Hodge Appointed Elite Player Pathway And U-18 Men’s Head Coach

A former Australia Men’s Sevens international and NSW Waratahs back, Hodge brings a wealth of playing and coaching experience to the new role, which will be based out of the IRFU High Performance Centre but will involve a close working relationship with Provincial Talent Coaches around the country.

With the countdown to the third staging of the U-18 Men’s Six Nations Festival underway, Hodge, who previously held coaching positions with the Australia Men’s Sevens and MLR outfit Dallas Jackals, has been busy attending Senior Cup Schools fixtures, while also spending time with the Ireland Under-20 and Combined Provinces squads since arriving in Ireland in January.

Hodge’s role will see him work closely with the IRFU’s Head of Elite Player Development, Peter Smyth, and IRFU National Talent Squad and Talent ID Manager Wayne Mitchell.

Commenting on his appointment, Hodge said: “I’m delighted to be appointed to this new role at an extremely exciting time for Irish Rugby. The pathways and structures within Irish Rugby are world renowned, and I hope to bring my experience – both as a player and a coach – to the set-up.

I have spent the last month travelling around the country and the provinces, connecting with Provincial Talent Coaches and gaining an understanding of the landscape.

“Being full-time affords you the opportunity to use that time to maximum effect, and I’m looking forward to selecting our first U-18 Men’s squad at the end of March ahead of the Six Nations Festival.”

The Under-18 Men’s Six Nations Festival takes place at Parma’s Stadio Sergio Lanfranchi across three match days, involving the Six Nations Unions and, for the first time, Georgia and Portugal.

A key development pathway for players, the U-18 Men’s Six Nations Festival will feature games on Saturday, March 30, Tuesday, April 3, and Sunday, April 7.