Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt will lend his expertise to coaches from around the country as part of the 2025 Youth Rugby Coaches Forum at St Joseph's Nudgee College on January 31.
Schmidt will speak at the Forum alongside scrum coach Mike Cron after the pair helped the Wallabies rebound in 2024, including two on the most recent Spring Tour.
Click here to register and find more about the Youth Rugby Coaches Forum
Schmidt and Cron will be joined by RA National HP Coach Development Manager Matthew Wilkie, with Stan Sport's Michael Atkinson to host.
The program will be held as part of a refined version of the initial three-year cycle launched in 2022.
It focuses on supporting and educating coaches whilst allowing them to share ideas with rugby directors, coordinators, and lead coaches from school and club programs in a collaborative forum.
"As educators and mentors within school and club settings, we recognise the importance of proactively engaging with a broader community to share insights and foster collaboration, transcending local boundaries to uphold best practices," Nudgee College Director of Rugby and Forum founder Sean Graham said in a statement
"The Youth Rugby Coaches Forum is dedicated to empowering coaches by offering a meaningful, inclusive, and collaborative platform for professional growth and networking."
Former Otago and Toyota Verblitz coach Ben Herring and "Get Down” podcast host Nathan Parnham will also speak alongside Graham, with further presenters to be confirmed.
Past coaches who have presented include former Wallabies boss Dave Rennie, league legend Wayne Bennett, current Reds coach Les Kiss and decorated Wallabies playmaker James O'Connor
Last year's program attracted nearly 300 coaches from schools and clubs nationwide, as well as international guests from New Zealand, the United States, England, and even Sweden.
The forum has also partnered with Tru3y Sports and Student Horizons to assist and support participants attending and getting involved with the program.
"As a brand we have always celebrated collaboration over competition. I couldn’t think of a better way to embrace that by partnering with Nudgee for the Youth Rugby Coaches Forum in 2025," Tru3y Sports' Paul Brown added.
