Edinburgh ‘A’ providing positive platform for pro-academy and senior players

• 30 Oct 2024
• Features

Edinburgh ‘A’ Team Head Coach Rob Chrystie has praised the positive impact of the new and expanded fixture list on the squad.

The team has secured a pair of wins over Glasgow ‘A’ and gained invaluable experience from challenging away matches against Saracens, Bath United, and Ealing Trailfinders.

Chrystie believes these experiences are crucial for the development of both pro-academy and senior players, with more ‘A’ team fixtures to come in the New Year.

“Yeah, I, I think it’s been brilliant, and I’ve really enjoyed it. I suppose it’s what I’ve been used to anyway in the past, working with a mixture of young players as well as some senior players,” explained Chrystie.

“I think the senior players have done really well when involved. They’ve led and it allows them to experience something a little bit different, and it puts them maybe them under a little bit more pressure while allowing them to lead as well.

“Cammy Scott, Tom Dodd have been great. [Luke] Crosbie was excellent when he was down at Sarries, Ben Healy came in as well, Charlie Shiel, Conor Boyle, it’s allowed these guys to really lead, and they all played really well.

“Then I suppose for the younger guys, it’s given them some exposure to a really good level of rugby, the three English fixtures have been excellent.”

Freddy Douglas wins a turnover penalty against Glasgow ‘A’

Edinburgh Rugby has expanded its pro-academy for the 2024/25 season, increasing the number of promising young players. This expanded group includes players who train with both the academy and senior sides, providing a seamless pathway for development.

Many of these pro-academy players have gained valuable experience in recent ‘A’ team matches, facing tough challenges against experienced opposition.

“Yeah, I’ll give you an example, Hamish MacCarthur, I mean he was playing against Lloyd Williams at the weekend,” continued Chrystie.

“Lloyd’s played 260 games for Cardiff and been capped by Wales something like 40 times, Dan Jones played as well, he’s played 144 times for Scarlets, so for our younger players to be playing against guys like that – and by the way they were absolutely grand – it’s great.

“It’s a little bit of the unknown as well. I think it’s good for players to, especially young players to, to maybe not know exactly what they’re going into and have to prepare accordingly, and as well as travel and stay the night before and learn how to prepare.

“This is hopefully going to stand all those younger guys in good stead moving forward.”

Scrum-half Charlie Shiel runs in a score against Glasgow ‘A’

The ‘A’ team has not only provided many of Edinburgh’s younger players with a chance to step-up in a senior environment against opposition with international experience, but it’s given them a chance to represent Scotland’s capital city for the very first time.

While for the team’s senior players, it gives them a chance at meaningful game time and an avenue back into first team rugby.

Chrystie continued: “It’s really important that they see that the A team sa good level of rugby to pitch yourself at, but also an avenue knowing that if they do play well, they get an opportunity to step up into the senior squad.

“Or if they are injured, there’s a real meaningful game that, that is allowing them to, to step back into the main squad, and it’s good because they’re playing for Edinburgh, it’s not just playing for, for another club just to get 80 minutes, they’re actually playing for Edinburgh.

“I think that’s probably one of the biggest benefits for the young players, they actually feel like this is the first time they are playing for Edinburgh and hopefully that will kind of build a culture, because it’s only the start.

“Kris Burney [Academy Coach] and Cameron Davis [Academy Analysist] have done a great job right at the start when I was out in South Africa about carving our own story as such and this is really the start of something.

“So when players can see that this is meaningful rugby with a pathway to get back into the Edinburgh squad, and even having the national coaches keeping an eye on it and watching it, it can only be good for the club.”