their weekly test on Saturday. We view the long-term development of the player as the most important factor, not the weekly correcting of faults, so our curriculum outlines the learning aims of the players year to year. It’s an exciting time to be playing Rugby at Pocklington. The future is bright, and it’s in blue stripes!”
The Players currently training with the RFU’s ERDPP pathway are:
U14: Henry Rodmell; James Couttie; Will Mason; Matthew Casselden
U15: Danny Prescott (JDS); Billy Spruyt (JDS); Tom Hirst; Oli Eagle
U16: Kobby Fofie (JDS); Ed Hasdell; Ben Maycock; Headly Benn-Harris.
U17: Louis Sangwin; Lucas Powell; Harry Matthews (JDS)