PROP Arthur Cordwell is one of seven Canford School prospects who have been selected to join Bath's academy player programmes.

Cordwell will be involved in senior academy training with the Aviva Premiership giants alongside his studies at Bath University.

Chris McIntosh, Rob Tolcher, Luke Mehson and Will Butt will all continue in the six-time English champions' under-18 academy, with Mehson and Butt also being named England academy players.

Canford has a strong tie-in with Bath, acting as one of the club's satellite training centres. Director of rugby Peter Short, a former England Saxons player, spent six years with the West Country outfit before leaving for Exeter Chiefs in 2011.

Other Canfordians set to link up with Bath are under-16 duo Thomas Sykes and Alex Rogers, who have been invited to continue along the club's player development group pathway.

Sykes and Rogers represented Bath at last month's Harrow School Rugby Festival.

Short said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for the players selected and I am extremely proud of their achievements, hard work and commitment this year.

"It is great to see that their success has been so well recognised by Bath's prestigious academy.”

In a further boon for Canford rugby, Thomas Sykes, Joe Nalbantoglu and Alex Rogers all represented Bath at Cleve RFC's under-15 festival.