Three SMB College Group Alumni have officially been selected to represent England in the U20 Six Nations Tournament

Lewis Chessum, Tim Hoyt and Joseph Woodward will kick off their U20 Six Nations experience with England’s first match against Scotland at Twickenham Stoop on Friday 3^rd February.

Before this, the rugby stars will also be taking part in a Leicester Tigers camp from 11^th – 14^th January, which will include an exciting fixture against Oxford University – a great opportunity to test their skills before they head to Twickenham to begin their bid for the Six Nations win.

Lewis Chessum, who studied Level 3 Agriculture at SMB College Group alongside the college’s Leicester Tigers ACE pathway, said of his time at the college: ‘Studying at the Brooksby Campus helped me develop many parts of my game both on and off the field. It made me a better player and overall person, I met life long mates and made many memories and experiences by doing Agriculture as a course instead of just Sport.’

Fellow SMB College Group alumni, Tim Hoyt, who studied Sport, added ‘I feel like I gained a lot more knowledge of the game and improved my skills in the technical and tactical units. I was given really good support around my rugby and my college work, where reflective practice was also encouraged. The support and guidance given to me at SMB College Group really helped me with my career planning so that I could carefully plan ‘What next’ with a series of different outcomes.’

Joseph Woodward, who also studied on the programme, commented ‘My time at SMB College Group has given me many opportunities to learn, achieve and help others both on and off the field. Studying at the Brooksby Campus allowed me to train at different parts of the day in addition to timetabled rugby sessions, whether it be before breakfast on the Wattbike or in the evenings after dinner for a weights session. Training hard was made easy by having a good group of lads around me that were also trying to go far in their rugby career – it gave me motivation to go the extra mile.’

SMB College Group has a long and successful history working alongside Leicester Tigers to produce excellent elite rugby players, with Lewis, Tim and Joseph being fantastic examples, in addition to the likes of George Martin, Archie Vanes and Sam Edwards.

Greg Mannion, Leicester Tigers ACE programme manager, spoke of his pride in the players’ recent achievements, saying ‘It is great to see the lads kicking on with their careers since their time at college with us. They are truly great ambassadors and their selection for the U20 England Six Nations squad is a credit to their hard work, dedication and commitment.

‘More so, these lads can often be found on the touchline watching the next crop of ACE players, as they recognise the value of the support and mentorship provided by the coaching staff during their time at the college. We cannot wait to see them with the red rose on, representing both their country and their family. We wish them the best of luck.’

In addition to the ACE programme, the college also offers a development programme, which is open to Sports students of any sporting ability who are passionate about playing rugby alongside their academic studies.

Students study and train at the college’s specialist land-based and Sport campus, which is situated at Brooksby, just 10 minutes outside of Melton Mowbray. In addition to three full-size outdoor rugby pitches, the campus is home to a £3.6 million sports centre featuring a strength and conditioning gym, sports hall, sports science lab and a full-size 3G all-weather pitch.

Find out more about studying at SMB College Group at an upcoming open event! Book your place at www.smbcollegegroup.ac.uk or get in touch with the helpful Enquiries team on 01664 850 850 or at [email protected].