Professional Entry Programme
The London Scottish ‘Professional Entry Programme’ (LSPEP)
The LSPEP represents a key innovation in London Scottish’s player recruiting and development activities.
London Scottish are developing effective and sustainable rugby development pathways. These pathways will enable them to recruit and retain the best players, whilst growing their own talent to complement and enhance performance across all levels. They are focusing on helping players manage the critical ‘transitions’ they will experience through their career: from amateur to professional rugby; from an aspiring young player through to becoming a proven performer, an experienced leader, and ultimately, transitioning to a second career when the time comes to hang up the boots for good!
To help facilitate managing the first steps into the world of professional rugby more effectively, they have introduced a tightly focused and managed London Scottish ‘Professional Entry Programme (PEP)’ helping players to take their first steps in the professional game and aspiring to play at the highest levels and support them with bespoke programmes to help smooth the transition to rugby as a full-time job.
But such development comes at a cost to the player, at a time in their careers when earnings are at their lowest and this is where Friends of Scottish Rugby can help.
This season, FoSR will be sponsoring Miles Wakeling.
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Miles Wakelling
Age - 21
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Miles is a success story of the London Scottish Junior programme after playing all his Junior and Colt rugby with the exiles. He then took his opportunities with the Highlanders (the old London Scottish 2nd XV) and was rewarded a Professional Entry Programme contract for last season.
Wakeling has continued to develop with the Scots, putting on some considerable size after working with the S&C staff and developing his on-field game last season with a loan move to Barnes in National Two South.
The young back row made his professional debut last season in the Championship Cup but went on to make his full Greene King IPA Championship debut against Doncaster Knights in March. He will be looking to add to his four 1st XV appearances this season.
Miles is looking forward to another year at the Club. “I am really pleased to have signed with Scottish for next season having really enjoyed my rugby over the past year. I am excited to see what the club and I can achieve in the upcoming season.”
Head Coach Graham Steadman was looking forward to working with Miles again this season. “Miles is a good lad and he works hard. We are excited to continue to see him develop as a player this season.”
Feeder Programme
Whilst the Professional Entry Programme is clearly an innovative approach to player development, for the programme to be successful, there has to be a clear and professional feeder innitiative behind it.
To this end, London Scottish have created "The Development Pathway" encorporating the Junior Elite section. For more on this please click HERE
Click below for more about the Professional Entry Programme on the London Scottish website:
LSFC - PEP