RUGBY: Adam battles back (From This Is Wiltshire)

RUGBY: Adam battles back

4:00pm Wednesday 23rd December 2009

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NESTON teenager Adam Jamieson is closing in on an England call-up just two years after he was told he may never play rugby again.

The youngster was given the warning after the brain aneurysm he was born with ruptured.

The 15-year-old, who goes to Corsham School, missed an entire year of rugby because of the condition, but was last week given the all-clear from doctors and is now just a handful of games away from playing for England’s U16 squad.

“He has had a battle to get there,” said mum Julie, of Durley Park, Corsham.

“He is a modest boy and he just loves rugby so to be able to play again is amazing.”

Jamieson, along with 15 year-old Tim Norton and 16 year-olds Jack Beazer and Jake Oldaker, are four U16 players from the Corsham club who have been selected for the South West squad.

The Corsham youngsters will join up with the rest of the South West team in the New Year before playing games against the Midlands and the North of England.

At the end of January, the most impressive players will be drafted into the England U16 squad and the reserve A squad.

John Beazer, who is chairman of Corsham Rugby Club and dad of 16-year-old Jack, says that the call-up is one of the club’s proudest moments.

“It’s unprecedented to have that many young lads called up for the regional squad,” he said.

“They’ve come all the way up from U8s level and now they’re effectively two games away from playing for England.

“It speak volumes for our youth section and it’s a fantastic achievement for them.”

Coach Tim Unwin, who has worked closely with the four young rugby stars, believes that they all deserve their place in the South West squad.

“They’ve all bounced back from various setbacks and it’s great that they’re all involved now,” he said.

“They’re now in the top 120 players in the country.

“They’re all very competent at their own positions and they’ve all got great core skills like passing and tackling.”

Unwin said playing in a strong Corsham side has aided their development.

“They’ve all got experience of being in a successful club team at their age group,” he said. “They play for a team that has developed more than others around them.”

With the four starlets due to be away on regional duty, Corsham are on the look out for talented and experienced youth rugby players.

Anyone interested should contact Unwin on 07786 194464.

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