SIX students from Wellington School have been selected for the U13s Somerset Rugby DPP following a string of impressive performances.

Wellington School already has five representatives in Aviva Premiership and Somerset U16 academies, demonstrating the growing strength of the school’s rugby set-up.

The County Developing Player Programme will build their skills and give them excellent opportunities to work on their rugby with expert coaches and high-flying teammates.

Year 8 boys Harry Sheppard, Ollie Kennedy, Alex Hendy, Tom Simms, Ollie Kitson and Theo Norton have been selected for the prestigious programme.

They join Year 11 pupils Joel Gibson and Charlie Hawkes, who are in the Under-16s Somerset DPP; Tom Jeanes, who is in the Bath Academy; and Tom Fuller and Samuel Smith, who are in the Exeter Chiefs Academy.

“The strength of our rugby provision is growing and is tied in with the new Sport and Wellbeing Department which looks at the whole athlete,” said ex-professional rugby player and cricketer Steffan Jones, head of the department.

“We have some superb coaches and our Elite Development Programme tailors specific programmes around the pupil.

“Skills are obviously a key element to top athlete development, but we also cover sports psychology, nutrition, SAQ, strength and conditioning.

“The results speak for themselves.”