Scottish Rugby Applying Pressure to Player Pathway to Unearth Future Gems

Rugby Head of Performance Pathways Al Kellock.

Scottish Rugby has adopted a new approach to male pathway player development which aims to accelerate the best talent into the professional game and into the senior Scotland squad.

The goal is to create pressure in the system by fast tracking player development and creating greater competition for places. Its success is predicated on a greater alignment of Community Rugby and the National Talent Pathway (NTP). 

The architect of the new pathway programme, Scottish Rugby’s Performance Director David Nucifora, said: “The focus is on trying to expedite the speed at which we develop our players, to make sure that they are coming through at the appropriate rate, that they’re putting pressure on the existing contracted players within the professional teams.” 

Scottish Rugby is focusing increased resources on a smaller number of players to deliver wrap-around services such as coaching, athletic performance and nutrition support in the player’s Club or School and not in satellite High Performance centres. 59 players have been identified to participate in the National Talent Pathway programme this season. 

The man responsible for implementation of the NTP is former Scotland international Al Kellock, who was recently appointed as Scottish Rugby’s Head of Performance Pathways.  

Kellock explains the opportunity Scottish Rugby has to maximise its playing pool: “We must turn our size into an advantage and become the most aligned Union in World Rugby.  In a major shift in our approach to player development, we will be supporting identified pathway players in their own environments, their schools, their clubs and Universities.” 

Expertise is an area that Scottish Rugby’s High Performance team have been investing in over the past few months in order to drive best practice and innovation in the pathway programme.  

“We have invested in a multi-disciplinary team of experts who are turning Oriam in Edinburgh into a Centre of Excellence. Their insight, experience and thought leadership will inform our player development programme. We are also investing in High Performance coaches to provide the wrap-around services that will accelerate pathway player development while also positively impacting on the playing environments in Clubs and Schools,” said Kellock. 

Kellock firmly believes that this new approach will deliver for Scottish Rugby as there will be greater accountability and improved communication within the pathway. 

“There will be clarity and definition of roles within the pathway to maximise the impact on player development. We will increase and improve communications across the pathway ensuring we stay connected and keep player development at the heart of everything we do,” said Kellock. 

While focusing increased levels of resourcing around a smaller number of players, Kellock is adamant that the National Talent Pathway cannot be a closed loop and there needs to be healthy pressure in the system where players drop out or enter the pathway depending on their progression. 

“We will remain agile and open minded to late developing talent and facilitate entry and exit points into the pathway to ensure the very best talent in being supported,” Kellock affirmed. 

The final element of the new strategy is to increase playing opportunities within High Performance environments which will again accelerate player development. This has already commenced with Oriam now housing the Scotland & GB7s programme. Emerging Scotland played against Tonga in November and further representative fixtures are in the pipeline to challenge and develop pathway players.