With a total of eight Academy players being handed International caps, impressive performances at Academy festivals across the age-groups and fifteen Academy players lifting the Aviva 'A' League trophy this year, the 2016/17 season has been a successful one for Dusty Hare and the Saints Academy.
England called-up a total of eight young Saints this season from Under-17s level all the way up to Under-20s, with Alex Mitchell and James Grayson helping that side to their Grand Slam win.
Samson Ma'asi, Alex Coles, Toby Trinder, Fraser Dingwall and Fraser Strachan also donned the white shirt this year with Marshall Sykes running out for Scotland Under-18s at this year's inaugural U18 International Series in Cardiff.
Successful campaigns at both the Warwick and Wellington Festivals for Saints' Under-16 players and a group of wins for the Under-15s at their tournament in Sheffield, the younger age groups of the Academy have also enjoyed a plethora of success this year.
To top off an already brilliant year for the Academy, 15 players that have come through the Academy set-up were among the Aviva 'A' League winning 23 on Monday afternoon in what was a great advert for the Premiership sides' Academy structures.
Academy Manager Dusty Hare commended the Academy's success this year, saying that
"The Academy has had a fantastic year this year. We've had two boys playing for the England Under-18s, two more in the Under-17s and hopefully those Under-17 players will carry on their success in the Under-18s next year.
"With winning the 'A' League with a team that included mostly Academy-based players, we were very pleased from an Academy perspective.
"This success is something that we hope to add to with the coming season's campaign but we're very happy with everything that we've achieved this year and we would like to extend a big thank you to everyone who helped with that success along the way."
