Belfast Met - Rugby Academy

Incredibly proud of these boys bringing home another piece of silverware for Belfast Met. Expression of interest still open to play rugby at the Met

We have received a number of emails regarding the rugby programme application process. Whilst this is being looked into, please use this link to register your interest to take part in rugby training whilst you study at Belfast Met. Scan the QR code to register your interest.

Let us introduce the new brand of the Belfast Met Rugby Academy going forward into September 2025.

The Rugby Academy is open to those learners, male or female aged 16 years and older, going into their Lower Sixth (Year 13) or leaving Upper Sixth (Year 14) in August 2025.

The Rugby Academy is now set up to complement Youth Rugby Clubs' evening training and to enhance the exposure of rugby to all club players.

As part of the Rugby Academy students can study one of the following courses:
https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/.../level-2-traineeship-in.../
https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/.../sporting-excellence-and.../
https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/.../sport-and-exercise.../
https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/.../gym-instructing-and.../

These courses provide students with the following additional sessions each week:

2 x 1.5 hr sessions for Strength and Conditioning in the Belfast Met Strength and Conditioning Suite.

3 x 1.5 hr sessions on field training focusing on more exposure to ball skills, decision making, integrated conditioning, and groundwork training.

A key objective of the Rugby Academy is to support our young male and female students academically, personally, physically and emotionally by providing access to expert teaching, support, coaching and advice with a specific focus on rugby development and performance.

To help deliver this objective we are interested in hearing from club coaches on what you believe your players should be working on.

We can collaborate with club coaches to produce individual training plans with the players, to ensure those clubs are having the player returning in their optimum shape and performance.

Whilst Belfast Met will be looking to participate in exhibition games during the year, against Colleges in England and 7s competitions both locally and nationally, it no longer has a College Club side.
This was discontinued and dissolved in September 2023.

Any exhibition matches will be mid-week (usually a Wednesday) and arranged as to not interfere with preparations for the players home club and league or cup matches on the weekend.

As part of our investment in our students in the Rugby Academy we have access to Sports Therapists throughout the year which can assist with the recovery of your players.

We would be keen to meet with clubs to discuss how we can assist in their player development journey particularly for the U18's in your side.

As part of the Rugby Academy Coordinator role in the Foundation Degree in Sports Coaching and Performance Analysis, we are looking to partner with club sides to have the ability to provide coaches or analysts opportunities to our Higher Education Students.

It would be our hope that we could effectively assist club's young players with providing extra exposure to sport and then encourage them to stay and train in our Foundation degree and upskill them in Sports Science support to be able to provide this for your club.

Clubs do not need to have a player studying on that course to avail of the outreach programme however, so if the idea of work experience coaches and analysts in your club may appeal to you then please get in touch and we can arrange a time to meet and discuss this further.

We wish all clubs a successful Club School Window and that they sell their club to build their ranks.

We would appreciate if clubs could share this information with all those in their window who are in Year 12 and above.

Should you wish to hear more then please get in touch with [email protected]

Let us introduce the new brand of the Belfast Met Rugby Academy going forward into September 2025.

The Rugby Academy is open to those learners, male or female aged 16 years and older, going into their Lower Sixth (Year 13) or leaving Upper Sixth (Year 14) in August 2025.

The Rugby Academy is now set up to complement Youth Rugby Clubs' evening training and to enhance the exposure of rugby to all club players.

As part of the Rugby Academy students can study one of the following courses:

https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/course/p01506-aa/level-2-traineeship-in-sport-and-active-leisure/

https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/course/p00839-aa/sporting-excellence-and-performance-level-3-ft-millfield/

https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/course/p00179-aa/sport-and-exercise-science-level-3-ft-millfield/

https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/course/p00496-aa/gym-instructing-and-personal-training-level-3-1a-active-iq-millfield/

These courses provide students with the following additional sessions each week:

2 x 1.5 hr sessions for Strength and Conditioning in the Belfast Met Strength and Conditioning Suite.

3 x 1.5 hr sessions on field training focusing on more exposure to ball skills, decision making, integrated conditioning, and groundwork training.

A key objective of the Rugby Academy is to support our young male and female students academically, personally, physically and emotionally by providing access to expert teaching, support, coaching and advice with a specific focus on rugby development and performance.

To help deliver this objective we are interested in hearing from club coaches on what you believe your players should be working on.

We can collaborate with club coaches to produce individual training plans with the players, to ensure those clubs are having the player returning in their optimum shape and performance.

Whilst Belfast Met will be looking to participate in exhibition games during the year, against Colleges in England and 7s competitions both locally and nationally, it no longer has a College Club side. This was discontinued and dissolved in September 2023.

Any exhibition matches will be mid-week (usually a Wednesday) and arranged as to not interfere with preparations for the players home club and league or cup matches on the weekend.

As part of our investment in our students in the Rugby Academy we have access to Sports Therapists throughout the year which can assist with the recovery of your players.

We would be keen to meet with clubs to discuss how we can assist in their player development journey particularly for the U18's in your side.

As part of the Rugby Academy Coordinator role in the Foundation Degree in Sports Coaching and Performance Analysis, we are looking to partner with club sides to have the ability to provide coaches or analysts opportunities to our Higher Education Students.

It would be our hope that we could effectively assist club's young players with providing extra exposure to sport and then encourage them to stay and train in our Foundation degree and upskill them in Sports Science support to be able to provide this for your club.

Clubs do not need to have a player studying on that course to avail of the outreach programme however, so if the idea of work experience coaches and analysts in your club may appeal to you then please get in touch and we can arrange a time to meet and discuss this further.

We wish all clubs a successful Club School Window and that they sell their club to build their ranks.

We would appreciate if clubs could share this information with all those in their window who are in Year 12 and above.

Should you wish to hear more then please get in touch with [email protected]

Congratulations to our amazing Rugby Academy Coach Jen on being nominated for the LocalWomenSport.com Women's Rugby Coach of the Year award for 2025. Jen has been apart of our team for many moons now (around 8 years) and with over 20 years coaching experience, has made an impact on both our male and female athletes over the years including our 2019 league and cup double, and the inception of our first competitive women's team!

We take pride in the ability of our coaches to make a difference in our students performance, so when one of our own gets nominated... We guess we're doing something right! 😎

We wish Jen all the best and fingers crossed 🤞

Looking back to when a group of our students had the opportunity to play against some of the best academy’s in England at the AOC 7s.

Who do you recognise?

Apply today - https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/course/p00877-aa/sports-academy-rugby/

We asked one of our former academy students to say a few words about us at the academy. The opportunities we can provide are endless.

Apply today https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/course/p00877-aa/sports-academy-rugby/

Incredibly proud of two of our academy students Brooke and Ella for winning their respective competition. Congratulations to all involved players and coaches.

The doors of the Rugby academy are open once again. If you have a passion for sport and want to take your game seriously, please consider applying.

https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/course/p00877-aa/sports-academy-rugby/

We have only gone and done it!

This September sees the beginning of a new course at Belfast Met being validated by The Open University.

The Foundation Degree in Sports Coaching and Performance Analysis is the perfect course for those sports enthusiasts who would see a life in Sport and backroom staff.

Learn the soft skills of player management and learning, backed up through the use of technology to gather real life data in order to provide successful interventions for player improvement.

Applications are live at the following address:

https://www.belfastmet.ac.uk/course/p00895-aa/foundation-degree-in-sports-coaching-and-performance-analysis-validated-by-the-open-university/

Course | Belfast Met

Such an opportunity for our young learners to get an industry recognised coaching qualification.

Thank you so much Ulster Rugby!

If this is something which you would like to get involved with, then why not apply at Belfast Met and pick a Sports Course and apply for the Academy as well.

Thank you so much for Ulster Rugby Coach Education Department for their practical session on Day 2 of the X 7's Rugby Coaching Course. Really looking forward to Day 3. You can join our Sports courses at our links on the page.