Cinderford are to dual register four new Gloucester Academy players ahead of the 2017-18 season.

The deal has been reached between new Gloucester Academy manager Richard Whiffin and Paul Morris, Cinderford director of rugby.

It follows on from last season’s successful dual registration between the two clubs which provided invaluable game time for hookers Henry Walker and Joe Mullis and props Ciaran Knight and Alex Seville.

The four new players to play for Cinderford this season are centre/wing Ed Bogue, fly-half Carwyn Penny, second row Callum Allen and flanker Aaron Hinkley.

All four players are 18 and are local lads apart from Penny, who is from Newport in Wales.

Bogue and Penny both played for Gloucester in the A League during last season and both featured in Gloucester’s final defeat to Northampton in May this year with Penny scoring a try.

Bogue was educated at Dean Close School whose director of Rugby is Andrew Stanley who acts as Cinderford’s coaching consultant.

Allen was educated at Chosen Hill School, Churchdown, and trained several times with Cinderford last season and played in a game for Cinderford United against London Scottish Highlanders which resulted in a 49-0 win for the Foresters.

Hinkley was educated at St Peter’s School, Gloucester. He won four England Under-18 caps last season after featuring against Scotland and then three times in the Easter International Series in Wales.

Hinkley will also tour South Africa with England Under-18s in the middle of August.

Morris said: “I’m delighted to renew a dual registration relationship with Gloucester Academy for this season.

“Richard Whiffin has been excellent to deal with as was Neil McCarthy before him.

“The relationship worked well for both parties last season and with the quality of the four players coming to us this season I see no reason why it won’t be successful again.

“They will add quality and depth to our existing squad. They are already training with the full Gloucester squad so when they start with us on July 20th will be more than ready to go.

“They are really well coached at their club by the likes of Richard and Kevin Mannion and their ability is obvious.

“The vast majority of Cinderford players and supporters are Gloucester Rugby supporters so to have a contingent of their players at our club is always exciting.”

The four Gloucester Academy players who were dual registered with Cinderford last season all went on to represent England Under-20s during the Six Nations Championship – winning the Grand Slam – and represented England Under-20s in the IRB World Championship in Georgia with all four featuring in the final against New Zealand.

Cinderford were also well served last season by dual registered wing Harry Robinson and hooker Will Haly from Gloucester.