BEN VELLACOTT’S exciting season will continue into the summer when he plays for Scotland in the IRB Junior World Championship.
The former Barnstaple scrum half, from Mortehoe, has been named in a squad of 28 for the tournament in New Zealand, which starts on June 2.
When he returns, he will begin the next stage in his career when he takes up a professional contract with Gloucester.
Vellacott helped Hartpury College win the National League Two South title and the British Universities and Colleges Sport championship, beating Leeds Met in the final at Twickenham on his 19th birthday. He also featured in all Scotland’s games in the RBS Under-20 Six Nations.
“It’s been a pretty good season,” he said. “We didn’t do as well as we planned (in the Six Nations) but we have come on well since then and the boys are looking good in camp.
“We have got a pretty tough group (New Zealand, Samoa and South Africa) but we’re looking forward to playing, especially against the host country. We will do our best.”
Vellacott was heading to Edinburgh last summer after leaving the Exeter Chiefs academy at Ivybridge Community College.
A late change of heart saw him switch to Worcester Warriors and begin a sports coaching degree at Hartpury. He will continue those studies and play for the college in National League One next season while training alongside the Gloucester first-team squad.
Vellacott cannot wait to pick the brains of Scotland half back Greig Laidlaw, who is moving to the Aviva Premiership club from Edinburgh.
“I worked with him in Scotland during the Six Nations,” he said. “He really helped me progress my game. I’m looking forward to being exposed to that professional environment with Gloucester every day.”
Vellacott is following in the footsteps of Exeter scrum half Dave Lewis, who was raised in Barnstaple and came through the Barum youth ranks.
He also went to Ivybridge College before joining Gloucester while studying at Hartpury.
Lewis played for England at the Junior World Championship in Japan in 2009, scoring a try in defeat to New Zealand in the final.
Vellacott was a regular in the No 9 shirt for Barnstaple in 2012-13 and thanked coaches Martin Hume and Kevin Squire for helping his development at Pottington Road.
The Scotland under-20 team will play warm-up matches against Ireland and Wales before leaving for New Zealand on May 24.
Article source: http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sport/rugby/ulster-rugby/ulster-rugby-prepare-for-a-tough-test-against-gwent-dragons-30049323.html
Gloucester rugby contract awaits Ben Vellacott after Scotland world cup trip
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