News

Jonathon Weakley joins Rugby Australia as Head of Research and Innovation

Congratulations to Associate Professor Jonathon (Jono) Weakley on his appointment as the Head of Research and Innovation at Rugby Australia.

Holding a PhD in Long-Term Athletic Development in Rugby, he brings extensive experience in sports science research to the role, is published widely in the field, and is committed to advancing the performance and health outcomes of Australian Rugby programs.

In this role, he will lead research initiatives that align with the strategic objectives of the High Performance Unit's Game Plan at Rugby Australia, focusing on:

• Identifying, overseeing, and driving targeted areas of research
• Enhancing servicing capacities by embedding research-related staff in high performance programs
• Delivering research findings that will inform and improve performance practices across Australian Rugby
• Coordinating an understanding of existing and future research across the Australian rugby network.

Associate Professor Weakley is volunteering his expertise and time to support this initiative, developing a Graduate Industry Partnership, and reinforcing his and ACU’s commitment to the growth and success of Australian Rugby.