Sale Sharks, who play in the Gallagher Premiership, have named five young island players in their Under-15 Player Development Group (PDG) for this season, Manx Radio Sport reported.
Felix Saxon and Jean Visser are from Douglas Rugby Club. Brayden Kelly and Taylor Kneen play for Southern Nomads, and Theo Sayle comes from Ramsey Rugby Club.
According to Manx Radio, the PDG is the opening stage of the Sharks’ academy pathway. Sale says it is intended to spot promising youngsters and nurture those who could one day move into the professional ranks.
A club or school first nominates a player, who is then invited to initial assessments at one of the PDG hubs. Hubs across north-west England take in age groups from Under-14 to Under-16.
Sale says it concentrates “on individual development, not short-term performance”. It adds that those selected are not necessarily the standout performers among their peers, but demonstrate habits that carry over into the higher levels of the sport.
Manx Radio noted that Bevan Rodd and Patreece Bell, who both previously played on the island, are now in the Sharks’ first-team set-up.
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