BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy breaks new ground in Edinburgh

The capital city’s top young talent are set to benefit from a new£2.5million extension at Edinburgh Napier University’s Sighthill campus, host and partner of the BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy in Edinburgh.Work began today on a new two-storey sports centre extension that will host a multi-use strength and conditioning gym, rehabilitation space and studio research facility.As well as providing the academy players with a fully-equipped, state-of-the-art gym and rehab spaces – including a 30 metre running track on the ground floor – a second-level studio facility will provide an area where students and academic staff can undertake research projects.Graeme Beveridge, BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy Manager, Edinburgh, said: “Edinburgh Napier University has been home to our academy for several months now and our players are enjoying the experience of being on campus.The new facilities will provide us with the additional equipment and space required to develop our ambitious young players into world-class athletes.”- – Graeme Beveridge, BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy Manager, EdinburghThe University already boasts one of the UK’s leading biomechanic labs, which includes an exercise physiology lab, and features an environment chamber that simulates altitude, humidity, and hot and cold conditions.Professor Andrea Nolan, Edinburgh Napier University, said: “Over the past six months, we have been developing plans for the new facilities at the University so we are excited to see the build off to a flying start.”The centre will offer students, staff and the local community state-of-the-art gym facilities, as well as providing the Academy players with the amenities they need to improve and progress their skills.”It will also be the University’s centre for development and provision of clinical exercise programmes, and research into exercise and cancer survivorship.”We look forward to the long term benefits this project will bring for the University and the surrounding area.”As well as the launch of the Academy, the University is also developing its academic work within sport, with eight coaches recently starting the University’s Postgraduate Diploma in Sports Performance Enhancement in Rugby Coaching (level 4, accredited by Sports Coach UK) in partnership with Scottish Rugby. An online undergraduate degree for elite athletes will launch in the New Year (2016).The Academy is one of a four BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academies, launched over the course of the past year, to nurture young rugby talent and develop future rugby stars.Sighthill was the third BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy venue to be launched.It followed the announcements of the Caledonia Academy at Hillhead Sports Campus and Aberdeen Sports Village; and the Glasgow and West Academy at Broadwood Stadium in Cumbernauld and the Borders and East Lothian Academy, before the set was completed with the unveilling of the Borders & East Lothian Academy, based at Borders College and Heriot-Watt University.The building works at Napier  are due to be complete in late spring 2016.The eight coaches undertaking the postgraduate diploma are: Kenny Murray (Glasgow Warriors), Stevie Scott (Edinburgh Rugby), Ben Fisher (Scotland under-20 and BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy), John Dalziel (Melrose and Scotland under-20), Phil Smith (Heriot’s, Glasgow Academy and Scotland Club XV), Calum Forrester (Ayr and Scotland under-19), Stevie Lawrie (Heriot’s, Stewart’s Melville College and Scotland under-16) and Andrew Hall (Hong Kong), the former Scotland second-row.