Australian rugby on the hunt for 'a few more Marikas'

Rugby Australia has implemented new pace benchmarks in a bid to get more players running like speed demon Marika Koroibete.

With an eye on the 2021 Olympics and 2023 Rugby World Cup, Australia’s elite male and female players are being put through their paces to see how they compare with gold standard speed measurements. The Wallabies are currently ranked a lowly sixth in world rugby, just ahead of Scotland. In a bid to improve results, Rugby Australia has teamed with the Australian Catholic University and its Sports Performance, Recovery, Injury and New Technologies Research Centre.

Dr Grant Duthie has been putting the Wallabies, Wallaroos, national rugby sevens teams, Super Rugby players, and academy squads under the microscope.

Rugby Australia national head of athletic performance Dean Benton is overseeing the initiative.

[Source: Rugby Pass]