Book excerpt: The purpose of this book is to provide the player, family, coach and player's support network with the information needed for positional excellence in the position of Number 8 (No. 8) in rugby union. The objectives of this book are: 1. To provide the reader with an understanding of the natural physical and mental development of young players in the sport of rugby union. 2. To explain the demands of rugby union and use that information to help guide the player's development. 3. To provide a blueprint for the core conditioning needed to achieve results in the game of rugby union. 4. To provide an insight into what selectors and coaches are looking for at a representative level. 5. To provide FREE access to a professional player development portal www.developaplayer.com whereby the player can record and share their rugby development with friends, family, coaches, sponsors, and selectors.