Trio shine for England academy

Three pupils at Highfields School, Newark, are on course for successful rugby careers if their try-scoring exploits continue.

Kitz Bagley (10) and twins Ryan and Jordan Olowofela (10) have grabbed more than half the 80 tries scored by the RFU’s under-11 academy this season.

The trio, who all play in the backs, were approached by England scouts in May after performances for their school.

All three also played for Newark Rugby Club before being called into the academy, based at Stoneygate Rugby Club, Leicester.

The head of Highfields School, Mr Roger Wood, hoped the players could go on to the next stage — the England under-13 team.

“As they get older, the likes of Leicester Tigers may look at them,” he said.

“In eight or nine years they could be setting foot on the pitch at Twickenham.”

Contact rugby was introduced at the school in 2004.

Two former pupils are already making an impact on the county rugby scene.

George Seabook is a member of the under-14 Nottinghamshire schools team while Alex Nissim is part of the under-13 team.

Highfields has a link with Leicester Tigers, which gave pupils the chance to be coached by Lions and England forward Lewis Moody.

Leicester player Tom Croft wrote the introduction to the school’s rugby tour brochure.

They go to Scotland at the end of the month to play schools in Melrose and Edinburgh.

Pupils will also watch Scotland take on Italy in a Six Nations game at Murrayfield.