Getting with the program

The program has been reintroduced for 2015 and reworked slightly.

With the ARU’S Junior Gold Program providing a development pathway for the 15-17 year olds, the academy has changed its program to an U14s program.

The trials drew a good roll-up.

“We had about mid-30 trialists, which was good,” program head coach Gus Comi said.

They came from right across the region – Scone, Inverell, Moree and various points in between.

Comi will be assisted by Bernie Williams with new NIAS executive officer Jason Lincoln acting as manager.

James Perrett has also come on board as the development coach.

Comi and Williams have both been involved with the NIAS rugby program before.

Comi has also been an assistant coach with the netball program.

Most recently they coached the 15s Junior Gold side, and Comi believes the NIAS program will feed in well to that.

“This as an U14s I think dovetails beautifully into junior gold,” Comi said.

“You get these kids and then hopefully you’ve got a core group to move into the 15s.”

In recent years the NIAS program was aligned with the Junior Gold program.

As such the components of the program were already set out.

Not being under that umbrella will mean they can set their own framework and tailor the program to the kids’ abilities and needs.

And they can still tap into the ARU and Waratahs expertise and support.

Comi said it was a pretty full-on two hour session.

“We did some ball skills and some defensive drills,” he said.

They then played a few modified games and finished off with a couple of half games.

The schedule is still to be finalised but will include a trip to Sydney where they will train with the Waratahs coaching staff.