International Success for Local Youth Rugby

Four players from one team picked for their country

No less than four players from a local youth rugby team have been selected to represent their country at international level. Wasps U16s who train and play at Twyford Avenue, Acton have completed a successful season with individual honours for a significant number of their players.

Alex Lundberg, from Chiswick has been selected for the elite England U16 squad at prop and won his first cap in a recent win against Italy. Mark Makram has been selected for the England B squad at U16 and Louis Clayton-Malloy has been picked at U17 level. Mitch Brant had been capped earlier in the year by the Canadian U17 team.

The squad, under coaches Adrian Lewis and Dave Henshall, have achieved a host of other representational honours including 6 players included in South Eastern Counties squad and eleven playing at County level.

Wasps FC field two teams at U16 level which both play in the Herts/Middlesex Leagues. The A team narrowly lost out on winning division one after conceding a late try to the eventual winners Bishop Stortford in a game in which their international players were not available to them. The B team, under coaches Tony Papaloizou, Matt Oliver and Will Turquet, was awarded the club team of the year after storming to the championship of their division winning all their games with a bonus point.

The youth squads train at the same facilities as the professional London Wasps team and coach Shaun Edwards is keen to support rugby development at this level. He said, "At London Wasps we recognise that minis and youth rugby is the lifeblood of the sport. Not every player is going to be the next Lawrence Dallaglio or Simon Shaw but you won't know if you don't give the game a try, so come and join us at Twyford Avenue."

Youth rugby at Wasps FC is not the same as the Wasps Academy and welcomes players of all abilities not just internationals. With many players likely to be unavailable next season due to school first XV commitments the club is looking to recruit to ensure they can continue to field two teams in the league.

If you are interested in participating in Summer training for next year's U17s after GCSEs are over contact Marco Salvalaggio on msalvala@mac.com or Sean Kelly on 07976 234118. Players for other age groups can contact Wasps FC through their web site.

May 24, 2011