RA appoint women's High Performance Manager (thanks to World Rugby help), and commit to fulltime coach next year

Rugby Australia, under fire from its elite female players, has appointed a new Women’s High-Performance Manager in Jaime Fernandez.

Fernandez, 52, competed for Australia at three Olympics in rowing and won a silver medal at the Sydney 2000 Games.

He was recently the Deputy Performance Director at Rowing Australia.

A RA statement on Tuesday said the organisation had partnered with World Rugby’s Accelerate program to make the appointment happen.

“Fernandez will work across the Wallaroos, Super W and women’s pathways programs to develop high-performance environments and implement clear standards on the path to professionalism,” the statement read.

“Rugby Australia was the first union to partner with World Rugby on Accelerate, a new global framework for growth and targeted investment that will fast track the development of Women’s Rugby both on and off the field.

“As part of this investment under the Accelerate program, RA is committed to recruiting a full-time Wallaroos Head Coach for the 2024 season.”

(Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images for Rugby Australia)

RA CEO Phil Waugh said: “With WXV1 in New Zealand fast approaching in October this year, followed by the 2025 and 2029 Women’s Rugby World Cups in England and Australia, Rugby Australia is committed to high-performance investment in Women’s Rugby,” said Waugh.

“Jaime has a proven track record over more than a decade at Rowing Australia, and we look forward to drawing on his exceptional experience to further improve our national women’s programs.

“Community pathways are integral to the development of the next generation of female athletes, and I have every confidence that Jaime will advance Rugby Australia’s growth of the women’s game.”

Fernandez will start on September 11.

The news comes a few days after Australia’s Wallaroos called out RA for funding inequities between their program and the men’s. As well as having to travel economy class as opposed the Wallabies business class travel, the women were also critical that their coach Jay Tregonning, was only on a part time contract.