TWO Shebbear College students joined 30 of the country’s most promising schoolboy rugby players, experiencing a day in the life of an England rugby player, after being selected to attend the NatWest Schools Cup Academy Day.

In reward for their performances during this year’s NatWest Schools Cup, Charlie Short and Stuart Williams from Shebbear College were joined by England players Chris Robshaw, Dave Attwood, Matt Kvesic and former England winger, Mark Cueto MBE, at England Rugby’s Pennyhill Park training base in Surrey.

The young players were put through their paces by leading strength and conditioning coaches.

The NatWest Schools Cup Academy Day saw 30 U15 and U18 schoolboys participating in a training session on the same pitch as the England squad prepare on, before reviewing their performances in a video session lead by England’s analysists.

Throughout the day, the Academy Day players took part in photo and filming shoots alongside the England players, to truly experience the demands on elite rugby players, both on and off the pitch.

Mark Cueto said: “The level of quality at the NatWest Schools Cup Academy Day was extremely high. English rugby is in a good place following the Grand Slam win, and the calibre of players on show suggests we have a promising future to look forward to as well.

“Charlie and Stuart performed consistently throughout this NatWest Schools Cup, and their contribution to Shebbear College’s season has been rightfully rewarded.”

Charlie and Stuart both played a significant role in helping Shebbear College throughout the competition, before defeat to the U15 Blundells School Side by 52-22.

The event saw a total of 883 teams play in the knockout competition, all competing for the chance to play at Twickenham Stadium on Finals Day, making it the biggest schools competition in England to date.

Following two gripping finals, it was the Sedbergh School and Bromsgrove School who claimed thw U15 and U18 NatWest Schools Cup trophies, respectively after defeating Wellington College and QEGS Wakefield.

From 2017, the NatWest Schools Cup will take on a different format, with both the U15 and U18 competitions being divided into several tiers, enhancing the competition and encouraging more schools to enter.

Applications for the NatWest Schools Cup 2016 and 2017 will close on May 27. Schools can enter at englandrugby.com/club-competitions/natwest-schools-cup/how-to-enter.