2017–18 Scottish Rugby Academy season

The Scottish Rugby Academy provides Scotland's up and coming rugby stars a dedicated focused routeway for development into the professional game. Entry is restricted to Scottish qualified students and both male and female entrants are accepted into 4 regional academies. The 2017–18 season sees the third year of the academy.

Season overview
This was the third year of the Scottish Rugby Academy. 11 players were signed from the academy into full-time professional clubs from last season's Stage 3.

This year sees 8 new entrants into the academy going straight into Stage 3 - being assigned to a professional club. In addition, another 9 players have been promoted to Stage 3 from Stage 2.

The latest intake of players demonstrates our continued investment in the next generation, an increased input from the pro teams in their selection and our commitment to future-proof our game in Scotland.

A second intake of players into this year's academy at Stage 1 and 2 will be announced after July and August after the regional age-grade series ends.

Regional Academies
The Scottish Rugby Academy runs four regional academies in Scotland:-


 * Glasgow and the West
 * Borders and East Lothian
 * Edinburgh
 * Caledonia

These geographically roughly correspond to the traditional districts of Glasgow District, South, Edinburgh District and North and Midlands.

Players and stages
Players are selected in three stages:-


 * Stage 1 - Regionally selected and regionally supported players
 * Stage 2 - Nationally selected and regionally supported players
 * Stage 3 - Nationally selected and regionally supported players assigned to a professional team.

Stage 3 players
Stage 3 players are assigned to a professional team.

Nominally, for the men, Glasgow Warriors receive the Stage 3 players of Glasgow and the West and Caledonia regions, while Edinburgh Rugby receive the Stage 3 players of the Edinburgh and Borders and East Lothian regions.

The women are integrated into the Scotland women's national rugby sevens team and the Scotland women's national rugby union team.

Caledonia
Note: these players, originally noted as Caledonia regional academy Stage 3 players were later formally assigned to the Glasgow regional academy when the Scottish Rugby Academy completed their second academy intake of the season.

Edinburgh
Duncan Ferguson, Chloe Rollie, Lisa Thomson and Sarah Law were added to the Edinburgh Stage 3 academy squad in the Scottish Rugby Academy's second intake in the 2017–18 season.

Glasgow and the West
Dan York was added to the Glasgow Stage 3 academy squad in the Scottish Rugby Academy's second intake in the 2017–18 season.

Stage 1 and 2 players
The inductees for the 2017–18 season are split into their regional academies.

Borders and East Lothian
Adam Hall was transferred to the Edinburgh regional academy in the second intake.


 * Patrick Anderson Stage 1/2 Melrose RFC
 * Thomas Brown Stage 1/2 Melrose RFC
 * Kyle Brunton Stage 1/2 Hawick RFC
 * Rory Darge Stage 1/2 North Berwick RFC
 * Anna Forsyth Stage 1/2 Gala Vixens
 * Roan Frostwick Stage 1/2 North Berwick RFC
 * Adam Hall Stage 1/2 Melrose RFC
 * Lauren Harris Stage 1/2 Melrose Ladies
 * Robbie McCallum Stage 1/2 Loretto School
 * Finlay Scott Stage 1/2 Jed-Forest

New additions in the second intake:


 * Thomas Jeffrey (Peebles)
 * Matthew Kindness (Kelso)
 * Scott King (Preston Lodge HS/RFC)
 * William Owen (Melrose)
 * Lana Skeldon (Watsonians)
 * Gemma Stoddart (Watsonians)
 * Mak Wilson (Duns)

Caledonia
Fergus Bradbury was on the initial list of Caledonia academy players but not on the second intake list. George Goodenough and Andrew McLean were transferred to the Edinburgh academy in the second intake. Grant Hughes was transferred to the Glasgow academy in the second intake. Cameron Henderson (Strathallan School) is added to the Caledonia list.


 * Fergus Bradbury Stage 1/2 Stirling University
 * Karen Dunbar Stage 1/2 RHC Cougars
 * Angus Fraser Stage 1/2 High School of Dundee
 * George Goodenough Stage 1/2 Strathallan School (Fly-half)
 * Caitlan Harvey Stage 1/2 Caithness RFC (Wing)
 * Grant Hughes Stage 1/2 Dollar Academy
 * Megan Kennedy Stage 1/2 Stirling County (Prop)
 * Andrew McLean Stage 1/2 Stirling County
 * Lucy Park Stage 1/2 Murrayfield Wanderers RFC (Openside flanker)
 * Logan Trotter Stage 1/2 Stirling County
 * Emma Wassell Stage 1/2 Murrayfield Wanderers RFC (Lock)

New additions in the second intake:


 * Jacob Henry (Highland/Dingwall Academy)
 * Ollie Smith (Strathallan School)
 * Murphy Walker (Strathallan School)

Edinburgh
Chloe Rollie, Lisa Thomson and Sarah Law were initially named as Stage 2 but were promoted to Stage 3 in the second intake. They are now listed with the Stage 3 players. Charlie Jupp (unattached) and James Miller (Watsonians) are added to the Edinburgh list.


 * Callum Atkinson Stage 1/2 Boroughmuir
 * Shaun Gunn Stage 1/2 Edinburgh Academicals
 * Fin Hobbis Stage 1/2 Stewarts Melville
 * Jamie Hodgson Stage 1/2 Stewarts Melville
 * Nicola Howat Stage 1/2 Edinburgh University RFC
 * Rhona Lloyd Stage 1/2 Edinburgh University
 * Lisa Martin Stage 1/2 Murrayfield Wanderers RFC
 * Helen Nelson Stage 1/2 Murrayfield Wanderers RFC
 * Dean Roger Stage 1/2 Edinburgh Academicals
 * Eilidh Sinclair Stage 1/2 Murrayfield Wanderers RFC (Wing)

New additions in the second intake:


 * Jack Blain (Stewart's Melville College)
 * Connor Boyle (Stewart's Melville College)
 * Jamie Dobie (Merchiston Castle School)
 * Dan Gamble (Merchiston Castle School)

Glasgow and the West
Dan York was initially named as Stage 2 but was promoted to Stage 3 in the second intake. He is now listed with the Stage 3 players.


 * Scott Bell Stage 1/2 Glasgow Hawks
 * Paul Cairncross Stage 1/2 East Kilbride RFC (Hooker)
 * Ross Jackson Stage 1/2 Biggar RFC
 * Andrew Jardine Stage 1/2 Biggar RFC
 * Guy Kelly Stage 1/2 Biggar RFC
 * Mhairi McDonald Stage 1/2 Hillhead Jordanhill RFC
 * Louise McMillan Stage 1/2 Hillhead Jordanhill RFC
 * Andrew Nimmo Stage 1/2 Biggar RFC
 * Craig Pringle Stage 1/2 Stirling County
 * Kirsty Reid Stage 1/2 Hillhead Jordanhill
 * Bruce Sorbie Stage 1/2 Stirling County
 * Gavin Wilson Stage 1/2 Dumfries Saints

New additions in the second intake:


 * Scott Clelland (Prestwick Academy/Ayr)
 * Paddy Dewhurst (Ayr)
 * Murray Godsman (High School of Glasgow/Glasgow Hawks)
 * Rory Jackson (Kelvinside Academy)
 * Luhann Kotze (Biggar HS/RFC)
 * Ross Thompson (Glasgow Hawks)

Graduates of this year
Players who have signed professional contracts with clubs:


 * Matt Fagerson to Glasgow Warriors
 * Robert Beattie to Glasgow Warriors
 * Robbie Nairn to Glasgow Warriors
 * Adam Nicol to Glasgow Warriors
 * Bruce Flockhart to Glasgow Warriors
 * Josh Henderson to Scotland 7s
 * Ross McCann to Scotland 7s
 * Jason Baggott to Edinburgh
 * Luke Crosbie to Edinburgh
 * Archie Erskine to Edinburgh
 * Cameron Fenton to Edinburgh
 * Charlie Shiel to Edinburgh
 * George Taylor to Edinburgh