(Aviva Premiership Announcement) - The Aviva Premiership has launched an initiative linked to the upcoming USA-based league game to being 30 US players and coaches to England to train.

In a new initiative linked to the September 16 game between Newcastle Falcons and Saracens in Chester, PA, 20 young US players (ten young women and ten young men) will receive a Premiership Rugby Scholarship, and ten US coaches will also be invited to England to learn more about the game.

The initiative is made possible due to a partnership between Premiership Rugby, NBC Sports, Friends of the British Council (FOBC), AEG Rugby, and USA Rugby.

The majority of players and coaches will be selected from a series of rugby clinics staged across the east coast of the USA in the run-up to Newcastle Falcons v Saracens at Talen Energy Stadium. But players who can't attend those clinics can still apply though premiershiprugbyusa.com

The successful applicants will be invited to England for a week-long, all-expenses paid trip during which they will visit Premiership Rugby academies.

“First and foremost this is world class rugby, with British & Irish Lions, multiple Internationals, and most notably, our Eagles playing for both teams," said USA Rugby CEO Dan Payne about the Newcastle v Saracens game. "Equally the community and grassroots program that will accompany this match through the multi-year partnership will bring quality experiences and long term development to many of our markets.”

“Premiership Rugby and AEG Rugby share the ambition to grow rugby in America and we believe this will happen not only through the match between Newcastle Falcons and Saracens but with this game-changing grassroots community program that has the potential to change people’s lives," added Dan Lyle, the former USA and Bath star who heads up AEG's Rugby Division. 

The British Council has been a key partner in the establishment of the scholarships. Erin Sullivan, Executive Director of the Friends of the British Council said: “Rugby is a dynamic game born in England but made for America in so many ways. Our goal is to broaden the appeal and values of the game of rugby.
“The combination of Premiership Rugby’s quality and expertise, USA Rugby’s nationwide base of dedicated volunteers, fans, players and practitioners, NBC Sports’ platforms and reach and AEG’s creativity and vision we have a wonderful collaborative partnership developing.

“This international experience will empower the chosen players and coaches to return to the US with a growth mindset ‎of sharing what they learned with their peers and communities. They will join the global community of rugby ambassadors.”