Zé and João off to N.Z.!!

Two Sub-18 players to spend a month at New Zealand Academy over the summer holidays.

Three days after they get back from their Sub-18 tour to Argentina, José João Abrantes and João Vaz Guedes will fly out to New Zealand on 8th July to spend a month in Tauranga at the, “Inside Running Rugby Academy”.

The Academy is an initiative of the Inside Running Player Management Company and invites players from all over the world to live, eat, sleep, train and play as professional players for between 1 and 3 months. Zé and João will be part of a group of 15 rugby players who will learn from some of the best coaches, strength and conditioning trainers, nutritionists and physiotherapists in the world, including New Zealand All Blacks Strength and Conditioning Coach, Dr Nic Gill.

The boys will also be affiliated with a local club side and be able to put their training into practice and test themselves in the strong New Zealand club environment.

Zé Abrantes won the Sub-18 Most Valuable Player Award at the Rugby Club Dinner and has been in tremendous form this season, both at full back for Club and on the wing or in the centre for Country. A player with outstanding potential, Zé has been a loyal servant of the Club since its inception in 2006 and thoroughly deserves this opportunity.

João Vaz Guedes was voted Players' Player of the Season at the Rugby Club Dinner, reflecting the high esteem with which he is held by his team mates. He never gives less than 100% at training or during games, and has developed into a highly effective loose forward whose tireless support play and astronomically high tackle count mark him out as a genuine prospect.

We wish both players the very best of luck and look forward to seeing them share their development with the rest of the squad when they return next season.

Special thanks must go to On-Media for their generous support of this venture.