Premiership Rugby
BRAZILIAN
ADVENTURE
MOVES INTO
SECOND
PHASE
Ireland international
Juliet Short admits
she canbarely contain
her excitement after
being selected to join
the coaching team for
PremiershipRugby’s
award-winning TryRugby
Brazil project.
Short landed in São José dos Campos in Sao Paulo state in January to
start an 11-month placement, spreading the core values of rugby –
teamwork, respect, enjoyment, discipline and sportsmanship.
Ahead of the introduction of Rugby 7s at the 2016 RioOlympics,
Premiership Rugby, in partnershipwith the BritishCouncil and SESI, are
expanding the scheme, with over 14,000 young people aged six to 17
already receiving rugby coaching eachweek.
The community project uses rugby to encourage young Brazilians
to live amore active andhealthy lifestyle and Short was determined to
apply as soon as she heard about the programme’s aims.
Andwith the 25-year-old able to draw on her experience of being
in international training squads and representing the Irish Exiles, she is
confident she can be a rolemodel for all the participants.
“Words cannot express how excited I am to be selected for such an
innovative rugby programme. To export the game to SouthAmerica and
to be involved is an unbelievable opportunity,” she said.
“I was talking to a friend on an RFU development course and she toldme
shewished she could go to Brazil and as soon as she toldmewhat it was,
I had to apply.
“It has achieved somuch already, we’ve got togo even further so
we are really targeting hard to reach at-risk children this time.
“I’m absolutely hoping to usemy experience to benefit the initiative and it’s
great that 40 per cent of interest is from the girls, especiallywith howwell the
Brazil women’s 7s team are doing.
“I’m suremy experiencewill have an impact as I’ll be able to offer them
advice on howmuchdedication is needed tomake it in this sport. I’m hoping to
be a rolemodel.”
TheDarlingtonMowden Park Sharks player has been granted leave from her
club for the year and insists theyweremore than happy to allow her
to pursue such a unique opportunity.
With the profile of thewomen’s game rising and theOlympics on
the horizon, Short believes this is a vital time to keep spreading the awareness
of the sport.
“We’re hoping to establish local young rugby teams to cement the legacy,”
she added.
“It’s another reason I’m really excited – this is a relatively new sport so
anyone can get involved and have a gowith theOlympics just around the corner.
“I’m also hoping they’ll helpme out withmy Portuguese as I’m currently
using asmany apps as I can to learn a bit before I go out there!”
Premiership Rugby’s Brazil projectmanager ScottWatson is confident
Short’s participationwill help the scheme and the excitement around the project
continue to grow.
“Juliet’s involvement provides another brilliant rolemodel for the
participants, we’ve provided some fantastic rolemodels in the past andwe
wanted to keep that going” he said.
“Wewant to spread the success tomore areas and regions because of the
positive impact the programme is having already.
“We are focusing on the base of the pyramid of young people getting
involved and if one or two go onto an elite level, then that’s an added bonus.”
Short is joined by a group of coaches, some of them community coaches
at Premiership Rugby clubs. The aim is to leave a lasting legacy through the
volunteer network saysWayneMorris, PremiershipRugby Community and
Corporate Social Responsibility Director.
“We’ve got theWorldCup here in England next year andwe need
to use that opportunity to grow the game in asmany countries as possible,”
he said.
“These partnerships allow us to showcasewhat a great sport rugby is, and
also to help the young people involved aswe are providing health, education and
social outcomes as part of the programme.
“The uptake so far has been phenomenal – the project has supported the
doubling of the playing base in Brazil since its launch.
“We’re teaching people how to referee and coach tag rugby so it’s
sustainable aswe reallywant tomake Rugby Union awidely-played sport there
in the long-term.
“We alsowant to impart the ethos of rugby union in Brazil; utilizing the core
values of the game to support a young person’s life skills, that’s one of the best
things about the sport.
“This is such a great opportunity for coaches to develop their skills, they get
the chance to be at the forefront of the sport over there, implementing rugby
into new environments and inspiring newplayers to take up the game.”
Wordscannotexpresshowexcited I amtobeselected
forsuchan innovativerugbyprogramme. Toexport
thegametoSouthAmericaandtobe involved isan
unbelievableopportunity
22
23
RPA
.co.uk
RPA
.co.uk
