It requires bravery to join Australian rugby. It’s even daring to join women’s fifteens rugby given the code’s financial struggles, but Rugby Australia’s new women’s high-performance manager Jaime Fernandez hasn’t backed down. Guiding the Wallaroos into social media to voice complaints, he says that he comes from a different sport and should perhaps not be in the role he is in. Despite the rugby environment, Fernandez thinks he can make a difference. As they aim to be successful in the 2025 World Cup and the 2029 home event, Fernandez, a former Olympian, understands the need for growth in the women’s rugby arena. He traveled with the Wallaroos to understand better what the team needed and secured Jo Yapp’s addition as the Wallaroos’ first full-time coach. Fernandez believes that high-performance isn’t just about money, emphasizing daily behaviors, attitudes, and paying attention to detail. As he went through the slow start of a men’s eight crew that left them in second place by 0.8 seconds in 2000 and experienced Australia’s two gold in rowing in a tight race in Tokyo, Fernandez states that success comes from executing skills under pressure. He points to the Wallaroos’ ability to hold on against Wales as an example of high-performance environments.