WORCESTER Rugby Club is enjoying the benefits of their academy for the region's best young players.

Youngsters from across the West Midlands have the chance to press their claims for higher representative honours following the decision to establish one of the England Rugby Academies in the region.

The academy is split between two sites - Sixways and the Birmingham University - and opened its doors last month. Nigel Redman, the former England and Bath lock, is the academy's manager with Graham Smith, a former Scotland A and Moseley prop, as his assistant.

Redman looks after the players in the Under-19 to Under-21 age groups, Smith taking charge of the Under-16s to Under-19s.

The Academy is one of 14 dotted around the country but is one of only two not attached to Zurich Premiership clubs.

The other, in the South West, is also on a split-site between four further education colleges in Devon and Cornwall.

"The West Midlands is an area of the country that does not have a Premiership rugby club at the moment, but Worcester have great ambitions to get into the Premiership and they certainly have the facilities to cope with that level of rugby," said Redman.

"They have the will to get there as far as the staff and players are concerned it's just a case now of getting there.

"I'm sure Rotherham, Plymouth, Orrell and the few other in the First Division will have something to say about that, but John Brain and Andy Keast are at least laying the foundations for staying there."

Redman and Smith have forged links with Birmingham University, University College Worcester, Bromsgrove School, Worcester Sixth Form and Royal Grammar School Worcester to provide courses that combine academic study with rugby and training.