Gloucester Academy welcome Saracens to Kingsholm on Saturday in the Under 18s academy league.
Academy Head coach Matt Teague believes the team bonding experience and challenging weather condition have helped the teams development.
“The boys are in a hugely positive place. They thoroughly enjoyed a bus trip down to Truro. Jonno Balding letting the team down with his lack of card tricks on the bus. In terms of the development opportunity, the boys would have learnt a lot in Exeter in some incredibly bad conditions. In the second half we didn’t exit very well in those condition. In terms of what the purpose of the academy league is it was a great development opportunity for the boys, and I am sure they will learn a lot from it going forward into Saracens this weekend.”
The visitors who have the same record of one win and two defeats as the Cherry and whites and are expected to bring a physical performance to kingsholm.
“I think if you look at any academy league team, the hole ethos is there from top to bottom at the majority of clubs. It will be distinctly a Saracens team you expect in terms of that physicality, energy, enthusiasm and willingness to play. So, we are under no allusion to what the challenge will be but again it’s another great development opportunity for the boys.”
In team news Teague has had to contend with some injuries from the trip to Truro which has seen Hartpury College/Chosen Hill Former Pupils RFC move tighthead prop to loosehead prop.
“A couple of injuries picked up early doors against Exeter Chiefs. Part of that challenge that went wrong. We will miss Alex Bosworth at tighthead but again Ellis has made some contribution of the bench, some really positive hard carries in recent games. Ellis deserves his chance.”
