Bath Rugby’s U18s to begin new season in revamped league tomorrow

Bath Rugby Under-18s will begin their season in the revamped PREM Next Gen academy league tomorrow (Saturday 16th August) – with a visit to Saracens.

Bath’s home games in the academy competition will be played at Chippenham RFC | Photo © Richard Briggs

The game will take place at the StoneX Stadium, kicking-off at 1pm.

The competition was formerly known as the Premiership Rugby Under-18 Academy League.

The new format will see all 11 clubs – Bath, Bristol Bears, Exeter Chiefs, Gloucester Rugby, Harlequins, Leicester Tigers, Newcastle Falcons, Northampton Saints, Sale, Saracens and Yorkshire Rugby Academy – compete in a single national league, each side playing four home matches and four away games.

Qualifying rounds will be staged across August, October, January and February, culminating in the PREM Next Gen Finals Day over the weekend of Saturday 21st February and Sunday 22nd February.

There will also be a Derby Weekend – Round 4, which will be played on Saturday 3rd January and Sunday 4th January.

The opening match of the campaign will be staged tonight (Friday 15th August), when Northampton host Exeter.

Bath’s four home games will be played at Chippenham RFC’s excellent Allington Fields headquarters. The first of those fixtures will be on Saturday 23rd August, against Harlequins (2.30pm) – admission will be free.

The Blue, Black & White will be looking to reach their third successive under-18 final. They won their maiden championship in 2023-24.

Bath have a 65-strong squad this season, comprising 38 forwards and 27 backs.

They are:

Hooker: Freddie Beasley (Millfield School), Conor Furey (City of Oxford College / Alton RFC), Logan Jarvie (Beechen Cliff School / Lytchett Minster RFC), Malachi Randolph (The Royal Grammar School / Maidenhead RFC), Lewis Rix (Millfield School / Llantwit Fadre RFC), Ewan Snowdon (Beechen Cliff School / New Milton RFC).

Prop: Ned Cartwright (Beechen Cliff School / Dorchester RFC), Charlie Dawe (Beechen Cliff School / Corsham RFC), Matteo Donzelli (Eton College), Euan Jenkins (Kingsdown School / Marlborough RFC), William Jordan-Willis (Radley College), Josh King (Beechen Cliff School / Chippenham RFC), Theo Lewis-Zdybel (Beechen Cliff School / St Mary’s Old Boys RFC), Sidney Moore (Millfield School), Henry Veale (Beechen Cliff School / Lytchett Minster RFC),  Ed Walton (King Edward’s School / Bath RFC), Miles Wilson (Millfield School / Cranbrook RFC).

Second row: Henry Ball (Beechen Cliff School / Oldfield Old Boys RFC), Vinnie Brook (Beechen Cliff School / Blandford RFC), Max Carter (Malmesbury School / Chippenham RFC), Louis Mortimore (Gillingham School / North Dorset RFC), Will Symonds (The Sir John Colfox Academy / Bridport RFC), Lex Vrettos (Canford School).

Back row: Ben Allen (Crofton School / Havant RFC), Ali Aljawabra (King Edward’s School), Aelfric Bidder (Beechen Cliff School / Frome RFC), Caspar Dalby-Welsh (Beechen Cliff School / Oldfield Old Boys RFC), Georgia Faosiliva (Clarendon Academy), Taotafa Faosiliva (Trowbridge College), Filippo Hurrell (Wellington College / London Welsh RFC), Harry Hellier (Wells Cathedral School / Chew Valley RFC), Charlie Greenhough (Beechen Cliff School / Bath RFC), Sam Hatton (Beechen Cliff School / Bournemouth RFC), Otis Ovens (St Laurence School / Chippenham RFC), Teddy Skinner (The Bishop Wand Church of England School / Portsmouth RFC), Henry Sui (Beechen Cliff School), Jack Williams (Kingswood School / Walcot RFC), Alex Yeabsley (Millfield School).

Scrum-half: Oscar Harrison (Marlborough College / Marlborough RFC), Lawson Horler (The Windsor Boys’ School / Windsor RFC), James Cross (British School of Barcelona), Edwin Langley (Sherborne School / Ivybridge RFC), Ollie Lewis (Beechen Cliff School / Keynsham RFC), Milo Powell (Kingswood School / Chippenham RFC).

Fly-half: Oliver Beckly (Sherborne School), Cade Comer (King Edward’s School / Bath RFC), Freddie Corbett (Wellington College / Henley Hawks), Max Hooper (Beechen Cliff School / Oldfield Old Boys RFC), Piran Moran (Millfield School).

Centre: Aston Barrington-Hibbert (Millfield School), Will Kemp (Beechen Cliff School / Chippenham RFC), Hamish Kennedy (Radley College / Radley RFC), Jem Lye (Sherborne School / Bath RFC), Declan Treacey (Beechen Cliff School / New Milton RFC), Stan Walsh (Kingswood School), James Wheeler (Beechen Cliff School / Bournemouth RFC).

Wing: Harry Allies (Wells Cathedral School / Chew Valley RFC), Ryan Carr (The Forest School / Rams RFC), Jordan Ifil (Prior Park College), Rhuari Hill (Wellington College / Billingham RFC), Harry Jones (Beechen Cliff School / Lytchett Minster RFC), Henry McPhilemy (Hartpury College / Havant RFC), Tom Meredith (Embley School / Winchester RFC).

Full-back: Sam Bunch (Beechen Cliff School / Chippenham RFC), Cynyr MacRae (Hartpury College).

Craig Lilley, Bath’s head of academy, said: “The lads have worked incredibly hard throughout pre-season, showing great commitment on and off the field.

“Every member of our staff has played a huge role in creating an environment where the players can thrive.

“Now, we’re looking forward to seeing the boys go out there, enjoy themselves and express their talents.”

Neil McCarthy, head of player development at PREM Rugby, said: “PREM Rugby is delighted to officially launch the new-look academy under-18 league – PREM Next Gen – with a revamped national format for the competition.

“We’ve worked closely with the RFU to reach this key step in reshaping the player development pathway in line with the shared ambitions of the Professional Game Partnership.

“Every club is fully committed to ensuring the Next Gen competition offers the most meaningful and competitive environment for the country’s best under-18 talent, laying the foundations for a thriving Gallagher PREM and a world-beating senior England men’s team.”

Bath’s league fixtures in full:

• August: 16th Saracens (A), 23rd Harlequins (H).
• October: 25th Bristol Bears (H).
• January: 3rd Gloucester Rugby (H), 10th Exeter Chiefs (A), 17th Newcastle Falcons (A), 31st Leicester Tigers (H).
• February: 7th Northampton Saints (A).