New pathway for Southland rugby players
“You don’t have to leave Southland to find a pathway to becoming a professional rugby player.”
That is the message Rugby Southland Academy Manager David Hall will promoting to the Southland public later this month.
In a Southland first, Rugby Southland Academy and SIT Zero Fees Southland Stags coaching staff will combine to put the regions best up and coming secondary school rugby talents to the test.
On November 30th, 42 of the regions best 16 and 17 year old’s will converge on ILT Stadium Southland for a the first of two ‘Muster Day’s .
The aim is to put the athletes through their paces and introduce them to what it takes to be a professional in rugby. This will include an introduce to our pathway and where the athletes sit.
There will be mental skills and nutrition in the classroom followed by the testing of strength, fitness and speed. Then out on to the field to do both technical and tactical development skills.
All parents will be invited to sit in on the classroom sessions covering nutrition, mental skills and the introduction to our pathway.
All athletes will be sent away over the holiday break with a clear expectations of what the Academy and Southland Stags coaches would like to see progress in.
The group, along with additional players will re assemble in late February/Early March 2020 for further development and testing. Rugby Southland Academy Manager David Hall knows this will become a very important part of our pathway over the coming years.
We will be able to see which athletes have put in the effort and work required over that 2-3 month period.
From there we will select players for our Pre Academy program in March, who will train and earn the right to be selected for the Highlander U18 camp.
From this camp players will be nominated for NZ Schools.
The next steps after this will be into the Year 1 Academy- This will have a focus on the U19 program; Year 2 Academy- Player is 18-24 months away from M10; Year 3 Academy- Player is 6-12 months away from M10.
Our best performers at the Highlanders U18 camp will be invited in to train with the M10 squad during the M10 campaign.
It is the goal of Rugby Southland to create a clear understanding for our rugby community around the pathway to professional rugby, and with further Highlanders development programs being discussed by the union, it certainly is an exciting time for rugby in the deep south!
SCHOOLS
Levi Gage
SBHS
Mitchell Tinnock
James Hargest
Ben McMaster
CSC
Hayden Michaels
Gore
Josh Murell
SBHS
Ian De Reuck
SBHS
Cameron MIllar
Gore
Micaiah Johnston Brown
SBHS
Callum Nimmo
SBHS
Clayton Payne
SBHS
Josh George
Verdon
Jayden Robin
SBHS
Kiahn Johnson
SBHS
Liam Mcintosh
SBHS
Jack Taylor
SBHS
McKenzie Hunter
CSC
Jackson Bevin
Riverton
Garoth Van Der Straaten
Menzies
Zyon Taylor
SBHS
Aaron Withy
SBHS
Josh Evans
SBHS
Jemiour Collins
Verdon
Will Stodart
SBHS
Jack Churstain
SBHS
Alex Keen
CSC
Grayson Elder
Riverton
Kaea Nikora Ballock
SBHS
Nick Munro
CSC
Caleb Williams
SBHS
Sam Cavanagh
SBHS
Jahn Stoddart
CSC
Aidan Harrington
Verdon
Ngarrimu Paraki
SBHS
Jacob Mika
James Hargest
Te Hura Wilson
CSC
Taylor Peterson
St Peters
Riley Smith
SBHS
Carlos Tawhai
SBHS
Hunter Fahey
Verdon
Jacob Mcintye
James Hargest
Bailey Diack
Verdon
Jordan Goodall
Verdon
