Rob Milligan (number eight), Owen Giles (flanker), Liam Neale (flanker) and Nick Greenhalgh (centre) will join the Senior Academy in the summer.

All four players are in Year 13 at school and are still teenagers. Nevertheless they have experienced Wanderers rugby this season in the Guinness ‘A’ League with Milligan and Giles both playing in the first leg of the competition’s final against London Wasps last Monday.

Milligan, a former Old Scout, has been Rugby School’s head boy this year and also played in England Under-18’s recent Grand Slam campaign. He will be joined by fellow back rowers Giles and Neale.

Giles, of The Purse School, Cambridge, has rowed for Great Britain at Under-18 level. Neale, who has also been a regular in the Wanderers and Academy teams, has already shown his commitment to the club by making repeated five-hour round trips from Frinton on Sea to play.

Greenhalgh is an aggressive and quick outside centre. Head boy at Uppingham School and a member of Towcestrians RFC, he is also the son of former Saint Mike Greenhalgh.

“Rob, Owen, Liam and Nick have all worked exceptionally hard over the past few years and deserve their chance in the Senior Academy,” said Saints Academy manager Rob Hunter. “They have impressed while playing for the Wanderers and have improved their skills, technique and attitude while in the Elite Player Development Groups and Junior Saints Academy.

“Being full-time rugby players will be a big step up for all of them. But I am confident that they will respond positively to the demands made of them and continue their development in the next few years.

“They are following in the footsteps of former JSA members like Courtney Lawes, James Cannon and Joe Gray into the Senior Academy as the club’s continued commitment to developing its own players pays dividend.”

Our brand new Academy sponsors, Logical Investment Options are delighted to offer Saints fans the chance to win some amazing prizes in celebration of the wonderful 2007/08 season enjoyed by Northampton Saints and the Academy.

The French property experts are giving one lucky Saints fan the chance to enjoy a relaxing weekend stay for 2 at Le Couvent d'Hérépian, recently described by The Sunday Times as ‘quite possibly the best small hotel in France.’ The prize includes flights and 3 night’s accommodation at the hotel, which is based in the village of Hérépian, in the Languedoc region of Southern France. This luxury hotel was built, and is managed, by two-time Bentley Award winning developers Garrigae Investissements, the premier development partner of Logical Investment Options.

All entries will be also be entered into a draw for 30 other prizes that include superb French wine and Saints merchandise and LIO are delighted to offer any person completing this form €5,000 cash-back against a French property purchased through LIO prior to Sept 1st 2008.

To enter, simply go to www.logicalfrance.com and fill out the competition form.