Peter Mulholland explains why he's targeting union

[greeneyed]

Canberra Raiders recruitment guru Peter Mulholland explains why he's targeting union... in New Zealand and Fiji

“I’ll try to get a few union kids every year,” says Peter Mulholland, recruitment manager at the NRL’s Canberra Raiders and a veteran of 32 years in league. “We have six in the U20s now and we’ve got Bailey Simonsson, who played for New Zealand Sevens – though he grew up with a league background.

“We will scout rugby union schools in New Zealand – often good league players there will be taken in by the big union schools after 15, 16. I would say the New Zealand schoolboy system for rugby union is the best in the world for any sport. With talent there’s such a funnel to a finer point that some kids fall out of it, but all the best kids go through it.”

Mulholland gives the example of Leo Thompson, who came from the youth systems in Wellington to try his hand at league with the Raiders.

Read more: https://www.rugbyworld.com/news/meet-nr ... xyeAEpU.99

[Seiffert82]

Interesting article coming from a Rugby Union website.

I have to say, I'm impressed with the breadth of talent ID we're undertaking right now. The UK is our new Queensland and we are again starting to look for those diamonds in the rough across the Pacific and in rugby union.

Haven't seen recruiting like this since the early to mid 90s when we picked up the likes of Hoppe, Nadruku, Wiki, Lomax, Pongia and then guys like Ben Kennedy.

[-PJ-]

There's 1000s and 1000s of promising kids out there.

Pete's on top of this and is doing a great job.

Rugby sux..that's why some of their best talent want out.

[Botman]

Yeah i think when it comes to talent identification its a no stones unturned and numbers game
There is no real way to know which kids will kick on and which wont. But as long as you're open to finding talent anywhere it can be found, then it's just about throwing enough darts so you can maximise your chance of hitting the bullseyes

[bonehead]

I liked what Dave Hamilton was doing and I like what Mulholland is doing - hopefully some balance stays in our systems to keep flowing the greater Monaro/Riverina talent

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