MORE talented local youngsters will be given longer than ever before to win a place in Gloucester's academy.
The Cherry and Whites are aiming to bolster their production line to new heights – by increasing the pool of players they work with until the age of 16.
In the last few years Gloucester have whittled down numbers through the Under-13s to Under-16s age groups, before taking a select through into the top end of their academy.
But all that is about to change, as Gloucester and the Gloucestershire RFU pioneer the RFU's new Developing Player Programme (DPP) for the new season.
The DPP will replace the Schools of Rugby Programme, and assistant academy manager Simon Lane said Gloucester will be looking to retain more players in the system until the age of 16.
Gloucester took 90 players into their Under-13s last season, reducing the number after four months.
By boosting the number of coaches, the Kingsholm club hope to carry more players further through the system – to account for late developers and allow more opportunities for youngsters to show their ability.
Lane explained: "We want to keep them in the system until at least 16, broaden it out to account for later developers and keep those options open.
"The challenge for us is quality of delivery, and the player to coach ratio.
"So as far as numbers are concerned we will approach it quite differently and raise those.
"With the Under-13s we will still reduce the numbers after Christmas, but we will improve how we help those who are not taken forward.
"Through the new programme we will visit the regions after Christmas, so we will get second, third and fourth looks at how those other players are developing as well.
"That will be supported by the RFU staff, the rugby development officers and the community development coaches.
"Through this outreach programme we will be able to monitor these players more closely.
"Nigel Gillingham, head of representative rugby at the GRFU, has been a fantastic help and influence as we have brought this together.
"The GRFU's influence is vital in all this, as is the work of every local club and the coaches and players.
"We work extremely closely with them, holding sessions to help with coaching, and we want to be as accessible to them as we can."
Lane said Gloucester have also made changes to the successful Under-15s district competition.
Forest of Dean, Stroud, Gloucester and Cheltenham District sides compete in a round-robin contest at The King's School in late February.
In the past the Gloucester district side had been allowed to select Gloucester Academy players.
But this year for the first time that top level of talent was removed – and Stroud claimed the title.
Lane said taking away those players who are already embedded in the Kingsholm system allows a host of others to state their future selection case all over again.
He continued: "We picked up a few boys from that to be fair, so we will certainly do that again.
"Gloucester tended to dominate when we had our players involved.
"They were removed.
"Traditionally Gloucester dominate, and this year Stroud won, for the first time in a long time."
Hailing rugby director Nigel Davies' backing, Lane said Gloucester's academy continues to strengthen.
He added: "If we look down the age groups, Nigel's been very good and taken an extremely positive interest in the academy.
"We've produced a depth chart so there's a clear progression ladder.
"There's a real focus on what's coming in behind, so if we look down to the Under-17s and beyond there's some real talent coming through there too.
"And that's with lads coming through the Hartpury system too, so things are looking promising."
