Players
About
WRFU continues to provide an important focus on the development pathway of our players. The links on this page provide detail and insight into the development programmes offered at different ages and levels.
Club Contacts for Playing
To find your local club please visit our Find Your Club page.
Under 16 Nominations
Nominations will be sent out to colleges seeking nominations for the Under 16 trials to be held within the three regions, Hutt Valley, Wellington City and Western Bays.
The trials are to select four squads to attend Williment Week which will be held during the school holidays from Monday 9 July through to Thursday 12 July.
Nominations will be sent out onto schools in May.
High Performance Schools Group
A group of players are identified in their final year(s) of college and are given specific strength and conditioning programmes and position-specific skill development to assist with their rugby.
The current High Performance Schools Group is:
Delano Morkel (St Pats Silverstream)
Alex Fidow (Scots)
Leni Apisai (Aotea)
Nelson Asofa-Solomoana (Wellington College)
Anthony Pettett (Newlands)
Lui Okeamoa-Luamanu (St Pats Silverstream)
Jack McCormack (St Pats Silverstream)
Luke Tau'alupe (Wellington College)
Peter Pili (Porirua)
Chase Tiatia (St Pats Silverstream)
T J Va'a (Scots)
Wes Goosen (Wellington College)
Malo Tuitama (Porirua)
Eli Vole (Scots)
Jared Adams (St Pats Silverstream)
Alex Noble-Campbell (St Pats Town)
Josh Robertson-Weepu (St Pats Silverstream)
For further detail contact the Wellington Rugby
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.
Rugby Academy
The Wellington Rugby Academy's focus is to prepare players for the next stage in their rugby careers (ITM Cup, Super Rugby and ultimately, All Blacks). The Wellington Academy programme follows the NZRU six pillar development model, which provides critical benchmarks for players. Each player will be responsible for their own individual performance plans. Nutrition, mental skills, personal and professional development, are fully integrated with on-field development, such as position-specific skill development, game understanding and tactical appreciation.
The programme includes
- An intensive training programme of supervised gym and speed work with performance testing by a Wellington Lions or Hurricanes fitness trainer.
- Coaching clinics run by Wellington Rugby coaching staff and players from the Wellington Lions (including Wellington-based Hurricanes players) to provide feedback on how to improve your playing skills and progress to a higher level in your specialist position.
- Mental skills sessions run by a specialist sport psychologist covering goal setting, pre-match preparation and coping strategies.
- Seminars incorporating a range of rugby and life skill topics including: sport physiology, principles of training, nutrition, sports medicine, communication, time management, leadership, positional coaching and NZRU coaching courses.
- Ongoing interviews with the High Performance Manager to review and measure personal development in all areas of the Academy programme, as well as educational and career advancement.
There is no fee to attend the Academy, however all players are required to undertake meaningful study or work during their time with the Wellington Rugby Academy. This is fully endorsed by the New Zealand Rugby Players Collective Employment Agreement. Scholarships are available to attend Victoria University other tertiary and vocational institutions in Wellington.
The Academy members for 2013 are:
Donald Brighouse (Marist St Pats)
Tuakana Metuarau (Oriental Rongotai)
Aviata Silago (Marist St Pats)
Ezekiel Sopoaga* (Old Boys University)
James O'Reilly* (Hutt Old Boys Marist)
Eti Sului* (Wellington)
Vincent Sakaria* (Marist St Pats)
Henry Stowers* (Wainuiomata)
John Tufele* (Hutt Old Boys Marist)
Jackson Garden-Bashop* (Northern United)
Falelima Senii* (Wainuiomata)
Tauasosi Tuimavave* (Poneke)
Joketani Koroi* (Tawa)
Andrew Wells* (Marist St Pats)
Luke Campbell (Old Boys University)
Eduan Struwig* (Petone)
Lotu Nuku* (Tawa)
*First year Academy members
Academy members are selected through a network of talent spotters during the course of the year.