Academy's link with first team

Academy manager Diccon Edwards left the club at the end of the last campaign and performance director Steve Nance returned home to Australia.

However, Leeds director of rugby Andy Key believes they have left a solid foundation which will reap rich dividends.

"For any organisation it is always a challenging time when you lose senior management but I believe we are in a stronger position now," said Key.

"Diccon Edwards, and Stuart Lancaster before him, have done a fantastic job with the club's academy, which is the envy of most clubs in the game.

"Mark Luffman worked with both Stuart and Diccon and now heads up our Academy plus we've brought Mike Aspinall and Alex Moreno to work under him and with the first-team squad."

Key continued: "The aim of this is to link more closely the Academy and first team which will hopefully bring rewards.

"Steve Nance is still working with us on a consultancy basis and we have kept many of the same programmes in place.

"We have a great team now with Keith Barker, James Parkes and Amy Brightmore plus we are developing our link with Leeds Met even more.

"The investment in the club is helping us grow both on and off the field."

Back-row Ollie Stedman has been selected for the England Under-20s' Elite Squad.