18-year-old Street star selected for Bath Rugby senior academy

An 18-year-old rugby player from Street has been selected for the Bath Rugby senior academy.

Lock and back row forward Ewan Richards has been named as one of only seven players from the Bath Rugby U18 Academy to progress to the senior academy, continuing his progress towards a professional career in the sport.

Ewan is a former Crispin School pupil and joined Millfield School on a scholarship after starting his rugby at Tor Rugby RFC, in Glastonbury, at the age of five, joining Wells RFC later in his early career.

The teenager studies BTEC Sport and has had eight U18 call-ups for England Rugby. At Millfield, Ewan was part of the 2020 golden year with five international age grade rugby players in its first team, the most for 11 years.

Former Millfield students currently playing for Bath Rugby's senior squad include Chris Cook, Tom Ellis, Sam Nixon, Darren Atkins, Jonathan Joseph, Josh Bayliss and Henry Thomas.

Millfield's director of rugby is ex-Bath and England player John Mallett, who is also a former Millfield pupil.

He is supported by a team of 18 coaches, and in January 2019 Millfield appointed Mike Baxter (Bath and Scotland Sevens) as assistant director of Rugby.

Ewan said: "I've lived in Street all my life and obviously I knew about Millfield's reputation for sporting excellence, but I never thought I would have the opportunity to come to a school like this.

"To be here now and a part of such a fantastic programme is an amazing opportunity, and I'm really excited to be continuing my journey with Bath Rugby with their senior academy, following in the footsteps of so many other fantastic Millfield rugby players."