Sale Sharks programme - 2021

UNDER-18s SEASON PREVIEW
Having started their Under-18s league season on Thursday at Wasps, Newcastle Falcons’
academy head coach James Ponton is hopeful that another wave of local youngsters can
continue their progression towards the first team
With last season’s Under-18s league being cancelled and replaced with a number of
friendlies, the return to a structured league is welcome news for Ponton, whose squad have
been working hard in training throughout the pandemic.
Academy head coach
James Ponton
NEWCASTLE FALCONS
UNDER-18S FIXTURES
Sat Jan 8: Leicester Tigers
(home, 5.15pm, Kingston Park)
Sun Jan 16: Sale Sharks
(away, 2pm, Heywood Road
Sat Jan 22: Worcester Warriors
(home, 2.30pm, Kingston Park)
Sat Feb 5: Yorkshire
(home, 2pm, Kingston Park Stadium)
Sat Feb 12: Northampton Saints
(away, Franklin's Gardens, 2pm)
Sat Feb 26: National finals day
(Sixways, Worcester)
The former back-row forward said: “I’ve got my fingers crossed for this season, because if
that ends up getting cancelled then you’ll have a group of boys in academies who’ve played
hardly any rugby for two years, and had none of the experience that goes with it.
“From a training perspective during the whole pandemic I think we’ve trained more than any
other club, and the feedback from the parents and junior coaches has been overwhelmingly
positive. Everyone has bought into it, and with so many things being cancelled I think they
were just grateful that they were able to get out and train due to the elite sporting
exemptions.
“We’ve just had to come into the club once everybody else has left, which has meant
training at some unusual times like Friday nights, but it’s been an incredible effort from
everyone.”
Focused firmly on the future, he said: “On paper, we’ve got a really strong squad this
season.
“We’ll have had 11 of our players involved with England Under-17s and 18s training at some
point, but you just never know until you get on the field in a proper match scenario. With
having such a long gap between games it’s hard to get that consistency in terms of your
performance and knowing what the other academies are bringing, so I guess we’ll see once
we get into the games.
“We always pride ourselves on being a skilful side, and our brand is more about moving the
ball. Obviously you have to combine that with physicality and go-forward, especially against
the likes of a Leicester Tigers, who play the same way their first team do. We’ve got some
good play-makers and a lot of pace, though, and it should make for a good brand of rugby.”
With so many academy graduates in Newcastle Falcons’ first team squad and a number of
those progressing on to full international honours, Ponton spoke of his pride at the ongoing
conveyor belt of talent from the North East and Cumbria.
“The pathway is complete all the way through from our academy into the first team, and this
is the first year where we’ve had people representing every England age-group level right
up to the senior international side,” he said.
“Seeing the likes of Jamie Blamire, Adam Radwan and Callum Chick make the journey
through our academy into the England side - and then Trevor Davison as someone who
came to us later through the associate route – the talent is definitely there.
“We’ve got a load of great kids working their way up that pathway, and the responsibility
falls to us as coaches to nurture them through.”
www.newcastlefalcons.co.uk
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