The role of the Waratahs Elite Player Development Unit is to identify and develop players with the talent to play for the NSW Waratahs and Australia and to prepare these players for life as a professional footballer.
Each year, a core group of players are selected to participate in the many programs run by the Development Unit.
It is the sole goal with the programs to produce highly-skilled Rugby athletes. However it is also the goal of the Development Unit to help each player improve themselves as people as well as preparing them for a life after football.
There are two key areas of the Elite Development Unit.
Personalised Player Development Programs
Developed by the Elite Unit, and managed in conjunction with the NSW premiership clubs, each player’s program is created to achieve the following:
- Enhance what makes the player special the (X-Factor).
- Increase their understanding what it means to be a professional Rugby player.
- Enhances their physical attributes.
- Develop their core Rugby skill-set.
- Increase their understanding and application of Rugby sports science.
- Increase their understanding and tactical appreciation of the game.
- Develop the ability to critically analyse their performance.
- Enhance their mental toughness so that they can consistently do the little things well under pressure.
- Annual Match Program
The annual match program provides players with a platform to experience sub-elite Rugby.
Exposure at this level provides the players with a highly-effective grounding platform before stepping up into the more elite level of Rugby – the HSBC Waratahs and the Super 14.
The programme incorporates matches for the following:
- NSW A
- Waratah Academy
- Development Tours