The Western Force is pleased to announce that experienced trio Greg Holmes, Jeremy Thrush and Richard Kahui will be taking on coaching responsibilities within the club and Western Australian state rugby.
Over the next 18 months, the veterans, who have over 50 international Test caps and over 350 Super Rugby appearances between them, will share their knowledge with the squad and upcoming homegrown stars of local rugby.
Having performed at the highest level for over a decade, all three players will also be working alongside Force Fortescue Academy coach Dylan Parsons to pass on their expertise to the Academy players.
Head of rugby Matt Hodgson said the initiative is aimed at keeping world-class rugby experience and knowlegde within WA.
“A key objective for us as an organisation is to grow our own coaches, much like we grow our own players within our academy program,” Hodgson explained.
“Greg, Jeremy, and Richard have showcased their ability on the world stage for an extended period and enjoyed illustrious careers, but they’ve also shown great coaching and leadership potentials that hold them in good stead to eventually become part of the Western Force coaching staff.
“Over the next year and half, we want them to illustrate that there is a clear pathway for players to become Force coaches by contributing to individual and team performance.”
Parsons believes this will benefit everyone involved.
“To have players of their calibre involved in the U19s state team is massive for the players looking to make the next step to professional rugby,” Parsons noted.
“They hold invaluable knowledge in specialty areas and who better to learn from than those who have excelled on the Super Rugby and international Test stage.
“The Academy players are really excited and can’t wait to learn as much as they possibly can from them.”
RugbyWA Performance Pathways Manager Brenden Loag echoed Parson’s sentiment.
“Not only will the next two months be a fantastic opportunity for our pathway players to be exposed to the knowledge of these elite athletes, it will also be great for the three Force players to experience the challenge in progressing the ongoing development of a training group,” Loag said.
You can catch the esteemed trio alongside Matt Hodgson on a panel for an in-depth Q&A at the Bledisloe Long Lunch at Optus Stadium. Don’t miss out, secure your ticket here.
