YOUNG GUNS
WORCESTER WARRIORS FLY-HALF
Worcester Warriors' academy player Jack Condcliffe is distraught witnessing his club's demise as he realises his dream of running out at a packed out Sixways is fading fast.
Condcliffe, 17, has been at Worcester since the age of 13 when he joined the club's development pathway at U14s.
The fly-half has gone on to represent the club in the Premiership Academy League and spearheaded his side to a seventh place finish at the Academy Finals Day.
Condcliffe said: “I've loved my time at Worcester. With all the issues going on at the club, there's been a massive difference with how the coaches have worked coming back. Our coaches had quite a bit to do with the first team, so they couldn't spare much time coming out of work to visit you in your colleges. Whereas now our coaches are visiting us weekly and helping us develop even more, which is great for all of us.”
The club's future hangs in the balance after the RFU rejected the Jim O'Toole-led consortium's bid to enter next season's Championship, having been expelled from the Premiership earlier this year.
As an academy player, Condcliffe's future at the club is not as bright as it was and he was affected by last week's sad news both professionally and emotionally. He said: “It is really hard to take, especially as you don't know what's going on behind closed doors. Now it's got to a point where you're struggling to get that contract at the end of the year which you dream of, so it's now more about enjoying playing whilst you can with your mates.
“I was a bit distraught about the news last week because you want them back playing and having fans back at Sixways. We played a couple of doubleheaders and used to get a good crowd so it is quite hard to take when you don't have that opportunity anymore.
“The club means so much to me, they have helped me since I was 13 and from then on I've been there week in week out. I really do one day want to wear the badge in front of a packed Sixways.”
The nimble No.10, who weighs in at 12st 4lbs and is 5ft 9ins tall, says the biggest struggle in his game is coping with the physicality.
He added: “My passing is my strongest part of my game, putting people into space and setting up moves but I'm looking to improve physically in the contact area. I'm trying to put a bit more weight on and get stronger, so when I do have to carry I'm a bit more dominant. My size has been a big issue of mine as I've always been quite small.
“It has hindered me, especially last year when it came to academy league, and I was playing up a year and found I was getting battered most games. We played Northampton in one game and their tactic was to keep overthrowing the lineout to a prop who would just run directly at me and I would just get bumped off with each tackle. My defence has improved this year massively but I feel it can go even further.”
