Project Rugby is an initiative between Premiership Rugby and England Rugby to increase participation in rugby by people from traditionally under-represented groups, including ethnically diverse communities.
Cheick Kone, one of four young players joining Worcester Warriors Senior Academy at Sixways, is the first player in England to progress from Project Rugby to the Senior Academy of a Gallagher Premiership club.
Born and raised in the Ivory Coast, 18-year-old Cheick spent time in Bologna in Italy before his family re-located to Wolverhampton. Never having watched or played rugby, Cheick was spotted by Matt Jones, Warriors’ Academy Outreach Coach, who went into his school as part of the Project Rugby programme.
You can read his story below.