Quote: Phuzzy "I keep hearing talk of this "Golden Generation". Given that so many careers falter between Academy and first team, what makes everyone so sure these youngsters are going to make the grade? More specifically that they're going to make the grade at the level Saints would be looking for.
I think back to the number of players tipped for big things at Wigan and I'd estimate that no more than 1 in 4 (and probably much less than that) actually go on to have long Wigan careers. Even the ones that make it (like George Williams for example) go on to have careers away from the club.'"
Its a valid point that you make and there are certainly no guarantees. Will Roberts for example (scrum half) was looking really good and then did his cruciate ligament on loan at Swinton at 17 years of age. He has only just come back from that injury so it remains to be seen what impact it has had on him.
I can only speak from what I have seen watching a fair bit of them but its more that Mike Rush when interviewed said that he feels 4 or 5 of them won't just have solid SL careers but he described them as "game changers" so when your CEO and someone who to be fair has had a great pedigree in the youth side of rugby says that then it gives you extra confidence.
