Gloucester Rugby has announced that nine promising players have signed senior academy contracts, with eight progressing through the club’s youth development pathway. This move reflects the club’s commitment to nurturing local talent and building a strong foundation for its first team.
The new academy members include England age-grade stars such as winger Junior Denny, fly-half Oli Hewitt, back-rower Henry Horsfall, and winger Krystof Wood. Joining them are Wales pathway centre and full-back Tomos Evans, alongside scrum-half Luca Woodyatt.
Additional signings include Gloucester U18s prop Ben Koolen, who has international experience with Canada U20s, and hooker Teddy Smith Milne. Completing the group is talented fly-half Zac Jones, arriving from the Saracens Academy after representing England at the U18 Men’s Six Nations Festival.
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Wayne Thompson, Gloucester’s head of academy, praised the progress, saying: “Seeing another strong group transition from our U18s into the Senior Academy is incredibly rewarding. These players represent a wide range of clubs and schools across our region, highlighting the strength and effectiveness of our pathway.”
He added, “I’m immensely proud of how each player has developed, and I’d like to thank our staff, teammates, grassroots clubs, schools, and families who have been integral to their journeys.”
Rob Burgess, General Manager of Rugby, emphasized the importance of the pathway to the club’s vision: “Our development pathway is crucial to the model we’re building at Gloucester Rugby and is key to the future success of our 1st XV. This group has earned their places through talent, hard work, and dedication, and we are excited to support their professional growth.”