Gloucester Rugby is set to establish a new development team for the 2026/27 season, aiming to provide senior academy players and squad fringe members with increased opportunities to participate in competitive matches, thereby accelerating their development.
The team, named Gloucester Lions, represents a reimagining of Gloucester United, which formerly competed in the now-defunct A-League-an evening competition primarily held on Monday nights. The club intends for the Lions to feature in regular fixtures across the season.
Their first scheduled match is against Hartpury on 12 September, forming part of a double-header alongside Gloucester’s first team, who will face Sale Sharks at Kingsholm in the Premiership Rugby Cup, marking the club’s inaugural home game of the new campaign.
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Heading the Gloucester Lions will be Dom Waldouck, previously the club’s defence coach, who was reassigned this summer following the arrival of Joel Tomkins from the Catalan Dragons rugby league team. Waldouck’s new role is head of player development.
This initiative is a key element of Gloucester’s considerable investment in their academy and development pathway, which has expanded notably after inheriting a larger territory in the wake of Worcester Warriors’ dissolution.
Chris Boyd, the club’s technical director appointed six months ago, has emphasised the importance of integrating young talents into the first team. Promising players such as Wales U20s captain Deian Gwynne and England U20s centre Will Knight highlight the strength of the club’s emerging talent pool.
Although players gain experience through university competitions like BUCs Super Rugby and via loan spells in lower-tier English clubs, there remains broad recognition that the scarcity of competitive matches for young, fringe players poses a challenge within English professional rugby. Clubs with sizeable squads, such as Bath Rugby and Exeter Chiefs, have addressed this by organising numerous friendly fixtures throughout the season.
Last year, Bath contested matches against Championship Rugby side Bedford Blues and England U20s, while Exeter faced the Navy and the Cornwall county team.