Rugby: Shoemark to guide youth at academy

Jason Shoemark, centre, with two of the intake Joevahn Baker, left, and Zinzan Ropitini. Photo / Warren Buckland

Magpies midfield back Jason Shoemark has retired from the first-class scene to take on a new role with the Hawke's Bay Rugby Union.

Shoemark, 34, who scored 100 points in 63 appearances for the Magpies, is the union's talent development co-ordinator and will work with player-development manager Joe Payton. Their inaugural Hawke's Bay Academy 24-player intake was unveiled at a function in Napier last night.

"It was a big call to give up rep rugby but when this job came up it was a no-brainer," Shoemark said.

"Danny has plenty of good young players who he is pretty happy with and if he does need a hand he knows where to find me," he said, referring to Magpies assistant coach and backs mentor Danny Lee.

A former Highlanders and Blues player, Shoemark is backing up a promise he made when he left the Bay in 2010 after his first Magpies stint to play with the Exeter Chiefs in the United Kingdom. At the time he said he would return to the Bay, which he did last year, with the aim of giving something back to the union he first played for in 2006.

"At this stage I've got a one-year contract but if everything goes well I'm confident it can become a long-term arrangement. There's no better place than the Bay when it comes to bringing up a family," the father of 12-year-old Jessica, 8-year-old Maddison and 3-year-old Hunter said.

"My job with the academy is to work with Year 9, 10, 11 and 12 players to bring them up to Pro zone level and that's when Joe [Payton] takes over.

"Our academy operates under a tier system with Year 9 players level 1 and our Year 12 players level 4. The intensity levels obviously increase as the players get older," the former New Zealand under-19 player said.

Six "pillars" will form the foundation of their academy: tactical, technical, physical, nutrition, mental and leadership.

"We get the players' parents involved so we are all singing off the same page. That's particularly important with the nutrition aspect," former Magpies captain Shoemark said.

Payton and Shoemark intend to give their academy a global flavour and hope to establish relationships with overseas clubs.

"If players from overseas want to be involved with our academy at any of the levels they can come to the Bay and go to school here while they complete our courses. They pay a fee and that money goes back into Hawke's Bay rugby," Shoemark said.

Although Shoemark has retired from rep rugby he will continue to play club rugby for Carters Frame and Truss Taradale and will make his 50th appearance for the unbeaten Nash Cup competition leaders when they host Hawke's Bay Insurances Limited Napier Old Boys Marist on Saturday.

There are some familiar Magpies names in the intake. Among the seven Pro zone players is Lindisfarne College player Tiaan Falcon.

He is a son of former New Zealand Maori and Hurricanes loosie Gordon Falcon and a grandson of former New Zealand Maori loosie Ray Falcon. Should Tiaan play for the Magpies, and early indications are he could by 2017, he will become a third-generation Magpie.

Among the seven Year 4 players are Will Tremain, a grandson of the late Kel Tremain, a former Magpies captain and All Black legend, and Tim Farrell, a son of former Magpies prop John Farrell.

Payton told the function no other unions had academies with as much depth as this restructured model. It is the result of 15 months' planning. Magpies halfback Chris Eaton and former Magpies Aayden Clarke and Michael Johnson are among its mentors.