Gloucester Rugby has announced the signing of nine promising players to its senior academy, with eight of these talents rising through the club’s youth pathway. This reinforces Gloucester’s dedication to developing homegrown players as a core part of their long-term strategy.
The cohort includes standout England age-grade winger Junior Denny, fly-half Oli Hewitt, backrower Henry Horsfall, and winger Krystof Wood. Wales pathway centre and fullback Tomos Evans and scrum-half Luca Woodyatt also join this group, highlighting the club’s diverse talent pool.
Additionally, Gloucester U18 prop Ben Koolen, already capped by Canada at the U20 level, and hooker Teddy Smith Milne have secured senior academy contracts. The group is completed by highly touted fly-half Zac Jones, who joins from the Saracens Academy and recently represented England at the U18 Men’s Six Nations Festival.
READ MORE: Gloucestershire’s Future Councils: Proposed Names and Councillor Numbers Unveiled
READ MORE: Date Set for New Market, Food Hall, and Cultural Venue to Open at Eastgate Shopping Centre
Wayne Thompson, Gloucester’s Head of Academy, expressed his pride: “Seeing another strong group progress from our U18s into the Senior Academy is incredibly rewarding. These players hail from a wide variety of clubs and schools across our region, demonstrating the depth and strength of our pathway and the impact of our academy’s efforts.
“I am proud of the growth each player has shown and grateful to our staff, teammates, grassroots clubs, schools, and families, all of whom have been crucial to their journey.”
Rob Burgess, General Manager of Rugby, added: “The pathway is a cornerstone of the model we’re building at Gloucester Rugby, supporting the future success of our 1st XV. The fact that so many talented young players have earned Senior Academy contracts validates the hard work we’ve put in.
“Each player has earned this opportunity through talent, dedication, and perseverance. We look forward to supporting them as they begin their professional rugby careers.”