JAMIE Shillcock has become the latest Warriors player to commit his future to the club by signing a one-year contract extension.
The 23-year-old fly-half made his Warriors debut as a replacement scrum-half in the 2015 Championship play-off final first leg against Bristol Bears at the age of just 17 while he was still at Warwick School.
Jonathan Thomas, now Warriors’ Head Coach, played alongside Shillcock that night at Ashton Gate and is delighted to have retained his services
“I am delighted that Shilly has extended his contract with us. I played with him back in the day and saw what a talent he was coming through,” Thomas said.
“Good players are versatile and Shilly has done a good job for the club because of his versatility.
“But sometimes versatility can work against you. The big thing for Shilly now is that he has had an opportunity in the ten position, it’s the position he wants to play, he has done well for us in the last few games and he is growing.
“Although Shilly may not be young in age terms, he still is in terms of experience. He is someone we think has the ability to come through and he now has the opportunity to fulfil his potential.”
Shillcock has now made 65 appearances for Warriors, the latest against Gloucester Rugby at Kingsholm on Saturday when he was one of four Warwick School products in the matchday squad along with Nick David, Tom Dodd and debutant Fin Smith.
“I am really happy to be staying. Results haven’t been going our way but the way we are moving forward as a group is very positive,” Shillcock said.
“If we keep learning from the coaches and staff we have here I think results will turn and we will be able to push on as a team and as a group.
“With Duncan Weir re-joining Glasgow Warriors and myself Billy Searle and Fin coming through as a group of young fly-halves there is an opportunity for me to push for that starting spot at number ten.
“That’s something I am really excited about and I’m also looking forward to pushing others around me – the three tens and everyone else – to drive standards.”
Shillcock is another product of the Three Pears Academy and Warriors Director of Rugby Alan Solomons is also pleased to have secured the services of a homegrown talent.
“I am really pleased that Shilly, yet another young homegrown talent, is staying put,” Solomons said.
“Shilly is a gifted athlete and a talented rugby player. It is great to see him getting game time at the moment in his favoured position of fly-half and I am positive that, going forward, he will kick on in his career.
“He absolutely loves Warriors and we all look forward to continuing working with him as we seek to take the club forward.”