Young Gun

This is where you will find all of The Rugby Paper’s Young Gun news, interviews, reports, opinion and other content.

Young Guns: Exeter second row Joe Bailey

3 December 2023 0 comments

BY BEN JAYCOCK Having had a surprise call up to the U20s World Championship this summer, Exeter lock Joe Bailey is hoping for a busy […]

Young Guns: Harlequins back row Louis Schmid

26 November 2023 0 comments

BY BEN JAYCOCK Following in his father’s footsteps, Lucas Schmid took up rugby as early as three and after excelling at U18s level he has […]

Young Guns: Bath second row Rory Cameron

19 November 2023 0 comments

BY BEN JAYCOCK Rory Cameron only started playing rugby aged 15 but the Bath lock has taken inspiration from fellow late bloomer Courtney Lawes and […]

Young Guns: Bristol Prop Louis Trevett

12 November 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Welshman Louis Trevett represented England U18s at the Six Nations Festival in Dublin this year but has been forced to set his […]

Young Guns: Yorkshire academy flanker Archie Hurford

5 November 2023 0 comments

BY BEN JAYCOCK Archie Hurford says watching England’s senior players shine at the World Cup has added to his motivation to star for the national […]

Young Guns: Bath flanker George Timmins

29 October 2023 0 comments

Tyro flanker George Timmins trained with the England first team during the Rugby World Cup earlier this month in a once in a lifetime opportunity. […]

Young Guns: Leicester second/back row Osian Thomas

22 October 2023 0 comments

Having played rugby in Dubai for three years growing up, non-traditional forward Osian Thomas is hoping his silky handling can set him apart from his […]

Young Guns: Gloucester hooker Gareth Blackmore

15 October 2023 0 comments

From playing barefoot rugby in South Africa to battling in England’s west country of Gloucester, tyro Gareth Blackmore has already enjoyed quite the rugby journey. […]

Young Guns: Bath Academy and Bath Uni centre James Short

8 October 2023 0 comments

After excelling in Bath’s successful U18s side, James Short is hoping to impress the England age grade selectors while performing in BUCS Super Rugby. The […]

Young Guns: Montpellier and Scotland U18s second row Charlie Moss

1 October 2023 0 comments

Having been made redundant at both Wasps and London Irish in a matter of weeks, Charlie Moss decided to move to the south of France […]

Young Guns: Cardiff Met hooker Aneurin Jenkins

24 September 2023 0 comments

Having starred in the Welsh Championship last season, Aneurin Jenkins is hoping to break into the Cardiff Met University first team and go on to […]

Young Guns: Glasgow Warriors fly-half Richie Simpson

17 September 2023 0 comments

Former Scotland U20s fly-half Richie Simpson is hoping to earn some minutes at URC franchise Glasgow Warriors this season. The 20-year-old received plaudits for […]

Young Guns: Harlequins and England U18 scrum-half Lucas Friday

10 September 2023 0 comments

Lucas Friday starred for Jonathan Pendlebury’s England U18s in their tour of South Africa this summer and is aiming to progress through the age groups […]

Young Guns: Bristol Bears back row Aaron Tull

3 September 2023 0 comments

Aaron Tull is hoping to flourish in the new-look Premiership Cup that kicks off this weekend. Tull made three starts in four appearances across the […]

Young Guns: Scotland U20 Prop Max Surry

27 August 2023 0 comments

Max Surry has completed his time in Scotland U20s and is now focused on becoming a starter for Cardiff Met University in BUCS Super Rugby. […]

Young Guns: Bristol Bears full-back Matt Jones

20 August 2023 0 comments

After enduring a brutal pre-season, Matt Jones is hoping to capitalise on the mass exodus at Bristol Bears and become a first team player. Jones, […]

Young Guns: England U20s & Sale scrum-half Nye Thomas

13 August 2023 0 comments

Nye Thomas has completed his time in the England U20s set up and is hoping to continue developing at Sale Sharks as he targets more […]

Young Guns: Harlequins & England U20 back row Zach Carr

6 August 2023 0 comments

Zach Carr was planning a holiday in Asia with his family this summer but was drafted into the England U20s camp for the World Championship […]

Young Guns: Ealing Trailfinders wing Epi Rokodrava

30 July 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK After being made redundant at Wasps last year, Epi Rokodrava fell off the radar of England U20s but the hefty Ealing Trailfinders […]

Young Guns: Harlequins & England U20 fly-half Connor Slevin

23 July 2023 0 comments

Having made the recent transition from 15 to 10, Connor Slevin is hoping for consistent rugby next season with Harlequins and London Scottish. Slevin, 20, […]

Young Guns: England U20s and Leicester second row Finn Carnduff

16 July 2023 0 comments

Despite being 6ft 5in and almost 17 stone (107kg), Finn Carnduff is looking to take steps forward in his physicality as he prepares for another […]

Young Guns: Newcastle fly-half Louie Johnson

9 July 2023 0 comments

Instinctive Newcastle fly-half Louie Johnson has set his sights on breaking into the Falcons first team after finishing his final tournament with England U20s. Johnson, […]

Young Guns: Loughborough centre Chris Preen

2 July 2023 0 comments

Loughborough Students’ Chris Preen has been on a rollercoaster journey so far in his career that has seen him change sports, suffer horrific injuries and […]

Young Guns: Ampthill hooker Ben Pogson

25 June 2023 0 comments

Ben Pogson is “ecstatic” he has managed to land a contract at Championship side Ampthill after the difficult news last October that his academy team […]

Young Guns: Sale Sharks winger Alex Wills

18 June 2023 0 comments

Having gone through the heartache of being made redundant by Worcester Warriors, Alex Wills has found a new and improved lease of life at Sale […]

Young Guns: Saracens & England U18 full-back Jack Bracken

11 June 2023 0 comments

Jack Bracken is hoping to replicate his father Kyran’s career but has switched positions from scrum-half to full-back. Bracken, 17, made his England U18s debut […]

Young Guns: Scarlets & Wales U20 scrum-half Archie Hughes

4 June 2023 0 comments

Archie Hughes is looking to show the Scarlets and the world what he can do at the U20s World Championship later this month in South […]

Young Guns: Harlequins & England U20 wing Cassius Cleaves

28 May 2023 0 comments

With effervescent characters like Joe Marler and Danny Care, Harlequins from the outside is seen as a fun environment but academy graduate wing Cassius Cleaves […]

Young Guns: Bath & England U20s fly-half/full-back Sam Harris

21 May 2023 0 comments

Sam Harris was delighted with his match-winning conversion for England U19s earlier this month, but is keeping his feet firmly on the ground as he […]

Young Guns: Exeter University fly-half Josh Barton

14 May 2023 0 comments

Back-to-back BUCS Super Rugby winner Josh Barton is hoping Premiership clubs can find space for him this summer in their reduced salary cap. The Exeter […]

Young Guns: Ospreys & Wales U20s prop Louis Fletcher

7 May 2023 0 comments

With a rapid rise in experienced Welsh players leaving the country, the URC regions are now more reliant than ever on their academies, with the […]

Young Guns: Bristol prop James Halliwell

30 April 2023 0 comments

James Halliwell hopes to be named in England’s U20s squad for this summer’s Junior World Cup after spending the season learning from Ellis Genge and […]

Young Guns: Gloucester & England U20 lock Danny Eite

23 April 2023 0 comments

Danny Eite spent much of his childhood playing sevens in Qatar and has transferred those skills to the 15-a-side game with Gloucester and England U20s. […]

Young Guns: London Irish & England U20s prop Alofabi Fasogbon

16 April 2023 0 comments

Afolabi Fasogbon feels a sense of belonging at London Irish and can’t imagine playing anywhere else. The 18-year-old prop has enjoyed a breakthrough season for […]

Young Guns: Scotland U20 & Glasgow prop Callum Norrie

9 April 2023 0 comments

Callum Norrie was forced to watch on from the sidelines after his U20s Six Nations campaign came to a premature end due to injury, but […]

Young Guns: Gloucester hooker Finn Theobald-Thomas

2 April 2023 0 comments

Hooker Finn Theobald-Thomas is a devastating force in defence but wants to improve on his attacking contributions for both club and country. The 19-year-old Gloucester […]

Young Guns: Leinster & Ireland U20s hooker Jack Boyle

26 March 2023 1 comment

After securing back-to-back Grand Slams in the U20s Six Nations, the future of Irish rugby is looking extremely bright, and Tyro Leinster hooker Jack Boyle […]

Young Guns: Leicester & England U20s second row Rob Carmichael

19 March 2023 0 comments

Rob Carmichael has come a long way since first discovering rugby in Hong Kong, but is hoping his “adaptability” will help his improvement further. Carmichael, […]

Young Guns: Saracens & England U20s utility back Tobias Elliott

12 March 2023 2 comments

Versatile back Tobias Elliott has been thriving on the wing for England in the U20s Six Nations but doesn’t see himself cementing any position soon […]

Young Guns: Sale & England U20s flanker Tristan Woodman

5 March 2023 0 comments

England U20s flanker Tristan Woodman has envisioned his side lifting the Six Nations title after winning three from three so far in the tournament. Alan […]

Young Guns: Leicester & England U20s centre Joseph Woodward

26 February 2023 0 comments

YOUNG GUNS LEICESTER & ENGLAND U20s CENTRE Joseph Woodward hopes to turn himself into an all-round rugby player by learning off the multitude of experience […]

Young Guns: Scotland U20 back row Jake Spurway

19 February 2023 0 comments

Scottish back row Jake Spurway injured his ACL two weeks before the start of the U20s Six Nations but having witnessed a promising opening two […]

Young Guns: Sale & England U20s centre Reketi Ma’asi-White

12 February 2023 0 comments

By BEN JAYCOCK Introvert Rekeiti Ma’asi-White is hoping to use the Six Nations U20s experience with England to improve on his communication skills. Ma’asi-White, 20, […]

Young Guns: Gloucester & England U20s prop Archie McArthur

5 February 2023 2 comments

Archie McArthur hoping to develop his scrummaging whilst in England’s U20s Six Nations camp, with the hope of turning it into ‘the bread and butter […]

Young Guns: Eastern Suburbs lock Jago Sheppard

29 January 2023 0 comments

After a torrid time in the Exeter Chiefs academy, Jago Sheppard is hoping for a career revival in the Shute Shield competing for Eastern Suburbs. […]

Young Guns: Cardiff Met back row Jake Bond

22 January 2023 0 comments

YOUNG GUNS CARDIFF MET BACK ROW Cardiff Met back rower Jake Bond is playing the best rugby of his career in his final year at […]

Young Guns: London Irish hooker Calum Scott

15 January 2023 0 comments

YOUNG GUNS LONDON IRISH HOOKER Calum Scott was this week called up to England’s U20s Six Nations squad and the London Irish hooker hopes to […]

Young Guns: Wales U18 fly-half Jacob Symes

8 January 2023 0 comments

Welsh rugby’s latest young talented fly-half Jacob Symes departs for Australia in February to play for Eastern Suburbs in the highly regarded Shute Shield. Symes […]

Young Guns: Cardiff Met University lock Brandon Harvey

31 December 2022 0 comments

American second row Brandon Harvey was hurt by his country of birth’s failure to qualify for the 2023 World Cup but feels the sport will […]

Young Guns: Worcester Warriors fly-half Jack Condcliffe

23 December 2022 0 comments

YOUNG GUNS WORCESTER WARRIORS FLY-HALF Worcester Warriors’ academy player Jack Condcliffe is distraught witnessing his club’s demise as he realises his dream of running out […]

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