Rugby Australia partners with World Rugby to appoint Women's High-Performance Manager

Rugby Australia, with the help of World Rugby, has appointed Jaime Fernandez as a women's High Performance Manager and commits to fulltime coach next year.

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. 

Fernandez will commence his new role as Rugby Australia's Women's High-Performance Manager on 11th September and 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".

Today’s appointment announcement from Rugby Australia comes after Australia’s Wallaroos  this week highlighted the inequities in Rugby Australia’s funding between the women’s and men’s program. 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.

A three-time Olympic Rower and Olympic Silver medallist at the Sydney 2000 Games, Fernandez brings a wealth of experience to the newly-created position.

Most recently the Deputy Performance Director at Rowing Australia, Fernandez has achieved global excellence in his development of pathway and Olympic athletes alike during his 11 years with the organisation.

A World Rowing Youth Commission board member, Fernandez is passionate about fostering the next generation of world-class athletes to deliver sustainable international success.

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.

On Fernandez’s appointment Rugby Australia Chief Executive Phil Waugh noted "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.

"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."

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.