Andover RFC - Youth Academy
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Saturday, 12th June 2010
Andover RFU Youth Academy celebrated the selection of one of its players; Alex Bradley who this season was selected to play for the England U16’s National team.
Alex’s first rugby experience was when he was 11 years old and started playing at Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury. When he was 13, he joined the Youth Academy at Andover Rugby Club where he enjoyed three seasons of playing club rugby, although this past season has seen him playing less rugby at Andover due to first team commitments at school as well as the various rugby camps that he has attended as part of the ongoing England selection process.
As a result of playing previously at Andover, Alex achieved selection for Hampshire where he represented the County at U14, U15 and U16 age groups. Whilst playing for Hampshire Alex was also selected to be a part of the London Irish Academy first playing in their Bronze Group and then this year in the Silver and Gold Groups.
This past season, as a result of playing for Hampshire, Alex was selected to play for the London and South East Divisional U16’s. From the inter-divisional games, 90 players were chosen to form the initial England Development squad. After further trials at Oxford in February, the initial 90 players were reduced to 60 and following a final Development camp, the numbers were further reduced to 50 boys who then formed the England and England ‘A’ teams – Alex being selected for the England team.
At Easter Alex flew out to Rome with the National U16’s squad to compete in a 4 Nations Tournament where England played against Italy, Wales and France. Following completion of the tournament the England RFU Management and Coaching team sat down and selected a player, who in their opinion was the U16 ‘England Player of the Year’ – with the winner for 2009/10 being Alex Bradley!
During the clubs recent presentation day, Alex was presented with a special memento by his coach Mike Cronin, to recognise his England achievement, and in return Alex gave the club one of his England playing shirts.
Dickie Staff, Chairman of the Andover RFC’s Youth Academy, said:
“The whole club is extremely proud of Alex’s achievement and I know that he’s worked hard to gain a place in the England 1st team this season. I’m sure that now he’s achieved a place in the national team he will be working even harder to retain his position in a future England squad.
Alex is the fourth Andover youth player that has achieved national selection. Our first was Mark Todd (England Deaf team), closely followed by Rowena Burnfield (England Women’s U17 and more recently Women’s Elite team), and finally Tom Homer (England U18 and U20’s). Alex is therefore continuing a great success story and hopefully more young Andover players will follow in the future’.
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