With nine players available for other local clubs across three levels in the pyramid this afternoon, Director of Rugby Seb Reynolds has explained his vision for player development – and how it can benefit rugby in the Thames Valley.
Andrew Lamb and Morgan MacRae start for Henley Hawks in their National Two East trip to London Welsh this afternoon, with hooker Harry Bicknell and Max Brown included by Oxford Harlequins at Sevenoaks.
Reading University tyro George Tomlinson is also on the books at Quins.
James Gilman, Berkshire Under 20s ace Theo Pett-Ridge and the currently injured wing Sam Bowen are all available to Maidenhead at Level Five, while one step down, another county star, Isaac Tokura, has been catching the eye for Windsor.
‘Harry shows the system works’
And the DoR revealed: “What we want to do is expose the guys to meaningful, top-end league rugby and help them develop quicker.
“It’s one of the key ingredients to a player’s development – and one where rugby has learnt a bit from football.
“The likes of Harry Bicknell, who enjoyed a promotion year with Windsor last season, is now at Oxford Harlequins and having made a National One debut a couple of weeks ago, show it works.
“The players go into a new environment, meet new people and it’s mutually beneficial because we get loads from it, but also the other clubs do.
“It benefits the individual and makes them a better player, far more than playing second team rugby which we feel was limiting.”
‘Players benefit from new environments’
He continued: “A lot of rugby players haven’t been in Academies or AASE programmes, but we’re in a late development sport.
“You don’t have to be a superstar aged 10, 11, 12 – with football you’ve almost got to be on a pathway at six or seven – whereas we’ve had guys like Max (Hayman), after playing football and cricket, Robbie (Stapley) enter at 14, (James) Baker also at an older age.
“Ten years ago, the attitude for those who were spotted early was ‘keep them in the Academy, let them play in the Premiership A League’, whereas now we have a good relationship with Bath and there’s a knock-on effect.
“Players need to be exposed to different environments.”
With Henley, Quins, Maidenhead and Windsor all involved at the wrong end of their respective tables, Seb closed by reaffirming his hope the loanees can make a significant difference.
He said: “They’re all going into a situation where they have to roll their sleeves up, be positive, show grit and resilience and relish the opportunity of the battle – and our guys will get stuck into the environment and contribute to the team.
“We care about local rugby and want to make sure it’s thriving, so all the guys need to go and put their best foot forward, help try and secure some wins and then everyone benefits.”
