Young Gun: Will Stuart – Wasps and England U20s tighthead

Will Stuart is eager to take his Premiership career forward but he is fully aware that he will first have to take a step back to do so.
The 19-year-old Wasps academy member is dual-registered with Blackheath in the National League One where he is learning the ropes of senior rugby.
Spearheading the scrum at such a young age is no mean feat and it sometimes involves being taught a lesson by the opposition loosehead – but Stuart knows that it is the only road to the Premiership.
“There are a lot of old heads at the club,” he told The Rugby Paper. “They’ve been around the block so it’s good for me to learn from these guys. I learn new tricks every day then it’s up to me to work out which ones work depending on the opposition.
“It’s a tough learning curve as a young prop but it’s good for me to play senior rugby in an incredibly tough National League One. You can get away with just being strong at school but there’s a lot more to it when you start playing against men.
“I was with Blackheath, too, last year and scrummaging was tough but I can already see the improvements this season.
“It’s not easy to take when you’re on the back foot but I try to keep looking at the bigger picture. It’ll all pay off in the end and as long as I feel like I’m improving I don’t mind the struggle.
“The ultimate goal is to play for Wasps’ first team and I’d love to do it this season but I’m only 19 which for a tighthead is very young. So I’m just taking it week by week and working towards it slowly but surely.”
Stuart started playing rugby at Salisbury RFC but it was at Radley College that his career took off under Tony Jackson.
Playing in the front row alongside fellow Wasps academy member Tom West, Stuart made his mark and he is now looking for the ultimate recognition in his last year at age-group level.
He said: “I’ve played with Tom for five years at Radley which was great. We managed to start together in the A-League for Wasps last season so the next step would be to do it for the first team in the Premiership.
“We’re both in the U20s squad for the Six Nations so, hopefully, we’ll be able to play well enough to get into the World Cup squad in June which is in Manchester.
“It’ll be awesome to both play for England at a home World Cup in front of our friends and family. We’d definitely ask Mr Jackson to make the trip up as he’s been instrumental in both our careers. The whole school have been very supportive since we’ve left so it’d be a great to represent them at the World Cup.”