Hull KR and FC joined forces to form the Hull academy and the Cas CEO recently warmed to the idea of a Calder academy.
I believe that these 'Service Areas' need to be extended across the breadth of the game in the UK and their remit deepened to promote the sport across the wider catchment area.
An example is the Hull academy, in this instance the remit of this service area should be to run elite, centre of excellence type U16 & U19 teams and work with local amateur clubs to develop young players underneath that. In addition, the catchment area of this 'SA' should stretch into Lincolnshire, to broaden the reach of RL and increase playing numbers. Other examples are that a Wigan 'SA' would stretch to central Lancashire, Wire/Widnes cover and extend across the whole of Cheshire.

'SA's can also minimise financial burdens on clubs by the sharing of costs and facilities.

More important than that is that such a system allows the countries best players to play against each other more often. Only a small percentage of U16 and U19 players make it as SL players so these elite service area comps will get young players playing in tougher matches at an earlier age. No point in future England stars in playing against players who have no chance of turning pro.
Players should then be funnelled into a clubs U23's or dual reg system when they develop further.
There would obviously be different levels of 'SA' a Midlands one would obviously be at a lower level to Hull for instance.

Another 'SA' which is sort of forming is in Manchester where Salford, Rochdale, Rangers, Mancunians and I think Oldham and Swinton work together to deliver programmes as an entity.

Anyway here are my 'Elite Service Areas'.

Calder (Wakefield/Cas)
Wigan
Leeds
Hull academy (fc and kr)
St Helens
Cheshire (Widnes/Wire)
Bradford/Huddersfield
Manchester
London and South

Cas Tigers CEO Steve Gill has recently said that a joint academy with Wakefield Wildcats has been looked at but nothing put in place yet. I can see it happening.

There are already regional academies in the Midlands, Cumbria and the North East and London still run an academy.

This I think is along the same tracks as what you're proposing.

I'd like to see similar regional academies set up in future for South Wales, North Wales, South West (Bristol/Gloucestershire), Scotland, Ireland, South Yorkshire and another in London.

The main focus should be on enabling any talent from junior teams the pathway to becoming a professional. Youngsters playing in these regions can effectively be lost to the game either through their talent not being noticed or there not being a high enough standard to play at.

Neither can I, but probably for different reasons.

If both clubs were reasonably successful & therefore stable, I think they would carry on as they are.

But the fact is they're not

One seems to dice with relegation every few years, & the other, whilst seeing better days of late, has fairly recent "form".

I'm quite surprised Gill has even considered it, but remember Carter is/was an accountant, & if he can see a cost saving he'll be tempted.

I really really really hope the OP is joking.

With the high standard of players which are coming out of the Wakefield [uTRINITY[/u academy at the moment, I can't see them giving it up easily. They are also developing good links with other clubs in many leagues up and down the country where they can also begin to bring talent in from.

If the clubs are willing to play as a combined team at under 19 level, why not at 1st team level.

If you can't run your own academy you should not qualify for Super League IMO.

Why ? , there's more to just saving money in his suggestion

If you can't run your own academy you should not qualify for Super League IMO.'"

or a reserve/u23 team too

This was a proposal tried to bring in by certain members (with a past RFU background) of the RFL. The plan then was to do away with individual team academies and have regional academies, and also to implement a draft system similar to the one that they have in the NFL. A friend of mine was involved in some sports trials with academy teams a few years ago to gather information for this. It was blocked by certain clubs- no prizes for guessing which ones....

I personally think this would be a brilliant way to improve the game and spread talent, whilst ensuring that talented young players stay in the game- but some teams didn't want their stranglehold on talent broken...

A lot of valid point have been made here, however the reason for scholarships/academies merging is to save on cost. The suggestion that if you have less players and only the very best talents are given this opportunity is pure spin. Surely the more players that are within the professional system, given the right coaching at the academies, then the more talented individuals will emerge. The important thing here is the right coaching by the right mentors.

One issue raised is that not enough players make the grade from scholarship to academy, then academy to full time. If a club take on more that half a dozen of its academy players each year it is a surprise. This is not because they are not talented enough as many do find themselves at other semi professional clubs, it is because there is nowhere for most players post 19 to go at their initial club. All clubs are full of overseas players, many of whom given the mere sniff of an NRL contract would be on the first plane back, or they do not run reserve grade teams where players can make the transition from boys to men.

Some clubs maintain that dual registration is the best way forward, this I find very hard to comprehend, the number of post 19's that have gone out on dual registration, then returned to their parent clubs and made the transition into first team rugby is very few and far between. In some instances playing for a community club is a higher standard than their dual registration partners.

In my view all SL clubs should be made to run a reserve team to prevent the talent drain, and the RFL should make this a viable competition with regular fixtures. I remember summer rugby being sold on the concept of the Australian model of watching under 19's, reserve then first team all on the same afternoon.

The problem ATM though is that different clubs have different amounts to spend on their academies- the clubs with more money have the better resources and so can attract the better players and therefore are in a position to bring through better youngsters. It's a catch 22. Forcing clubs to spend money on a reserve grade isn't going to bring through more talent- it's just going to make poor teams poorer and the more affluent clubs still will enjoy able to cherry pick the most promising talent.
A centrally funded service system would ensure ALL players get the same level of resources and coaching.
I understand what you say about overseas players- but having A draft system would mean that the best players stay in the game and aren't lost because they are behind an Aussie in the pecking order or even unlucky enough to be a couple of years behind another young good player in the same position at the same club. Could be that a young fullback missed out as they were a couple of years behind Tomkins or shaul at their clubs the draft system would mean another club in need of a fullback would take them on. At the moment they would have to pay another club to do that.

There will be no merger with a club called the Wildcats because they don't exist - you are on your final warning

Never understand why castleford is considered Calder, the Calder runs into th Aire just before castleford so Airedale academy would be better name.

I agree that the richer clubs being allowed to cherry pick is all wrong, I have recently gone through the scholarship process at my community club. We are located between Leeds and Castleford, yet talent identification staff from Wigan, Warrington, Huddersfield and Bradford can be seen regularly watching players. Rather than a draft I personally think that the professional clubs should have a geographical area from where they can recruit at scholarship level. You cannot convince me that teams need to have kids of 15/16 travel 100's of miles each week, and that there are not lads with equal potential on their doorstep.

I still dispute that having smaller super academies will produce better players from smaller numbers, than more players in the pool to pick from. Perhaps a halfway house is another option where for example Cas and Wakefield share facilities, logistics and their costs but still run their own squads of players.

The problem with having to choose from a geographical area still means that some clubs will be picking from areas with better resources. E.g. Hudds have only about 6 junior clubs in the area- and most don't have a full quota of junior teams. You tend to find that players move from club to club to be at one that can have enough players to even put out a team for their particular age group. Do you then allow them to pick from Batley, dewsbury (both in kirklees) and Halifax- where does that leave those championship clubs. In Leeds there are dozens of clubs. What about hunslet?

No there is no perfect circle that you would radiate from each club, more guidelines areas within which clubs can recruit with overlaps to provide choices. Using Huddersfield as an example, yes they would look within Huddersfield, Dewsbury Halifax and Oldham and if Dewsbury were to have a scholarship they would also incorporate Huddersfield, Hunslet and Wakefield. This would stop the "big" clubs going far and wide to cherry pick.

Selection of a scholarship club for your child is very difficult and to have a choice is essential as you have to be able to create a balance between school, parental commitments, being able to get them to training etc. etc.

We've had bugger all resources at the Bulls yet managed to produce an U19s side that finished 5th last year and an U16s that didn't do so bad either. Bradford isn't exactly overflowing with community clubs.

The more players playing the game the better, but they need quality coaching and a system that doesn't cut them loose too early. In the end I think it all comes down to money.

If you stop clubs going far and wide then you also limit parental choice. There's no easy solution but the way things are set up now means certain clubs have choice and other clubs have less. A draft system would provide a fair platform for all clubs- and better coaching and facilities to all youngsters.

Well I went past Belle Vue the other day and the Wildcats signs are still there, anyway - I don't think you are in a position to "warn" me old boy.

A draft system doesn't provide a remotely fair platform. Why should the clubs who want to prioritise junior development be held back by those who don't? Is it fair to tell a kid from Wigan, who has grown up dreaming of playing for Wigan, that he has to go and play for Salford in front of crowds of 2000 because they had a bad season and they want him?

However, the idea that the only possible reason for the merging of academies is cost-saving is just not true. Looking at Cas and Wakefield for example:

They'll have 50 players combined at u19s level (ish)
The worst 25 players at u19s level definitely aren't going to play Super League
The worst players will take up a disproportionately large amount of coaching time because they have the most deficiencies
The worst players will disproportionately limit the standard of training by providing weak links in drills

By limiting the number of players to 25 between Cas and Wakey, you:
1) Increase the quality of training - less weak links, meaning the best players' skills are challenged more
2) Increase the ratio of coaches to players (unless they fire half of the coaches)
3) Increase the proportion of coaching time/resource spent on players with a viable chance of playing Super League
4) Improve the community game by not taking 25 players out of it solely to provide a team for the best players to play in

Hardly just a cost-cutting measure in reality.

Fax ran a reserve squad last season, and we have 4 of them who are stepping up to the 1st team next season. AFAIK we're running the reserves again next year, but our biggest problem was finding teams to play against. SL teams should be required to run a reserves team. The bizarre thing for us is that our DR club (Salford) are only running a 1st team next year...

It depends what you mean by fair I suppose. I doubt there's a team who doesn't want to see junior development- but with the financial situation in the game not all clubs can prioritise it.
I get your point about the lad from Wigan- but is it fair that the lad from Oldham doesn't progress because the resources he has aren't at the same standard. Would widdop have progressed as far as he has if he'd stayed at Halifax?