Cardiff Rugby Academy Manager Gruff Rees has been encouraged by the progress of the Under-18s after a perfect start to their age-grade campaign.

The Under-18s have won all of their opening block of fixtures, but while the results have provided a positive reflection of the work being done within the programme, development remains firmly at the heart of the Academy’s approach.

The summer was used as an extended pre-season period, allowing the players to prepare for the physical demands of Under-18 rugby before taking those learnings into competitive fixtures.

For Rees, it is the consistency of the performances, individual accountability and standards within the environment that have been the most pleasing aspects of the opening block.

“We’ve used it as a really good pre-season window in terms of preparing players for the physical demands of Under-18 rugby, and then transferred that into performances,” said Rees.

“We haven’t been overly caught up around winning or losing, but we’ve been really consistent in what we’re looking at in terms of what makes good performances from Under-18 players and what each individual player is accountable for.

“It’s about understanding the standards of behaviours that go with such an environment, and it’s been pleasing.”

The development of the group has been supported by a strong connection between the different levels of Cardiff Rugby’s pathway.

During the summer, a number of the Under-18 players were given the opportunity to train with the Senior Academy four times a week, alongside Cardiff’s full-time staff.

The wider Under-18 group trained three times a week, with the players gaining valuable experience of the routines and expectations that come with life in a professional rugby environment.

That included gym, nutrition, technical and tactical work, analysis and medical protocols, giving the young players an early understanding of the approach required for success at senior level.

“It’s about getting a real grasp of what weekly routines and daily routines look like in terms of being a professional,” Rees explained.

“There’s a fair bit of multidisciplinary work, which a lot of new boys were getting exposed to. Whether they were coming up from our Under-16 programme or had been around the Year 12 groups previously, it was really pleasing to see them integrate.”

In total, 43 players pulled on the Cardiff shirt across the summer fixtures, providing opportunities throughout the squad while allowing a mixture of established players and younger prospects to develop together.

That blend has also helped establish a clear identity within the team.

“We’ve seen a real identity to the team as well,” said Rees. “The style of play, for me, is what I want a Cardiff side to be – really dangerous with ball in hand, a real attacking imprint on our phase play, looking for space and attacking the space when they see it.”

Alongside the attacking philosophy, Josh Turnbull has helped establish a strong defensive framework, with key principles being embedded across the group.

Rees credited the work of Talent and Pathway Manager Alex James and coach Saul Nelson, who have worked closely on the programme’s session design and content throughout the summer.

Their work has helped ensure consistency across the pathway, with the Under-18 programme aligning closely with the Under-16 regional age-grade programmes, Senior Academy and Cardiff RFC.

Players to watch

The opening block has also provided an opportunity for a number of players to make their mark, with several already possessing international age-grade experience.

Will Watkins, Alex Ballinger, Isaac Jones and Evan Hughes have all represented Wales at age-grade level, while Harri Lewis has returned to the group on a contract and scholarship with Llandovery College. Lewis was also one of the Academy’s capped players last season, bringing valuable experience of the Under-18 environment into the current group.

Their influence has extended beyond their performances on the pitch, with Rees highlighting the importance of experienced players taking responsibility within the group.

“These players have been instrumental in terms of creating standards and driving things themselves, not just relying on coaches in terms of what it looks like,” he said.

“To have that coming from your peers, that stuff is gold dust in age-grade development.”

There is also plenty of emerging talent within the group, with inside centre Owen Lewis, scrum-half George Thomas, Isaac Manning Burke and Finn Britton among those Rees believes can continue to make significant progress throughout the season.

“There’s a real mix and I really hope and expect a lot of them to push on with age-group rugby this year,” he said.

“Hopefully, they’ll be knocking the door down for Academy contracts.”

Continuing the development

The Under-18 players will now return to their respective schools and colleges for the next stage of their development, with Cardiff continuing to work closely with the education providers involved in the pathway.

Individual development plans are shared between the Academy and schools and colleges, ensuring consistency in both rugby and gym provision.

The majority of the players will also become Junior Academy members, continuing to work with Cardiff twice a week alongside their school and college commitments.

For Rees, that close relationship is a key strength of the regional pathway.

“The stuff that we share with the schools and colleges is about having consistency across the board in what the rugby provision and the gym provision would look like,” he said.

“I think probably we undersell it in the region. People think the grass is greener, when actually the A Level provision, which is very strong, BTEC options as well as vocational opportunities across four or five different establishments we work with, let alone the rugby service that these boys can get – I truly believe it is second to none.”

With a perfect opening block behind them, the Under-18s will now look to build on their encouraging start, with the emphasis remaining on developing players, establishing the standards required at the next level and continuing to strengthen Cardiff Rugby’s pathway towards senior rugby.