Tonga Rugby Union appoints new High Performance Manager

The Tonga Rugby Union (TRU) is pleased to announce that it has appointed Mr Peter Harding of Sydney, Australia as its new High Performance Manager.
 

Mr Harding was appointed after a recruitment process that was carried out by the TRU and the IRB. Mr Harding took up his new post from 14 May 2012 for two years, and his contract may be extended for another two years.

Mr Harding brings to Tonga more than 20 years wealth of experience in running a professional elite rugby programme. Mr Harding was formally the National Strength and Conditioning Coach with the Australian Wallabies up to after the 2011 RWC, and he also held similar roles with the English Institute of Sport, the English Rugby Football Union for the England Saxons team, the International Rugby Board, the London Irish Rugby Club, Clermont Ferrand Rugby Club in France, Parramatta Eels Rugby League Club, Suntory Rugby Football Club in Japan, Hunter Mariners Super League team, and the Bradford Bulls in England.

Mr Harding is also an academic with university degrees in applied science, science and is currently a Masters student in the Southern Cross University, and a doctorate student at the University of Sydney. He is also a visiting professor to Bond University in Queensland, Australia.

Mr Harding’s main role with the Tonga Rugby Union will be to advance the Union’s high performance programme in order to produce local and international players who are able to compete and perform at the elite rugby level.

The Union’s Interim Executive Director Rugby, ‘Aminiasi Kefu, stated that he was very pleased for the Union that a person of Peter’s calibre and experience was able to take up the offer to work in Tonga. He added that Peter will no doubt develop the many talented rugby players in Tonga to become not only good rugby players, but also elite professional athletes.

Mr Harding was looking forward to the challenges, and also learning and experiencing Tonga’s rich cultural and rugby history.