Matches kick-off this Sunday [14th November] with the U20 Junior 1872 Cup fixture where players will be selected to represent Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby at Scotstoun. This fixture is designed to support and identify home based players ahead of the Scotland U20 programme which will re-start towards the end of the calendar year.

A phased return of players into the FOSROC Scottish Rugby Academy has been ongoing starting with the U18 age groups through October, moving onto the U20 age group in November and continuing with this phased approach after the year. The 2021-2022 season has been identified as period for the FOSROC Scottish Rugby Academy to recover and transition from the effects of the coronavirus pandemic whilst prioritising and supporting the safe return of domestic age-grade, school and club rugby.

Next month, a U19 Junior 1872 Cup fixture will take place at The Greenyards in Melrose with players once again selected to their respective pro-teams, Edinburgh Rugby or Glasgow Warriors.

The FOSROC Scottish Rugby Regional Championship will make a welcome return, since before the pandemic, to the age-group development programme for U17 and U18s next February.

Eight teams, from both age-groups, and all four FOSROC Scottish Rugby Academy regions (The Borders & East Lothian, Edinburgh, Caledonia and Glasgow & The West) will travel to Highland RFC in Inverness for the first round of fixtures before the U17 and U18 FOSROC Scottish Rugby Regional Championship Finals at The Greenyards the following weekend.

Following the Finals weekend, U18 teams will then be selected to represent the pro-teams who will compete for their Junior 1872 cup over two legs, allowing more playing opportunities for those looking to put their hand up for selection to the Scotland U18 programme

The U16 FOSROC Scottish Rugby Regional Championship will take place over three consecutive weekends in April with teams from each of the four regional FOSROC Scottish Rugby Academies playing each other once. By keeping a wider group of players playing across more fixtures there is an increased opportunity for more young players to experience being part of a representative programme.

The Scottish Qualified (SQ) programme is continuing to work to support our International age grade programmes with player development and ID sessions and camps ongoing.

Scottish Rugby’s Director of Performance Rugby Jim Mallinder said: “With the interruption of covid, it’s been a difficult period for our younger players. We’re happy with how the club and school game has returned, now it’s fully up and running we feel that that the time is right to begin re-starting the age-grade programmes.

“Our performance programmes are very important to us as it marks the first opportunity during which players will get the opportunity to represent their region or even wear the thistle. We feel that we’ve put a strong programme in place for the remainder of the season that gives game-time to players, who have the potential to represent Scotland at age-grade level.

“It’s great to see the next generation of players will be representing their pro-teams, we fully intend on working more closely with both Glasgow Warriors and Edinburgh Rugby to create a clear pathway for players.”

Scottish Rugby’s Head of Performance Programmes Grant McKelvey said: “The U20 Junior 1872 Cup on Sunday is an important place to start in re-integrating our FOSROC Scottish Rugby Academy system and provide playing opportunities for those young players who have missed out over the last two years.

“I look forward to seeing the next generation of players take to the pitch across all of our age-grade programmes over the coming months.”

FOSROC Scottish Rugby Academy Fixtures 2021-2022
Sunday 14 November 2021 – U20 1872 Cup
Edinburgh Rugby U20 v Glasgow Warriors U20
Scotstoun Stadium, Glasgow; kick-off 2pm
Friends and family of players are welcome to attend this event, you must register your attendance HERE.

Sunday 19 December 2021 – U19 1872 Cup
Edinburgh Rugby U19 v Glasgow Warriors U19
The Greenyards, Melrose; kick-off 2.30pm

Sunday 13 February 2022 – U17 & U18 FOSROC Scottish Rugby Regional Championship
Glasgow & The West U17 v Caledonia U17
Edinburgh U17 v The Borders & East Lothian U17
Glasgow & The West U18 v Caledonia U18
Edinburgh U18 v The Borders & East Lothian U18
Highland RFC, Inverness; first game from 12 noon

Sunday 20 February 2022 – U17 & U18 FOSROC Scottish Rugby Regional Championship
U17 Losers Game 1 v U17 Losers Game 2
U17 Winners Game 1 v U17 Winners Game 2
U18 Losers Game 1 v U18 Losers Game 2
U18 Winners Game 1 v U18 Winners Game 2
The Greenyards, Melrose; first game from 12 noon

Sunday 27 February 2022 – U18 Junior 1872 Cup
Edinburgh Rugby U18 v Glasgow Warriors U18
Venue tbc; kick-off 2.00pm

Sunday 6 March 2022 – U18 Junior 1872 Cup
Edinburgh Rugby U18 v Glasgow Warriors U18
St Andrews University; kick-off 2.00pm

Sunday 10 April 2022 – U16 FOSROC Scottish Rugby Regional Championship
Edinburgh U16 v The Borders & East Lothian U16
Glasgow & The West U16 v Caledonia U16
Lasswade RFC; kick-off from 12 noon

Sunday 17 April 2022 – U16 FOSROC Scottish Rugby Regional Championship
Glasgow & The West U16 v The Borders & East Lothian U16
Edinburgh U16 v Caledonia U16
Venue tbc; kick-off from 12 noon

Sunday 24 April 2022 – U16 FOSROC Scottish Rugby Regional Championship
The Borders & East Lothian U16 v Caledonia U16
Glasgow & The West U16 v Edinburgh U16
Netherdale 4G; kick-off from 12 noon