WITH the upcoming BUCS season getting under way this Wednesday, Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and Nottingham Rugby are delighted to announce this coming season’s partnership players who will play a part in both programmes for the upcoming season.

The Nottingham Rugby / NTU partnership continues to go from strength to strength, and the new generation of players recruited to come into the programme will compliment the graduating players who have signed contracts with Nottingham Rugby. Scott Hall and Jacob Wright, who are coming through the NTU performance programme, have signed at Lady Bay and have both featured in the Championship this season.

In addition, students Callum Allen, Jose Andrade and Theo Manihera have all signed Championship contracts this season to go alongside their studies at NTU.

This year’s student athletes are:
Ehimen Osebor, 1st Year, Sports Science and Management, Saracens Academy
Liam Bishop 3rd Year Sports Science and Coaching, Nottingham Academy
Joey Britton, 3rd Year, Business Management, Northampton School
Josh Goodwin, 3rd Year, Sport and Exercise Science, Seaford College
Jai Johal, 2nd Year, Buisness Management and Marketing, Saracens Academy
Aman Johal, 2nd Year, Sport Science and Management, Saracens Academy
Luke Bouchier, MRes Sport Science, Oakland’s College
Leo Gilliland, 2nd Year, Business, Leicester Tigers Academy
Ronnie Du Randt, 2nd Year, Sport Science, Leicester Tigers Academy

Steve Smith, Nottingham Rugby Chief Operating Officer said: “Our current Nottingham Rugby co-captain’s Josh Poullet and Jake Farnworth are both products of the NTU Rugby pathway, which shows how important it is to our club and the future. Last season, eight NTU students/former students faced off against Saracens at Lady Bay and the future with this cohort of players looks strong.“

David Ross, Assistant Coach at Nottingham Rugby and Head of Rugby at NTU, added: “I am delighted for the players who have come through the NTU pathway to sign deals with Nottingham Rugby. Scott, Jacob, Callum, Jose and Theo have been top performers and model student athletes in the NTU programme and thoroughly deserve their step up to The Championship.

“I know that if Tom Miller was still with us, he would have joined that group and he is still very much in our thoughts daily. This new cohort is a young group who will be challenged in the BUCS environment weekly, with a huge amount of growth potential to push towards a place in The Championship in years to come.”