Following on from Ulster Rugby’s update on its Player Pathway earlier today, Queen’s University and Ulster Rugby can announce a new collaboration aimed at creating training and playing environments that allow talented players to be stretched and challenged with like-minded peers.
The Belfast seat of learning already supports players who are involved with Ulster squads at all levels, with this new agreement facilitating further co-operation on player development, academic progress, performance services, coaching, and planning across a range of other areas.
As part of the partnership, high-performing young players will be grouped together in a structured environment, which is more aligned to the professional game, and Head Coach of QUB, Derek Suffern, will work alongside Academy and Pathway staff throughout the season.
We are delighted to enter into a formal partnership with Ulster Rugby to support the player development pathway at Queen’s University. We have a proud history of supporting players towards the very top of their sport and are pleased to be in a position to help build structures with Ulster Rugby that can create an exciting future.
Ulster Rugby is an iconic sporting brand and working together will add value to the student experience at Queen’s, including academic and sporting opportunities. This is the latest in a number of national governing body partnerships we have entered into across a range of sports to enrich the sporting landscape at Queen’s University.
Our new partnership with Queen’s University is one of the key recent developments in our provincial Player Pathway programme, which aims to foster the next generation of Ulster players by identifying where an individual is best placed within the different playing opportunities to maximise on their potential.
The targeted allocation of Academy and Pathway players to Queen’s throughout the season accelerates the development of talented, local players from a technical, tactical, physical, and mental performance perspective.
It will also bring benefits for the grassroots game by helping an increased number of players to transition back into the club game when they have completed their studies.
This collaboration has been agreed for an initial three-year period, and will be managed by an oversight group.