Arthur heads Future Force program

[pieter blackie]

All sounds good & positive - This attachment is taken from the RWA webpage of our National Gold Squad participants. It hasn't been updated for a couple of years now, however does anyone know what these kids are currently doing, are they still in the game, are they candidates for this new program?

Jean Charl Smith is a good friend of my kids He is currently in year 12 He got a School and a Reds academy Scholarship in the beginning of 2013 and played for the Reds A against the Rebels A last night. Note he is only year 12

Jacob Kohinga is playing for kalamaunda Bulldogs League and aparently are very good at it But I don't have any conformation of this

[TOCC]

Jean Charl Smith is a good friend of my kids He is currently in year 12 He got a School and a Reds academy Scholarship in the beginning of 2013 and played for the Reds A against the Rebels A last night. Note he is only year 12

Are you sure that he played against the Rebels A?

[NTT]

Jacob Kohinga is heading to NZ to play and study at Hamilton Boys High. One of the best rugby schools in NZ

[Emu]

Why wouldn't you take the scholarship in Qld. If the kid returns it would be considered the biggest heist since Sharpie and the Force start up. Qld v QLD A.

Regards

[numberate]

Jacob Kohinga is heading to NZ to play and study at Hamilton Boys High. One of the best rugby schools in NZ

He should have gone to Hale school. I am sure he could have developed his rugby skills there ( I think not!) They believe themselves to be an elite rugby school but strangely, refuse to take on any team that they can't guarantee putting at least 80 to 90 points on! I would put money on them getting hammered by ANY High School anywhere in NZ.

[westies man]

Jayden Ngamanu is off to the Reds

[GAFFA]

Jayden Ngamanu is off to the Reds

are you kidding? He has got to be the best junior in WA if RWA let him slip then they should all be fired.

[westies man]

Apparently it's the truth

[GAFFA]

Hey Pieter you got him over at the roodogs now he is off?

[shasta]

I don't know a whole lot about NZ schools programs, but would it not be much harder to get into those programs and representative teams? The competition must be fierce. Good luck to any who try to make it, though. I have a good mate whose, young bloke was going great guns here until the age of 14. He was very talented and was also kicking stacks of goals in junior AFL. They took him back there and now at 21, does not even play sport anymore. I was very confidant he would make it if they had stayed here. He had the mongrel in the eyes on the footy field and ability to match. Maybe better to be the big fish in the small pond?

[chibi]

Former cricket coach Mickey Arthur says the Western Force's new junior academy has the potential to become the best in the world.
Source AAP 17 SEP 2014


Former Australian cricket coach Mickey Arthur wants at least 30 per cent of players inducted into the Western Force's new junior academy to go on to play Super Rugby.

And talented athletes from rival sports will also be targeted as the Perth-based franchise attempts to build the best development program in the world.

The newly-launched 'Future Force' program welcomed its first batch of youngsters on Wednesday, with Namibian-born Richard Hardwick, flanker Kane Koteka and hooker Harry Scoble the guinea pigs.

The full-time program will be headed by Arthur, who achieved success as coach of South Africa's national cricket side, before spending two years as coach of Australia.

Arthur will fulfil a mentoring and organising role, with the Force to cast their net far and wide in a bid to attract the best young talent between the ages of 17-22.

At an estimated cost of between $20,000-$30,000 per player per year, the program doesn't come cheap.

But Arthur is confident it will pay handsome dividends.

"We're very ambitious about this program. We want it to be the best in the world," Arthur said.

"We've set ourselves a 30 per cent strike rate ... of players going on to make an impact for the Force.

"We've got our recruiting net in South Africa. We've also set up a recruiting network in New Zealand. And there are a lot of young Tongan boys we are having a look at.

"We want people clamouring to get into our program. This is the future of Western Australia rugby."

The program will fast-track the development of promising youngsters by giving them fulltime access to a professional rugby environment, including coaches, nutritionists and medical staff.

Players will also receive planning and support for their educational and vocational aspirations.

Expert coaching will be provided by RugbyWA Junior Elite Coach Dwayne Nestor, who says the program will also target players from rival sports.

"It's certainly not a closed book," Nestor said.

"Obviously players who have had a rugby tradition will find it easier to transition into the program and play rugby.

"But there's nothing to say that an Aussie Rules player couldn't come across and perform really well.

"They are running machines. If you can get one that has height and a bit of weight, it makes for a perfect lock.

"And basketballers are fantastic as well, but it could be any sport.

"We would like to think that this program, being world class, would produce the type of player that could excel within two years."

Although only three players have been inducted into the program to date, Arthur hopes that number will swell to between 10-15 once the Force secures more funding.

[Alison]

I am loving how RWA is working so hard to develop the game in WA totally off its own bat and with no reference to the east coast power brokers!

[jargan83]

Let's hope Micky doesn't piss them off with excessive homework

[andrewg]

The first 3 young players selected are impressive individuals with a lot of potential. However, if the ongoing selection includes any "precious" rugby players that are already 'legends in their own lunchbox' then they'll probably need the home work just like the cricketers.

Micky Arthur is an impressive sports professional.

I hope this is not just another flash in the pan but an ongoing program that develops already talented players into committed and disciplined rugby professionals.

[Hansie]

I think you will be pleased with the work that has gone into this program. Mickey is a consummate professional, dedicated to mentoring young people and helping them reach mutually acceptable outcomes. If the community in WA has these same ideals and keep supporting this program, it will not be a flash in the pan. A lot of it is up to us. I think the culture generated by the senior team, management and staff will be the benchmark these young guns can learn about and THAT, my friends, is the foundation for long term success.