What is ERA actually like from the parent side?

In Episode 7, Bryony and Nash are joined by Boris Pomroy, Head of Youth at Barnes RFC and an ERA parent, to talk honestly about his family’s experience of Elite Rugby Academy.

Boris explains why he was sceptical at first, what changed his mind, and what he has seen over the last year through his daughter’s time in the West London girls academy.

This episode covers:

• Why Boris was initially wary of private academies
• What stood out when he first watched the coaching
• Why ambitious young players need spaces where their goals feel normal
• The changes Boris has seen on and off the pitch
• How parents can support without taking over
• Why honesty and kindness matter after tough performances
• How ERA and club rugby can work alongside each other
• Why standards, responsibility and life skills sit at the centre of player development

Bryony and Nash also talk about why ERA wants players to take more ownership, why parents need support too, and why sharing clear information around pathways matters so much.

An honest parent view on scepticism, ambition, responsibility and what young players can gain when they are surrounded by people who want to get better.

What role should social media, personality and content play in rugby now?

In Episode 6, Bryony and Nash are joined by Flo Williams: Wales international, former Saracens and Wasps player, and most recently the first ever Creative Director at a rugby club, at Saracens.

Flo gives a real insight into where rugby is heading, why the sport has been slower than others, and why young players need to understand the value of showing who they are, on and off the pitch.

This episode covers:

• Why rugby is finally starting to embrace bigger personalities

• How social media can help young players tell their own story

• Why authenticity matters more than trying to look famous

• The transferable skills players can build through content creation

• How followers, influence and visibility may affect future opportunities

• The problem with parent-run accounts that lose the player’s real voice

• How young players can start simply, safely and in a way that feels like them

• The risks of online comments, distraction and judging yourself by likes

Flo also gives practical advice for players who want to create content: start with who you are, pick something you can keep up, don’t chase perfection, and just get going.

An honest conversation about rugby’s changing media world, why authenticity is power, and how young players can build skills that matter far beyond the pitch.

Why does an academy built to give young players more coaching, more support and more opportunities create so much resistance?

In Episode 5, Bryony and Nash take aim at some of the politics surrounding independent player development—from outdated thinking within traditional structures to community clubs and coaches who appear more interested in protecting their territory than helping players access additional opportunities.

They address the criticism ERA receives for being commercial, challenge the idea that high-performance development should somehow be delivered for free, and explain exactly what player fees make possible: elite coaching, medical support, video analysis, premium facilities and professionally managed environments.

This episode covers:

• Why independent academies make parts of the rugby establishment uncomfortable
• The gatekeeping that can prevent players from accessing additional development
• Whether tradition is sometimes prioritised ahead of player progression
• Why ERA is unapologetically a commercial business
• What it genuinely costs to create a high-performance environment
• How independence allows ERA to innovate where traditional structures cannot—or will not
• The difference between protecting players and simply protecting your patch
• Why clubs, pathways and independent providers should be working together

ERA follows the required safeguarding, medical and RFU guidance—but it will not apologise for questioning outdated practices, challenging the status quo or doing things differently when players benefit.

An honest and occasionally uncomfortable conversation about money, politics, gatekeeping and who youth rugby development is really supposed to serve.