Under 20s 6 nations call ups

I know that Ealing gets a lot of stick for big spending, but I think it is worth calling out that they are investing a lot into developing talent too. They've just announced today that five Trailfinders Rugby Academy players have been selected by Wales (1) and Scotland (4) for their U20 Six nations squads this week.

Local talent - one for Wales and 4 for Scotland !

However the point being raised here, which is commendable, is that 5 of the Academy have received a call up for home nation Teams - we all know that the England Players will be located with Premiership Academies due to the fix put in place by RFU / PRL so it is difficult to supply players for that squad without having access to an RFU Academy. So well done Ealing. 

Yes well done Ealing and I hope all those lads get an opportunity at 1st XV rugby with Ealing in the Premiership. I personally would love to see Doncaster in the Premiership, as I would have thought the RFU. Doncaster have great facilities and rugby needs more successful teams in the North .  . we just need a few more billionaire sugar daddies to make it happen. 

I think Ealing have set on a good model in the team up with Brunel and it’s a double edge sword as the players continue with their education while playing a decent standard of rugby with many playing a various clubs in Nat 1 & 2. The premiership sucks up most of the potential talent uses them for a couple of years then spits them out with nothing. With luck the Ealing academy lads will be able to use there education if they cannot make the break into full time pro while still being able to play a decent standard of rugby

Thatbloke wrote: Those attendance figures are an absolute joke - how can that be an acceptable model for entry to the Premiership? There are clubs at Levels 4 and 5 getting more than that

No 7 wrote: What do any other club in the Championship "bring to the game at level two" ?. I believe the Ealing Trailfinders rugby set up is by far the largest Rugby Union organisation by far. This includes the professional squad, Brunel University squads male and female, The amateur Ealing Trailfinders 1871 with the largest Mini`s and Youth with senior sides, which is a growing four team club. There are also other associated organisations ( Henley academy set up )

These achievements are admirable and good for the game and possibly local community (does it ??),

The Question was not about these - but about what Ealing bring to Level 2/1.

No 7 wrote: Geoff DC wrote: No 7 wrote: What do any other club in the Championship "bring to the game at level two" ?. I believe the Ealing Trailfinders rugby set up is by far the largest Rugby Union organisation by far. This includes the professional squad, Brunel University squads male and female, The amateur Ealing Trailfinders 1871 with the largest Mini`s and Youth with senior sides, which is a growing four team club. There are also other associated organisations ( Henley academy set up ) These achievements are admirable and good for the game and possibly local community (does it ??), The Question was not about these - but about what Ealing bring to Level 2/1. Ealing Trailfinders have supplied several Premiership players and dozens of Championship players who have either come through the the Ealing club or played for Ealing professional team. These are the premiership players  Current. Piers O`Connor Bristol Elliot Millar Mills  Wasps Jordon Els Harlequins Matt Cornish London Irish ( came through the Ealing Academy ) Matt Garvey ( played two seasons at Ealing and went to Bath and now at Gloucester I believe ) Played for Ealing then Premiership and back at Ealing Will Davis  Barney Maddison  Luke Daniels When Rosslyn Park come into the Championship their DOR is Kieran Power ex Ealing Trailfinders Captain and forwards coach.  The list of ex Ealing Trailfinders is vast that play in the Championship. There was one Youth team that had four international Players aged 16 to 18 all now around 24 yrs old. I recently spotted Owain James ( England U16 Flyhalf )on the wing for Richmond , Josh Hodson ( Wales U18`s ) played for Jersey and Connor Dolan ( Wasps and England centre U16`s ) played for Jersey.  Dom Gorrard I lost track of . I think Ealing Trailfinders do their bit for the Championship and the Premiership but the most important thing they bring to Rugby is a level of ambition that few clubs have in Championship.

Agree with Raider. What does any team bring to level 2? And what does that even mean?. I'm a big Pirates supporter and love watching them play, and surely that's all that matters.

Edited by Hoffee - 29 Jan 2022 at 19:35