Days after several Australian women's rugby players, including many high-profile Wallaroos players, shared a joint statement disparaging Rugby Australia's treatment of the women's program, the sporting body has announced a new Women's High Performance manager.
With the help of World Rugby, RA unveiled three-time Olympic rower and Olympic silver medalist from the 2000 Olympic Games, Jaime Fernandez in the new role.
Fernandez will work with the Wallaroos, Super W and women's pathways programs to create high-performance environments for players on their journey to professionalism.
In added news, RA announced they would begin recruiting a fulltime Wallaroos head coach for the 2024 season.
A fulltime head coach has been spoken about for some time with current coach Jay Tregonning on a part-time contract and working as a school teacher alongside his role with the Wallaroos. It was also an issue raised in the Wallaroos player statement released on Sunday.
RA's ability to create both roles has come off the back of World Rugby's Accelerate program announced partway through the year with RA the first union to partner with World Rugby on the initiative that aims to fast track the development of women's rugby around the world with further investment.
RA boss Phil Waugh said he was excited following the appointment of Fernandez and the international calendar the Wallaroos are set to take part in over the next decade.
"With WXV1 in New Zealand fast approaching in October this year, followed by the 2025 and 2029 Women's Rugby World Cups in England and Australia, Rugby Australia is committed to high-performance investment in Women's Rugby," Waugh said.
"Jaime has a proven track record over more than a decade at Rowing Australia, and we look forward to drawing on his exceptional experience to further improve our national women's programs.
"Community pathways are integral to the development of the next generation of female athletes, and I have every confidence that Jaime will advance Rugby Australia's growth of the women's game."
Fernandez has previously worked with Rowing Australia as a Deputy Performance Director and has been integral in the development of youth pathways within the sport.