ACADEMY RUGBY
By TOM JEFFREYS

NORTHAMPTON U18s booked themselves into a fourth consecutive academy league final with a 62-17 thrashing of closest rivals.
There’s no surprise that Saints’ form in the senior Premiership has picked up so successfully, given the strength of their incoming youngsters. The likes of Tommy Freeman, Henry Pollock, Ollie Sleightholme and Alex Coles all being promoted from the academy in recent years.
Saints’ youngsters have lost each of those three finals against Bristol, London Irish, and then Bath last year, but showed an all-court game...