Bailey Cutts, Max Hooper, Declan Treacey and Alex Yeabsley have been named in the group after showing strong progress and promise throughout their rugby development so far. These additions are part of Bath Rugby’s dedication to promoting young talent, offering a clear path for aspiring players to reach the top level of the game while also supporting their education.
These players will follow in the footsteps of Senior Academy graduates such as Max Ojomoh, Tom Carr-Smith and Kepueli Tuipulotu.
Welsh native Bailey Cutts’s attention was on football rather than rugby in his younger years, but after encouragement from school coaches to shift his focus, he “fell in love” with the sport.
What is your name, age, and your rugby position?
Bailey Cutts, centre, and I’m 18.
What does it mean to be joining Bath Rugby Senior Academy?
Being from Wales, coming over here to Farleigh and to Bath, it’s a bit of a shock. It’s unbelievable.
What are your biggest aspirations as a rugby player?
Lions is the big goal. Everyone wants to be a Lion, but Wales as well – playing for my country. We played not that long ago at the Principality when we won the Welsh Schools college final with Glantaf.
Where did you begin your rugby journey? And when?
I played more football than rugby when I was younger and started rugby when I was around eight. Then I started with Abercynon RFC, made my way through the districts and ended up in Cardiff. Abercynon feeds into a district and then that fed into Cardiff North – they split north and south and then combined. I got in two years early when I was14 and played for the U16 side.
What is your fondest rugby memory?
Probably making my Wales U20 debut against Scotland this year. Because I am still in U18 rugby and I scored on debut. That game was just like, wow, surreal stuff. That’s probably one of my best memories.
Who has been your biggest inspiration and had most influence on your rugby journey so far?
My mum and dad as they took me everywhere for my rugby. I think my grandparents have been good to me too. They’ve tried to make every game when possible and give me motivation to keep going.
Have you got any standout coaches along the way?
My two coaches from my old comprehensive school before I left to go to Glantaf. They were two great coaches because they got me through everything. I was going to stop playing rugby for football because I was all right at football, but they kept me in rugby and I just fell in love with rugby more than football.
I think because most of the boys at school played rugby and I just wanted to be with my friends. I’m originally from Mountain Ash, just up the valley, and I went to a Welsh-speaking school. I’m fluent in Welsh, and still in a Welsh school now, so that’s probably why I stuck to rugby as it’s huge here.
And finally, is there anyone in the current Bath Rugby squad that you’re excited to learn from?
Because I’m a centre, I’d probably say Ollie Lawrence. It’s really exciting to start learning off those boys and just try get as much information as possible to develop me as a player and person.