SA Rugby recently hosted a groundbreaking World Rugby Educator course for its Strength and Conditioning (S&C) workforce in Cape Town, where nine participants from five provincial unions engaged in a comprehensive programme designed to equip them with globally recognised methodologies.
Held from 15 to 18 September, the intensive four-day programme represented a major step in standardising and diversifying the training methodologies across South Africa’s provincial unions.
The nine participants – A’isha Khan (WP), Seipati Rasenyalo (WP), Carel Bester (Cheetahs), Neil Murphy (Cheetahs), Laurence Christie (Golden Lions), Sihle Ndlovu (Golden Lions), Derek Archer (Golden Lions), Owethu Sityata (Bulls), and Michaela Diaz (Sharks) – will be certified to train and develop S&C coaches at both junior and senior levels within their respective communities and provinces.
The course was facilitated by an experienced team, including World Rugby Master Trainers Hilton Adonis (SA Rugby Senior Manager for Training and Education) and Neville Heilbron, as well as World Rugby Trainers Selvyn Colby and David Dobela; and World Rugby Educator Bongani Qumbu.
“The main goal of strength and conditioning is to improve an athlete’s physical performance in sport and reduce the risk of injury by making them stronger and more resilient,” said Adonis.
“It’s much more structured and scientific than a regular workout, as it’s specifically planned to meet the unique physical demands of a particular sport.
“This course represents a significant advancement in SA Rugby’s commitment to broadening and diversifying its educator base, in line with the objectives of the Destination 2027 Strategic Plan.”
He added: “This directly supports our goals to broaden the educator base across all 15 provincial unions, standardise training methodologies in line with global best practice, and create aspirational pathways for the training and education workforce from grassroots to elite levels.
“By investing in educator development, SA Rugby is laying the foundation for a more inclusive, sustainable, and high-performing rugby environment, which assists us in our departmental credo of #GrowTogetherPlayTogether.”
According to Adonis, the successful hosting of this World Rugby Educator Course underscores SA Rugby’s dedication to developing a professional and modern S&C workforce, ensuring that all players, from grassroots to the professional ranks, benefit from world-class coaching.
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