Mickey Arthur

Former Australian cricket coach Mickey Arthur wants at least 30 per cent of players inducted into the Western Force’s new junior academy to go on to play Super Rugby.

And talented athletes from rival sports will also be targeted as the Perth-based franchise attempts to build the best development program in the world.

AAP

The newly-launched ‘Future Force’ program welcomed its first batch of youngsters on Wednesday, with Namibian-born Richard Hardwick, flanker Kane Koteka and hooker Harry Scoble the guinea pigs.

The full-time program will be headed by Arthur, who achieved success as coach of South Africa’s national cricket side, before spending two years as coach of Australia.

Arthur will fulfil a mentoring and organising role, with the Force to cast their net far and wide in a bid to attract the best young talent between the ages of 17-22.

At an estimated cost of between $20,000-$30,000 per player per year, the program doesn’t come cheap.

But Arthur is confident it will pay handsome dividends.

“We’re very ambitious about this program. We want it to be the best in the world,” Arthur said.

“We’ve set ourselves a 30 per cent strike rate … of players going on to make an impact for the Force.

“We’ve got our recruiting net in South Africa. We’ve also set up a recruiting network in New Zealand. And there are a lot of young Tongan boys we are having a look at.

“We want people clamouring to get into our program. This is the future of Western Australia rugby.”

The program will fast-track the development of promising youngsters by giving them fulltime access to a professional rugby environment, including coaches, nutritionists and medical staff.

Players will also receive planning and support for their educational and vocational aspirations.

Expert coaching will be provided by RugbyWA Junior Elite Coach Dwayne Nestor, who says the program will also target players from rival sports.

“It’s certainly not a closed book,” Nestor said.

“Obviously players who have had a rugby tradition will find it easier to transition into the program and play rugby.

“But there’s nothing to say that an Aussie Rules player couldn’t come across and perform really well.

“They are running machines. If you can get one that has height and a bit of weight, it makes for a perfect lock.

“And basketballers are fantastic as well, but it could be any sport.

“We would like to think that this program, being world class, would produce the type of player that could excel within two years.”

Although only three players have been inducted into the program to date, Arthur hopes that number will swell to between 10-15 once the Force secures more funding.