RUGBY
Academy Since 2006, in partnership with Saracens Rugby Club, Oaklands College have provided students with an excellent education pathway alongside an opportunity for them to develop as rugby players. Oaklands College is a large further education college based in Hertfordshire. We offer a wide range of courses, from vocational courses with strong links to employers through to the arts and a selection of Combined BTEC A Level programmes. The Rugby Academy is one of a number of sports academy programmes available at the College, with between 80 and 100 students enrolled on the rugby programme at any one time, with a dedicated men and women’s academy. Participation in our sports academies is open to all students enrolled on a course at the College. Connection with Saracens Saracens setup the rugby programme at Oaklands College in 2006. Initially it provided their academy players with an academic pathway while working towards their rugby career. A rugby programme was built around these players with other local non-academy players, and so the Oaklands Rugby Academy Programme was born. Since then the programme has quadrupled in size.
It is important to make it clear that being offered a place on the Oaklands Rugby Academy does not make you a member of Saracens Academy, although a close link does exist. Some of our students arrive at the College as members of the Saracens Academy and we work in conjunction with the staff at Saracens to ensure they have a suitable schedule of competition and bespoke programme of development. Others find opportunities to progress into the Saracens set up through good performances at the College. The relationship between club and Oaklands allows us to ensure all players are being stretched and challenged on a daily basis. Saracens Academy Coaches support the training at the College and so opportunities to be seen and gain advice from Academy staff are abundant. A number of students have progressed to professional contracts at Saracens over the years, and many of our graduates continue to play in the Premiership, championship and national leagues today.
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