ERA vs Jamaica UK U16 & U17 — Four Matches at Grasshoppers RFC This Saturday

This Saturday, 25th April 2026, Elite Rugby Academy host Jamaica UK U16 and U17 Boys and Girls in four matches at Grasshoppers RFC. Kick-off is 3.40pm. It is a fixture that carries genuine significance — for ERA players, for the Jamaica UK programme, and for the development of rugby across both organisations.

Four Matches. Two Programmes. One Afternoon.

The afternoon features four separate matches — U16 Boys, U17 Boys, U16 Girls, and U17 Girls — giving ERA players across both age groups and genders the opportunity to compete against a Jamaica UK side that has been building steadily under Nash Cohen's leadership as Head of Elite Youth Development for Jamaica Rugby.

For ERA players, this is exactly the kind of fixture the programme is designed to produce. Development rugby at ERA is not about winning leagues or collecting trophies — it is about preparing players for the highest levels of the game. Facing an international youth programme in a competitive fixture environment is a direct expression of that philosophy.

"This fixture means a lot to me personally. I run ERA and I lead the Jamaica UK youth programme — and on Saturday those two worlds come together. Both groups of players deserve to be tested at this level. I want to see how they respond to each other. That's what development rugby should look like."

— Nash Cohen, Founder & Director of Rugby, ERA / Head of Elite Youth Development, Jamaica Rugby

The Connection Between ERA and Jamaica Rugby

Nash Cohen's dual role — as ERA's founder and as Head of Elite Youth Development for Jamaica Rugby — makes this fixture more than a standard development match. Several ERA players have Jamaican heritage, and the Jamaica UK programme draws from a similar pool of talented young players across London and the South East. Saturday's fixture is a natural meeting point between two pathways that share the same values: high standards, real competition, and a belief that the talent exists — it just needs the right environment.

"Saturday is a brilliant opportunity for our players to show what they can do against a well-organised, motivated opposition. These are the kinds of matches that accelerate development — you learn more about yourself in a competitive fixture like this than in months of training."

— Bryony Cleall, Elite Rugby Academy Coach

Come Down to Grasshoppers RFC

Grasshoppers RFC is a well-established North London club with excellent facilities. The venue is accessible by public transport and has parking on site. With four matches running across the afternoon, there will be rugby from kick-off to the final whistle. Parents, players, coaches, and anyone who wants to see what ERA and Jamaica UK are building — come down.

• —Date: Saturday 25th April 2026
• —Venue: Grasshoppers RFC, Macfarlane Lane, Osterley, Middlesex, TW7 4AF
• —Kick-off: 3.40pm
• —Matches: U16 Boys, U17 Boys, U16 Girls, U17 Girls
• —Admission: Free