1. sports
2. rugby

APRIL 2010 • VOLUME 1 • ISSUE 1
Scrummage:
winning the
scrum hit
Is it the
end of the
jackler?
How to kick Same laws,
ws,
goals from
better
the touchline game
Martin Haag,
Bath's
forward
coach UK
Mark
Calverley,
IRB level 4
coach NZ
Doug McClymont, Paddy O'Brien,
n,
sports
Head of IRB's
biomechanist
Referee
Board
ITALY
How to bounce back from defeat
D
Don't
despair after suffering a heavy home defeat in your first game of the season. Learn from
what went wrong, move forward and focus on putting your plan to succeed into action.
BY SIMON MIDDLETON, LEEDS CARNEGIE, GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP
To be able to win in the
future it is vital to know
how to deal with defeat.
When I faced a situation
like this recently with the
team I work with, this is how
I handled it and eventually
managed to come through
the other side.
We had just played our
opening game against
Gloucester back in the
Guinness Premiership.
Supporter expectation
prior to the game had been
whipped to fever pitch with
the help of a marketing
machine that was not only
our major sponsor, but also
our new owner.
And yet, for all the hype
and preparation, with a
winning season behind
us from last year, we were
clearly beaten by a better
side. The score was 49-24 to
Gloucester.
What made the scoreline
even worse for me was the
fact that we had conceded
nearly 50 points – I'm the
defence coach! The only
option I had was to try and
deal with the situation.
Don’t panic
Though the score was
a reality check, it was a
check that needed to be
put into perspective. We
were playing against a
team who had plenty of
international experience.
been close to playing in
the Premiership. In fact
most of them had only just
graduated from the Leeds
Carnegie Academy.
So, the first thing I had to
do was not press the panic
button and focus on what
Hard Processes
Leeds Carnegie's critical points to success
TACTICAL
PHYSICAL
Body hardness to win
collisions
Aerobic capacity to:
Exhaust defenses,
smother attacks
Flexibility of play
Skill level to challenge
defences
Defence to challenge all
attacks
Winning game plan
TECHNICAL
MENTAL
Dominant set pieces and
restarts
Individual skill levels of
excellence
Confrontational
confidence
Individual mental strength
Over the last few years, they
had been a strong force in
the Premiership. This had to
be balanced against a team
which had just graduated
from National 1 and, with
the exception of one or two
players, consisted mainly
of players who had never
the way forward was.
For me, the key to dealing
with outcome lies in the
process of effectively
reviewing and feeding back
on the performance. Only
then can you formulate the
potential solutions. (see
table on page 2)
Heal thyself
You must be in position to
deliver coaching effectively,
in victory and defeat. “Know
thyself”, a Greek maxim,
says that understanding
how you deal with things
helps you explain your
actions. I quickly found a
mechanism for dealing with
defeat. It was a process that
allowed me to get over the
result and move forward
to a place where I could
think clearly and therefore
assess the performance
in a balanced, clear and
objective manner.
By the time the players
arrived for work on their first
day back I had the game
in perspective and was
ready to discuss potential
solutions with them.
Identify the problem
One of the problems
we faced was that a key
member of the team had
a significant defensive
deficiency. It was a Catch
22 situation. Offensively
and strategically he was our
lynch pin, defensively he
VOLUMN 1 / ISSUE 1
01
Reviewing the defence performance
Since my job is to look after defence, I have a checklist to
work through each game. It is split into two parts:
1. the system and 2. the personnel.
Editor's letter
Edit
In S
September 2003 we launched this newsletter
as R
Rugby Coach, with contributions from Andy
Ro
Robinson
obi
bn
and Mike Bundy. One was the England
ccoach and is now Scottish coach, the other
was the school doctor where I was working
at the time and is now the England doctor.
I have also moved on, becoming full time editor of this
newsletter five years ago. It has meant I have much
more time to seek out some of the thoughts of the best
coaches in the world and pass them onto you.
You will have noticed that we are twice the size of
previous issues. We have so much to talk about and
discuss that we have decided to change our name to
International Rugby Coaching and give you more
pages so we can give you even more to read about.
We have lined up some very exciting people for the
next few issues. In this issue we have two of the rising
stars in the English Guinness Premiership, Martin Haag
from Bath and Simon Middleton at Leeds Carnegie.
Both coaches have had interesting and varied coaching
journeys. Martin explores the technicalities of the scrum
while Simon takes us on a very personal appraisal of
recovering from defeat.
I am also delighted that the IRB’s Paddy O’Brien was
able to talk to us about the new law interpretations. He
is keen to emphasise that these are not new laws, but
clarifications of current laws. His view is that referees
need to concentrate on policing areas like the tackle and
contact area to make the game flow as it should. We have
already seen this helping enormously at top level rugby.
With this new emphasis, Mark Calverley, who was first
team coach with the New Zealand team the Marists, has
identified new roles at the breakdown. All of us will be
looking at how to exploit the tackle area in defence and
attack.
I hope you enjoy our new look and look forward to
receiving your feedback and views.
Dan Cottrell
dan.cottrell@rugby-coach.com
1 The system: defence performance
Did we have the right plan for the job?
Did everyone understand the plan?
Did everyone believe in the plan?
Did we execute the plan?
2 The personnel: defence performance
Did we have the right players for the job?
Did everyone play to the plan?
Was everyone capable of executing the plan?
I work through these checklists with the players to solve problems
and find solutions. Together we can then formulate a way forward.
was becoming a weak link
and a target for the attack.
So we embarked on a skill
acquisition programme. We
identified the skill needed:
tackle technique. We then
established the player’s
learning preferences and
devised a learning strategy
tailored to the individual.
We developed a coaching
programme to meet the
needs, employing the
coaching process (plando-review). At the end, we
assessed the effectiveness
of the learning strategy.
When I reflect back on the
season this instance was
one of the real positives
I could draw from the
experience.
The skill acquisition
programme was a huge
success. Over the remainder
of the season the player
in question increased his
tackle completion from
50% to a consistent 85%
and was regarded as one of
the toughest tackling and
competitive players in the
competition.
Result!
Wins still elusive?
We had reached game four,
and we were still losing
and leaking tries. It was
essential that we reviewed
our strategy. This situation
can be very lonely, so it was
crucial I did not go it alone.
I utilised the expertise
within the coaching group
and the players I regarded
as the defensive leaders
within the team. As a group
we drew up an action plan
which looked at three
distinct areas: the defensive
system, a specific key team
weakness and goal setting.
We decided to simplify the
system. We were currently
relying on too few players
who were having to make
too many decisions in
defence. We modified the
system to reduce decisionmaking and shift this to
become a team process,
rather than falling to just one
or two players
We focused our training
on what we reckoned was
our key weakness - one-onone tackling. We also set
a goal for each game - not
Psychology: to win
Players' poster
outlining our
philosophy to win
Our values, shown right,
were set out clearly with
the team. We want to give
pride and responsibility
to each individual and the
team. We want players to
find opportunities to test
themselves, to develop
and improve. And we want
to look to the future, to
see the bigger picture. In
what was one of the most
traumatic periods of my
coaching career, there
were many key learning
points. It took me some
time to be able to see just
how key and invaluable
those learning points were.
Reflecting back I realise
that by knowing myself,
the coaching team, and
the players, and being able
to rationalise the success
and failures, there were
clear learning opportunities
all around that turned
even the most negative of
situations into a positive
learning experience.
OUR VISION
PRIMARY OBJECTIVES
Taking Leeds Carnegie to
championship contenders and
trophy winners by 2010
OUR CULTURE
Captain Hurricane
Flexibility of play to suit all
opponents/environments
"I'M IN"
Committed to continual
improvement
CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTORS
HARD PROCESSES
SOFT PROCESSES
Physical
Body hardness to win collisions
Aerobic capacity to: Exhaust
defences, smother attacks
Technical
Dominant set pieces and restarts
Individual skill levels of
excellence
Values & behaviours
Integrity - Loyalty - Pride
Honesty - Trust - Self
discipline
Tactical
Flexibility of play
Skill level to challenge defences
Defence to challenge all attacks
Winning game plan
Mental
Confrontational confidence
Individual mental strength
Preparation principles
Complete preparation
Growing knowledge
Performance orientation
to concede more than 22
points. The reason? It’s fairly
widely recognised that in the
Premiership a winning team
normally scores 22 points.
Never give up
No matter what strategies
you put in place, how
committed you are, or how
much effort you put into
something, sometimes you
will face a situation where
the differences between
you and the competition are
so great that the outcome
becomes inevitable.
However the only real
failure is to give up. This is
unquestionably the case
with coaching. In sport there
will always be victories and
defeats, the highs and the
lows. You have to recognise
that in every scenario and
every situation there are key
experiences that you can
learn from and draw on in
the years to come.
As a coaching team and
Review the team's progress
I have developed a system for review my team’s process and performance. I have built this up over a
number of years and it works for me and my team.
Take time out
I don’t feedback to the team or individuals immediately after a game. I
take time to reflect and review before commenting. This helps to take
the emotion out of the process. I can then start dealing with the facts.
Maintain a
perspective
Ask yourself a few questions. How did things stack up prior to the
game? What were all the factors involved in the game, like the quality of
player on both sides or the physical aspects?
Take a
balanced
view
Consider the facts. Was the outcome more about their performance
than ours? Did we do the things we said we’d do? Did we improve on
our previous performance or at least areas that we had worked on?
Emphasise the Concentrate on what went well. What did we do better in this
performance? Evaluate on an individual and team basis.
positives
Find
solutions for
shortcomings
PERFORMANCE
INDICATORS
OUR PHI
PHILOSOPHY
ILOSOPHY
PLAYING STYLE
Develop a plan. Work with the players to solve the problems and find
the solutions. Get player buy in and allow them to take ownership in
plotting the way forward. Implement your strategy.
Personality profile
Communication
Motivation - Self assured
Team work
Team builders - Energisers
Team spirit
a playing squad we prided
ourselves on the fact that
we never threw in the
towel. We were committed
to staying true to our
values and maximising our
opportunities. This allowed
us to enable a strategy that
would see us bounce back
from relegation.
Simon Middleton
Leeds Carnegie's defence and
skills coach
Simon played both codes of
rugby. He moved from union in
1991 to league and back to union
in 1997. He played on the wing
for top league side Castleford
before returning to union. He
was a prolific try scorer in both
codes, so it is ironic he became a
defence coach following Leeds'
promotion into the Guinness
Premiership in 2007.
He endured a tough season
as Leeds were demoted, but
his work during that season
built the structure for them to
bounce back straight away. He
is highly rated by the RFU elite
department and works with head
coaches Neil Back and Andy Key.
VOLUMN 1 / ISSUE 1
03
Skills: Goal kicking
More curve means more goals
Ap
place kick from a wide angle does not have a wide target to aim at. If the ball is flighted across
the field then curved toward the posts then the target is bigger, and if the curve is well practiced
an controlled, this should lead to a greater chance of success.
and
BY DOUG MCCLYMONT, SPORTS BIOMECHANIST, THE INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL OF BRINDISI, ITALY
A rugby ball spins about its
long axis very easily. It is not
difficult to impart spin with
a punt kick or a pass or a
lineout throw. It is all to do
with the “eccentric force”,
a force that is applied off
centre. If we can use this
skill to curve the ball from a
placekick, the kicking goals
from the touchline should be
easier.
Ball set up
To curve the ball in flight it
must be spinning. The rugby
ball spins most effectively
about the long axis. To make
best use of the mechanics
of curved flight the long axis
should remain upright. The
ball must be set up on the
tee in an upright position
and the force of the foot
applied through the centre
of the ball so it does not
tumble, either forwards or
backwards. Making the ball
spin about the long vertical
axis requires some slight
changes to the approach
and kicking stance.
Curve to the right
For a right-footed kicker who
wishes to curve the ball to
the right, the line of force of
the kick must be across the
ball from right to left.
Run up: Rounder than
normal, so the approach is
more front on.
Plant foot: Slightly further
away than normal.
Follow through: From right
to left, finishing slightly to
the left of the line of flight.
04
VOLUMN 1 / ISSUE 1
Curve Right
For a right footed kicker who wishes to curve the ball to the right,
the line of force of the kick must be across the ball from right to
left. To effect that direction the curved run up must be slightly
“rounder” so the player approaches the ball more from the front
and with the planted foot slightly further away from the ball than
usual. There is a deliberate follow-through motion across the ball
from right to left with the intention of finishing the motion not
directly in line with the flight of the ball but slightly to the left of
the line of flight.
Initial line
of flight
Foot kicks
through and
ends up to the
left of the line
of flight
Plant
the foot
further
away than
normal
Rounder
approach
to the ball
Skills: Goal kicking
Curve to the left
For a right-footed kicker who
wants to curve the ball to
the left, the opposite must
be true. The line of force of
the kick must be across the
ball from left to right
Run up: Flatter than normal.
Plant foot: Normal position
but the toe points slightly to
the right of its normal placing.
Follow through: From left
to right, slightly to the right
of the line.
Key factors to
the direction
There are other factors
Curve Left
For a right footed kicker who wishes to
curve the ball to the left the opposite must
be true. The planted foot this time will
be placed in its normal position but with
the toe pointed slightly to the right of its
normal placing. The approach is “flatter”
and the line of the kick across the ball from
left to right. Aim for the kicking foot to
finish not in line with the flight of the ball
but slightly to the right of that line.
Initial line
of flight
Foot kicks
through and
ends up to the
right of the line
of flight
of course: both the wind
direction and the changing
direction of the ball as
it curves will affect the
amount of curve. But the
most important factors are
as mentioned earlier:
• the position of the ball on
the tee
• the point at which the foot
makes contact
• the direction of the foot
as it applies the force to the
ball.
In reality it is almost
impossible to kick the ball
from a tee and have it
remain vertical during flight.
There will always be some
tumbling motion. But if
there is spin about the long
axis, and the tumbling is not
excessive, then the ball will
travel in a straight line for
the first part of the flight until
the pressure on one side or
the other builds up, at which
point the ball will begin to
curve as predicted.
Doug McClymont
Sports biomechanist
Plant the foot
in normal
position, but
pointed more
to the right
Flatter
approach
to the ball
Doug McClymont is a New
Zealander and has been a student
of rugby all his life. As a coach
of track and field athletics, this
fascination led him in middle age
to a qualification in Biomechanics
and Motor Learning from the
University of Otago , New Zealand.
Since then, Doug has lectured
in Biomechanics, Motor Learning,
Physical Education and Coach
Education at the University of
Canterbury College of Education,
for Coaching New Zealand , and
at the New Zealand Academy
of Sport. From there he became
involved in rugby with coach
education, player conditioning,
skills acquisition and the
application of biomechanics
to rugby. He has worked with
numerous teams and coaches
in New Zealand at all levels from
club, through provincial and Super
14, to international teams. He
now lectures at the International
School of Brindisi in Italy.
VOLUMN 1 / ISSUE 1
05
In focus: skills at the tackle
The end of the jackler?
The tackle law has been the subject of much debate and referees have been instructed to be tougher
on the tackler rolling away at the tackle. This has implications for play around the breakdown.
BY MARK CALVERLEY, HEAD OF PE AT WESTLAKE COLLEGE, NEW ZEALAND, AND AN IRB LEVEL 4 COACH
B
From the IRB Law book 2010
The old way: advantage jackler
15.6 OTHER PLAYERS
(a) After a tackle, all other
players must be on their
feet when they play the
ball. Players are on their
feet if no other part of their
body is supported by the
ground or players on the
ground.
The jackler
The holding
player
Sanction: Penalty kick
Exception: Ball goes into
the in-goal. After a tackle
near the goal line, if the ball
has been released and has
gone into the in-goal any
player, including a player
on the ground, may ground
the ball.
(b) After a tackle any
players on their feet may
attempt to gain possession
by taking the ball from the
ball carrier’s possession.
(c) Players in opposition to
the ball carrier who remain
on their feet who bring the
ball carrier to ground so
that the player is tackled
must release the ball and
the ball carrier. Those
players may then play the
ball providing they are on
their feet and do so from
behind the ball and from
directly behind the tackled
player or a tackler closest
to those players’ goal line.
Tackled player
The tackler used to get away with holding onto the tackled
player. He would get to his feet as he was holding the ball,
preventing the tackled player from releasing the ball. Or, the
tackler might be on his feet as the tackled player went to
ground, and still not release the ball.
In attack
Sanction: Penalty kick
Continuity: If the laws are
refereed accurately, this
should mean that the ball
is more readily and easily
placed cleanly back, further
away from the tackling
opposition and leads to
more phases of quick attack.
(d) At a tackle or near to
a tackle, other players
who play the ball must do
so from behind the ball
and from directly behind
the tackled player or the
tackler closest to those
players’ goal line.
Fewer “50:50” offloads:
Because of the likelihood of
greater continuity, there is
an even greater emphasis
on ball security and not
throwing silly passes or
hopeful offloads.
Sanction: Penalty kick
Cleaning out and sealing
off: Due to the defenders
06
VOLUMN 1 / ISSUE 1
having to disengage the ball
and tackled player, there will
be an extra split second for
attackers to clean out and
“bridge” the ball at the ruck.
This should lead to cleaner
ball presentation and
quicker rucks.
In defence
Fitness: Because of
probable greater continuity
and phases, players will
need a greater aerobic base
to contest and play the ball.
Good ball will also likely lead
to less kicking and more
running.
Ball up: Tacklers will benefit
from gang tackling the ball
player and getting hands on
the ball before the player
goes to ground. Stopping
the player and holding the
ball (and possibly the player)
off the ground means that it
can be contested and either
ripped away or held up for
your scrum put in.
Technique and
organisation: Because it
will be harder to contest
the ball, there will be an
emphasis on improved
individual technique and
organised team defence.
In focus: skills at the tackle
Typically, jacklers have their
feet square and wider than
shoulder width as they pin
the ball and attempt to claim
it. This stance will mean the
ball cannot be reached or
the player will over-balance
and fall forward, conceding
a penalty.
The new way: advantage attacker
Now that the tackler has to fully
release the tackled player, it allows
more time for the ball to be placed
further from the body. The jackler now
has to reach over further, perhaps
not being able to support his own
bodyweight with just his feet.
PENALTY = Player off his feet
Counter ruck: With more
penalties likely at the tackle
area – at least until players
become familiar with the law
interpretation – the need for
groups of defenders to stay
on their feet and counter ruck
and drive past the ball is even
more important. Your team
needs to be able to “sniff” a
weak and undermanned ruck
and counter it dynamically
and in a coordinated fashion,
staying on their feet.
The new way: advantage stepper
General
Instead the jackler has become a
stepper, stepping forward to retrieve
the ball
Referees will also see the
law differently so the ability
to adapt and adopt different
ball contesting styles will be
important. Defensive sides
that cannot adapt their style
are likely to come unstuck
when their view does not
match that of the referee!
= No penalty, tackler has released
tackled player and stays on his feet
See also Same laws, better
game on page 8.
Mark Calverley
IRB Level 4 coach
Fitness: Because of greater
defensive continuity, more
aerobic fitness will be
needed to keep structure
and organisation.
At the tackle – on the
ground: Tacklers need to
be disciplined and quick to
move away and get hands
off the ball and player. Tired
players who are late at
doing this, or forget to do it,
will cost you penalties and
probably points.
Support tacklers: Players
who help, or make the tackle
(and help put the opposition
player on the ground), again
need to show discipline to
release and then re-contest.
They need to learn to resist
the temptation to steal the
ball immediately after the
tackle, but without releasing.
The gate: Players need to
understand where the gate
is. They also need to keep
their backside directly in line
with their try line. Players,
who come through the gate,
but not with their body and
shoulders square on, usually
get penalised for coming in
the side.
Step through after the
tackle: With the ball likely
to be placed further from
the body after the tackle,
there will be a need for
defenders, who are on their
feet and ready to contest
the ball, to step forward.
Based in New Zealand for the
last seven years, Mark is Head of
Physical Education at Westlake
Boys’ High School and 1st XV
coach and rugby technical
director. He has coached
Wanganui Collegiate School 1st
XV, and Wanganui District U18s,
U20s and U23s. He has also
coached the Marist Club men’s
senior team (league champions
in 2007, finalists 2008 and 2009).
Mark has an RFU Level 3
award, an IRB Level 4 award
and has completed the NZRFU
Practicum award – the highest
coaching award in New Zealand.
Mark played for England
U18s, Warwickshire, Nuneaton,
Nottingham and Harlequins.
He also represented England
Students (as captain) and Great
Britain Students at rugby league.
VOLUMN 1 / ISSUE 1
07
Laws: interpretations
Same laws, better game
The law
laws of rugby exist to allow the game flow and function properly. However, this can lead to
con
concerns
over the interpretation of these laws. The IRB is currently concentrating on five key
a
areas that they want referees to focus on to improve the quality of the game.
BY PADDY O'BRIEN, HEAD OF THE IRB’S REFEREE BOARD
There are five areas where
we have asked referees to be
more vigilant. There are not
changes in the law, but details
that have not been refereed
as well as they could be.
Coaches and players
need to be aware of these
areas so they can help their
players, and in turn help the
referees.
1
Illegal obstruction
at the maul
From our observations of
games across the globe,
the lineout maul has been
poorly refereed. The ELVs
originally allowed the maul
to be brought down. That
ruling was not adopted, but
there still needs to be a fair
contest at the maul.
Especially from lineouts,
teams have formed barriers
in front of the ball carrier
before the maul is formed. It
creates an obstruction. Your
team now needs to make
sure it engages with the
opposition before allowing
the ball to be moved back
in the maul.
2
Offside from
kicks
There is more kicking
because of the 22 metre
pass back law. We have
noticed that sides have been
poor at putting themselves
onside from a kick. The non
kicker has to wait to be put
onside, moving away from
the intended receiver if he is
within 10 metres.
Crucially, teams that are
“lazy” give the receiver less
time. This penalises the
receiving team, giving the
kicking team more reward.
Even two metres of extra
space allows more options
for the receiver.
You will have seen more
penalties given in the Six
Nations for offsides from
kicks. We think adopting this
tougher stance will reduce
the aerial game.
3
Slowing down
the scrum call
We have requested
that referees do not let
players dictate the scrum
engagement cadence. They
have to trust the referee’s
call. We want to slow the
engagement process down
to reduce the number of
scrum resets.
At the moment there
is a lot of talk about
scrum resets, but it is a
phenomenon mostly found
at the top level. Yes, the
referee has a strong role
to play. The problem lies
also with the players. They
are trying their very best to
outdo the opposition, by
foul means or fair. With all
that movement, inevitably
scrums will collapse.
If you go down a few
levels, you will not find the
same amount of resets. It
boils down to player buy-in.
Why should the referee have
to battle with the front rows
to gain a steady scrum?
4
Offside at
the fringes
Players not getting behind
the back feet at the ruck
chokes the game. This
is still an area that is
poorly refereed and so
Offside from kicks
If a player is within
10 metres of the
catcher and is
offside, then he
needs to move away
from the catcher.
Onside and
by running
in front of
players
ahead of the
kicker, he
makes them
onside.
08
VOLUMN 1 / ISSUE 1
Offside, so must stand still
until put onside by the
kicker, someone behind the
kicker, or the other team
have run 5 metres forward
with the ball, passed or kick.
10m
we have asked referees,
along with their assistant
referees to look out for this
infringement.
Even half a metre offside
reduces the attacking team’s
options.
5
Tackler rolling
away
We have asked referees
to strictly apply the law at
the tackle. The tackler who
has fallen with the tackled
player must release the
tackled player before he
gets up to compete for the
ball. Previously players were
getting away with holding
onto the tackled player as
they regained their feet.
Observations from the Super
14s demonstrate this has
created quicker ball at the
breakdown.
It is important to note that
a tackled player must be
released by anyone involved
in the tackle. So even if the
tackler remains on their
feet, they must release the
tackled player before they
can play the ball.
Managing referees
I think we have come
full circle in terms of
communication between
the referees and players.
The constant chat from the
referee had become too big
a feature. We now like the
idea of "less is best”. Players
should not rely on the
referees to tell them what
to do. One command should
be enough. A player should
know when he is offside or
off his feet.
There should be less
talk from the players as a
Laws: interpretations
Releasing the tackled player and playing the ball
One man tackle
One player makes the tackle. The
other defender is not involved in the
tackle.
Legal challenge
The player on his feet can grab the ball
as long as he was not involved in the
tackle, or has released the tackled
player and then grabbed the ball.
Two man tacklers beware
If two tacklers get the ball carrier
down, with one targetting the ball,
they must release the tackled player
and the ball, even if one of them
remains on his feet.
consequence. We do not
want to move down the
road of other sports where
referees are fair game for
arguments.
We have also changed
what used to be known
as the “massage session”.
Coaches would meet with
the referees before the
game, often with video
footage of the opposition.
We took this away because
it turned into a protracted
criticism of the opposition.
Now we have come back to
a more controlled meeting
where coaches and referees
can clarify points. It is not
a chance to talk about the
opposition.
Referees, as a matter of
course, speak to the teams
before the game, and
specifically the front rows. I
would suggest this is a good
time to discuss anything
unusual you might be doing
in the game. For instance
you might say “we are going
left from the kick off”, so the
referee knows to stand on
the right.
New laws?
There will be no changes in
the laws between now and
the 2011 World Cup, unless
there is reason to make
changes on safety grounds.
Two hemispheres,
the same laws
player buy-in at more
junior grades of rugby.
Generally, the players at
this level want to play
There is common
rugby and “cheat” a lot
misconception that there
less.
are two sets of laws,
At top levels, players are
one for Six Nations and
highly
tuned, extremely
European rugby, one
well
prepared
athletes.
for the Super 14 and Tri
They
will
bend
the laws
Nations. Some even go so
as
far
as
possible.
This
far as to say that there is a
inevitably
impacts
on how
law book for professional
the
game
is
refereed
and
rugby and another for
managed.
amateur. There is no
As to perceived
difference in the laws at
differences
in hemiany level. However, there
spheres,
I
would
put this
is a difference in standards
down
to
two
factors.
The
between referees, and
laws
are
the
same,
but
a difference in players. I
the weather conditions
see that there is far more
are different when the
tournaments are being
run. Hard grounds in South
Africa produce a different
game to soaking, windy
conditions at Twickenham.
It is also fair to say that
different countries have a
different style of rugby as
well.
Even in the Northern
Hemisphere, there are
differences between
nations. So, whilst the
laws are equal across
the globe, players will
play in a different way,
thus invoking different
situations in which the
laws are applied.
Paddy O’Brien
Head of the IRB’s Referee Board
Paddy is a former policeman
from New Zealand. He started his
international refereeing career in
1994 and became New Zealand’s
most capped rugby referee in
2003 when he took charge of the
Six Nations game between
France and Wales.
As part of his role for the IRB he
oversaw the Experimental Law
Variations and the adoption of
some of these Laws into the
current game. He is currently
monitoring the effects of the
refereeing interpretations
announced at the start of 2010.
He was recognised for his
services to rugby in the Queen’s
Birthday Honours List in 2005.
VOLUMN 1 / ISSUE 07
09
Set piece: scrummage
Dominating the scrum
Top sides are so physically strong and well drilled, there is little difference between the teams at
sc
scrums. You need to find the edge by finding the optimum scrum shape.
BY MARTIN HAAG, FORWARDS COACH AT BATH, GUINNESS PREMIERSHIP.
Though the laws and player
physicality has changed
over the years, the scrum
remains a pushing contest.
A good scrum is measured
by the speed of the ball
in and ball out, and the
quality of the ball supplied.
Sometimes, we can keep the
attacking ball in, if the scrum
is being pushed backwards.
We need to dominate
'the hit', by maintaining the
best shape. We need to be
technically efficient as well
as strong.
Winning the hit
At least eight out of ten
scrums in the English
Premiership are won
and lost in the initial
engagement. Week in, week
out, we are likely to be facing
international quality front
row players. There is not a
large difference between the
teams.
Consequently, the margins
are smaller and if you have
not won the engagement
then you are cannot
manipulate the defence at
the scrum. Manipulating
the scrum defence means
either winning the ball so
quickly that the defensive
back row cannot get away
quickly enough, or turning
the scrum so that defenders
The front row before the hit
The initial contact between the front rows
is commonly known as 'the hit'. We have
to be mindful to recognise the safety
issues involved, especially with front
rows. All engagements in training and
matches should be carefully monitored,
no matter what level the players are at.
are poorly positioned to get
onto the ball.
If we are going forward,
we might keep the ball in
the scrum. This can lead to
defences moving backwards
or the defence conceding a
penalty.
We can measure our
effectiveness at the
engagement by looking at
how fast the ball reaches the
number 8’s feet after the put
in. Another way to observe
the effectiveness of the
scrum is to look at the speed
of the front rows' movement
across the centre line at the
scrum.
After the engagement,
we must continue to apply
the pressure. This might
mean good forward motion,
though this is not always the
case. The props in particular
have to maintain a good
shape, which means they
Looking forward
towards target
Bend at the
hip and not
the back
Arm ready to
touch and then
engage
Bend at
the knees
On the balls
of the feet
10
VOLUMN 1 / ISSUE 1
remain in control. Problems
start when they break their
shape.
Coaching the hit
We work on the set up on
each row in the scrum.
There is an optimum shape
to work on. This is fairly
universal across most scrum
coaches.
The optimum shape allows
for the best speed into the
scrum and then to maintain
that shape throughout the
scrum. It should remain the
same no matter how close
the two sets of forwards line
up against each other.
Players learn the best
shape for their own body
by constantly repeating this
shape in training.
However, players of
all shapes and sizes will
scrummage identically.
Nearly 20 stone (125kg)
Set piece: scrummage
Get the
attitude –
go forward
Flat back
The bottom
forward of
the knees
Push from the
ground through
the legs. Don’t
“teapot” by lifting
up the backside
'Core on',
which means
tensing the
stomach
muscles
Knees advanced
of the toes
On the balls
of your feet
Duncan Bell, one of our
props, will use the same set
up as a slimmer and lighter
player such as Leicester and
England’s Dan Cole at
19 stone (121kg). It's the
tricks that the players use,
to gain an slight advantage
once the engagement
happens, that changes.
There is a balance
between learning the
tricks of the trade and
understanding the
fundamentals. The most
experienced props will
know the clever ways to
get themselves either in
the best positions or get
themselves out of trouble.
I reckon to improve
young players dramatically
by working on shape and
binding. We then move
onto the tactical elements of
scrummaging. The nitty gritty
comes in when players are
more experienced.
Collective timing
The scrum needs to work as
an eight-on engagement and
so collective timing has a key
role to play in winning the
hit. Essentially, you require
all the rows to move forward
together.
We do not always use the
scrum machine to work on
this area. We might put the
scrum players into a tightly
bound circle and work our
way through the timing
sequence. Your triggers may
be different to other teams,
but the scrum engagement
sequence is still Crouch
Touch Pause Engage. And do
Chest
advanced of
the knees
Scrum checklist
Less experienced players can benefit from a
scrum checklist to ensure they are properly
prepared for each scrum. More experienced
players are likely to do this naturally.
As a basic guide, when looking at
accelerating into the engagement, I would
suggest eight areas for you to look at.
not forget the flankers have
a role to play in the scrum.
Martin Haag
Mixing the training
We try to mix our scrum
training, with live sessions,
scrum machine work and
gym work. Live sessions
are rewarding, but must be
refereed properly, if possible
with a qualified referee.
Players start twitching at the
thought of live scrums.
In the gym we might work
with Swiss balls to improve
the players’ cores. On the
field we will use 1 v 1s, 2 v
2s, and other combinations.
This need to be worked on
a controlled environment. It
is all about getting players
aware of their shapes and
footwork.
Martin Haag had a long and
distinguished career with Bath
as a lock forward. He played in
the years when Bath were the
premier team in England.
Martin won two caps for
England in 1997.
He finished his playing career
at Bath in 2001 and became the
Youth Academy coach before
moving to Bristol as first team
coach with Richard Hill.
In 2007 he worked for the
RFU as the England Under
18 assistant coach and then
returned to Bath as the academy
forwards coach. However,
the RFU was keen to have him
back, so he became a National
Academy coach, working with
the England Under 20s team.
This season, he returned again
to Bath to work as the forwards
coach.
Bath forwards coach
VOLUMN 1 / ISSUE 1
11
Coaching
School of Hard Knocks
Turning a group of young men from tough backgrounds from novice players into a
winning rugby team poses many challenges and learning experiences. It also gave us the
opp
opportunity to learn a lot about our own method of coaching.
BY CHRIS CHUDLEIGH, RFU TRAINER AND TV RUGBY COACH AND SCOTT QUINNELL, WALES AND LIONS NUMBER 8
B
Take a group of young men with only one
thing in common – they're unemployed
and from a tough inner city area. Then
create a rugby team. That brings with
it some unique challenges. How those
challenges were overcome, can be
of benefit to all rugby coaches. Why?
Because the nature of the programme
requires the coach to be sharply
focussed on achieving the end result.
Absolute beginners
The immediate problem is how to get
the players to come back tomorrow.
They must be enthused and challenged,
without being put off. For many just
getting out of bed is a chore, breaking
habits is tough, ask any smoker, and
inactivity is a habit.
Where do you start to coach
absolute beginners? Many come with
pre-conceived ideas about rugby and all
are nervous, not only of the game, but
also of the other players. These guys
have no idea about the game so the
ethos of rugby is best conveyed through
small-sided games.
The ideal teaching tool is the game
broken down into bite-sized chunks.
Getting used to physical contact and
the associated bumps and bruises is all
part of developing the ethos of the rugby
player – wrestling activities and controlled
contact invasion games in confined
space make collisions inevitable.
This develops an understanding of
transferring power into a situation to win
the collision/struggle.
Young lads love a scrap, especially if it is
done in a protected environment where
they know their opponent will not
suddenly produce a knife.
Evasion games develop other aspects
– individual running skill, balance, team
work, etc. The underlying tenet is that we
play games, we don’t run drills.
We use lots of small boxes with
different competitive games. The basic
tool in the coaches' armoury is the 10
metre square or the three metre by 10
metre wide channel. So much can be
12
VOLUMN 1 / ISSUE 1
done by extracting a game situation,
reducing it to that space and pitting man
against man.
Success is essential
Activity is king and the game is the coach.
Design the game with parameters that
mean the actual coach doesn't have to
keep bringing out coaching points.
One example of this is a game called
Pinball circle which has a number of
cones placed in a large circle, a defender
with a shield mans a cone, but there are a
small number left unmanned. A team of
attackers can run and pass the ball in any
direction and must hold the ball whilst
they have a foot on a cone to score. If
an attacker is touched by a shield when
he is in contact with the ball it is not a try.
(How hard he is touched is down to the
defender!). The blank cones represent
the goals, the defenders can move
anywhere around the circle and are
aiming to block the attack from scoring.
This game develops almost every
aspect of the game from support running,
to drawing a man, to defensive cohesion
and so on. Above all it's physically
demanding and great fun. The players
do not (at this stage), even need to know
that the ball must be passed backwards,
or that the defensive
line must be
straight, or that tackled players must
release the ball.
Play can be progressed to introduce
the laws of the game by building in rules
and developments. Everybody likes to
test themselves against an opponent.
Though drills are sterile, they can be used
sparingly to polish skills once learned.
Image is all
If you live on a tough estate in a major
English city, how you carry yourself, how
you are perceived is central to how you
get by in life. Loss of face can be a serious
blow to how you get by each day. Players
must be eased into the confrontational
situations.
With such a disparate group if you
throw them into collisions that could so
easily be the spark to light the fire. Many
will not even attempt to make a tackle as
the price of failure is a dent to their tough
guy persona which protects them day
to day. By exposing these young men to
a frightening situation in which there is
no real risk of being stabbed or shot you
can develop them, they even begin to
become receptive to direction.
Short distances reduce momentum. In
our situation, we can use the coaches for
tackling which means that the collisions
can be controlled and
confidence built
Pinball circle
The attack have to pass and
run to get the ball carrier to
touch a cone with their foot
without being touched by a
bag holder.
Coaching
Scott Quinnell watches as
one of the players drives
into Will Greenwood
Whole-Part-Whole
Coach educators go to great lengths talking about the “Whole - Part - Whole” method.
This is where a game (either a manufactured situation from standard 15-a -side rugby,
or a small sided game) is used to coach.
Having identified an aspect of the game which needs developing, the coach then
introduces a specific drill to improve on that aspect. Once the players have grasped
the techniques, perhaps even acquired the skill a little in a controlled exercise, they are
thrown back into the game situation to further improve the skill under the pressure of
competition.
up. It is important that
the players are exposed
to bumps and knocks
without consequently
lashing out. When they
realise the boundaries and
are praised for knocking
a coach flat they begin to
understand how rugby
players are expected to
react to contact and even
getting hurt.
Should a player come
up short in any exercise,
he will have been
responsible for weakening
how the others perceive
him. It is then the coach’s
Scott Quinnell’s
comments:
Scott coached the
team, along with
Will Greenwood.
The hardest part of
coaching these players
was trying to give them
self esteem on and off
the pitch. When I coach
top players, they already
have principles in place.
These principles are
Summing up
• Appropriate small sided
games minimises the need
for the coach to speak.
• Use selective intervention
to develop the quality of play
and progress the game with
the introduction of new rules.
• Preserve the self image
of every player. It may be
challenged if they have let
themselves down. Only once
they have shown a weakness
the coach must reissue the
challenge to the individual
tempering it so that success
is more likely.
• Learn how to win, not just
compete.
about the way the game
is played and how to
treat each other.
If a player comes with a
preconceived idea about
the game and other
people, then it is habit
that needs to broken.
On the flipside, the new
players don't have the
bad habits that many
rugby players have built
up over the years.
task to build him back up
and put him on a par with
the remainder.
Winning ways
How is success measured:
is it about winning or is it
about just doing well? It
has to be about winning,
which is contrary to
all popular coaching
ideology. For these boys
we are trying to develop
a winning mentality in life
and striving for success.
Mediocrity is simply not
acceptable.
It also gives them
In particular,
experienced players
may have become
accustomed to one style
of play and therefore
will tend to be grooved
to that way. Top level
coaching is more about
moulding these players
to the game plan, and not
coaching them.
In coaching the lads
I found I had to break
down the skills into
an insight into just how difficult it is
to succeed. In striving for absolute
excellence they will have achieved so
much along the way. Life is competitive,
the job market is too, so developing an
approach where winning is the ultimate
goal is important.
Learning how to win means doing
things differently from just trying to
score the most points. It's about building
pressure on the opponent and taking the
right option when the pressure is on you.
The other team plays differently when
the game is tight, or if they face a huge
points deficit. It is easier to beat them
convincingly if we have built a lead.
It is a different approach to developing
rugby players as often it means kicking
the goal, as opposed to running with the
ball, keeping it tight as opposed to playing
expansive, attractive and enjoyable
rugby; the kind we all coo over when
we see it! Winning becomes part of the
enjoyment. Learning how to win is not
about being the best team, it is about the
appropriate application of the skills and
resources you have at your disposal on
the day.
Chris Chudleigh
RFU Trainer and TV Rugby Coach
Chris played national league rugby in England,
Wales, Ireland and the British Army. He has
coached at RFU division 1, is a National tutor,
trainer and mentor and has a degree in sport
and exercise science. Chris is also the lead
coach on Sky Sports School of Hard Knocks.
Scott Quinnell
Former Wales and Lions' number 8
Scott won 50 caps for Wales and went on two
Lions tours as a number 8. He played rugby
union for Llanelli and played rugby league for
Wigan. He coached Llanelli premiership team
in the Welsh leagues. He is now a television
commentator as well as coaching the School
of Hard Knocks team with former Lions
colleague Will Greenwood.
smaller pieces than
I have to do with
professional players. I
was pleasantly surprised
though at how quickly
they picked it up.
Communication-wise,
I had to use far less
rugby jargon. With
professionals you tend
to get them to do more of
the communication.
Mental toughness is
still required at all levels
of the game. Players
drop out because they
don't have the heart for
the hard work that is
necessary to succeed.
With these new players,
we needed to instill
the key principles for
areas we tend to take
for granted. Simple
things like rucks and
passing constantly need
reviewing.
VOLUMN 1 / ISSUE 1
13
Book review: coaching and leadership
The
Score
Takes
Care of
Itself
Bill Walsh won three Superbowl championships with
the San Francisco 49ers using his innovative West Coast
Offense strategies. He discovered Joe Montana, who
became one of the best quarterbacks in the world.
My Philosophy
of Leadership
Bill Walsh with
Steve Jamison and
Craig Walsh
Penguin Group,
Amazon. £14.99.
Bill Walsh won three
Superbowls with the San
Francisco 49ers. When he
took over as head coach in
1979 they were arguably
the worst team in American
football history.
Within two years they
were the best. This
sympathetic and honest
book, published after
Walsh’s death in 2007, but
largely in his own words,
explains in detail the
and lower league football,
one senses he had pieced
together a precise, allconsuming battle plan.
Walsh didn’t just set about
changing the way the team
learned and trained. The
entire 49ers organisation
from the receptionists
up were subject to his
all-powerful Standard of
"Bill Walsh could burn a
hole right through you
with his eyes"Randy Cross, veteran 49er
methods he used to achieve
extraordinary success. His
philosophy stands as a
comprehensive “how to”
guide for anyone dedicated
to reaching the pinnacle of
sporting success.
To say Bill Walsh took
football coaching seriously
is an understatement.
Professional football “is the
moral equivalent of war,”
he says. After an extended
apprenticeship in university
14
VOLUMN 1 / ISSUE 1
Performance. Shirts had to
be tucked in, promptness
was required, there was
no swearing, no fighting,
no smoking on premises
(this was the 1980s), good
sportsmanship by all, no
sitting down in training,
no enemies, personal or
organisational, and above
all, no bending the rules. One
administrator arrived for his
first day at work without a
tie. Walsh told him to go and
buy one that morning.
There was obsessive
attention to detail. For
example, Walsh got his
coaching staff to identify
30 specific and separate
physical skills needed
to master the offensive
linesman role at the highest
level - and then created
a drill for each and every
one of them. They were to
be practised relentlessly
until their execution at the
highest level was automatic
- “routine perfection” he
called it.
He spent months
compiling manuals for
budgets, operations,
personnel, detailed
job descriptions and
evaluations, performance
goals, expectations. Walsh
was aware that it all seemed
mad, but he could not stop.
He claimed no one in the
49ers outworked him.
Many of his philosophies
are laid out in lists (there
are 15 in the book) and the
joke was that he had lists
of lists in his filing cabinet.
Nine Steps to Treating
People Right, Keeping Staff
Members Focussed, 13
Habits for Being a Leader,
Essential Traits in a Staff
Member, and so on. They
serve as constant reminders
for considered actions, ways
of speaking to people, ways
to encourage, improve, deal
with crises and triumphs.
Performance
requirements were
enhanced by innovations.
Walsh got players to coach
players, experienced
professionals to teach
rookies, he even tried
getting players to coach
their permanent team
replacements in a kind of
job shadowing, though this
didn’t work too well.
None of this could have
been achieved without
Walsh’s skills as a teacher,
with the expertise not only
to show players how they
could get better and better,
but to demonstrate how
they could pass this on to
others. He emphasised
talking to the “bottom 20%”
Book review: coaching and leadership
Bill Walsh was famous for his
lists. Here’s one of them:
Keep Your Eye on the
Ball: A dozen daily
reminders to keep you
on the right track
Concentrate on what
will produce results
rather than on the
results, the process
rather than the prize
Exhibit an inner
toughness emanating
from four of the most
effective survival tools
a leader can possess:
experience, composure,
patience, and common
sense
Maintain your own
level of professional
ethics and all details of
your own Standard of
Performance
Don’t isolate yourself
Don’t let the
magnitude of the
challenge take you away
from the incremental
steps necessary to
effect change
Exude an upbeat and
determined attitude
Hold meetings with
staff educating them on
what to expect
Don’t label some
concept or new plan the
thing that will “get us
back on track”
Ensure that an
appropriate level of
courtesy and respect is
extended to all members
of the organisation
Don’t plead with
employees to “do
better”
Avoid continual
threatening or chastising
Deal with your
immediate superior(s)
on a one-to-one, ongoing
basis
of his players, “the backups, the benchwarmers,
the special role players”,
trying to make them feel
as important as the stars
and recognising that in a
team, they can make the
difference to whether you
win or lose.
As far as the game itself
was concerned, Walsh was
at the centre of creating an
approach to attacking plays
involving more passing,
what became known as the
West Coast Offense. At first
this brought him ridicule and
criticism, but eventually it
was accepted as a new style
of the game entirely.
Critics couldn’t
understand why he resisted
Walsh was not a man to
take on, and he was ruthless
in disposing of those who
criticised or broke his rules.
Randy Cross, a veteran 49er,
said: “Bill Walsh could burn a
hole right through you with
his eyes. Right through your
bones and everything.”
Walsh succeeded by
trying to think of everything.
He was fully aware of the
dangers of doing well, and
even coined a term for it:
Success Disease. He was
a master of perfection, but
understood that it was a
fleeting thing that could
never be held on to for long.
“Mastery requires endless
remastery. In fact, I don’t
believe there is ever true
his successor win the
Superbowl with “his” team.
For all the quality of
performance Walsh insisted
upon, he was of course,
far from perfect. He didn’t
delegate well, as only he
could do (many) things to
his own exacting standards.
That he didn’t follow his
own advice that a leader
should know when to quit
(before it is too late) should
not diminish his astonishing
achievements. Lots of
people want to be great,
have a desire to be the
best, but Walsh also had in
his head the 'know how' to
actually make it happen.
"A leader should know
when to quit (before it is
too late)"
setting a target, such as
finishing in the top half of
the league in two seasons
or winning the Superbowl
in five. His answer was that
competency was the goal,
creating an organisation that
did everything right. Winning
would come later. With the
perfect team supported by
the perfect organisation,
the score would take care
of itself. And indeed it did.
Though Walsh’s first season
was as bad as the one
before while he bedded
down his regime, at the end
of his second season he
won the Superbowl.
It is worth pointing out that
the success wasn’t bought
in the way that we are used
to in the English Premier
Football League. The 49ers
won their first Superbowl
championship under Walsh
with the lowest salaries of
any team in the NFL.
But implementing the
Standard of Performance
was done with an iron will.
mastery. It is a process, not
a destination.”
With commentary from
players and Walsh’s
coaching associates
interspersed between
chapters, there is a
slightly disjointed feel,
though the insights add
to understanding Walsh’s
complex personality.
Near the end of the
book, the tone changes
dramatically and the
positive, 'can do' principles
of his operating system give
way to a certain amount of
bitterness. Having achieved
so much he found that
both his own and others’
expectations of him
continued to rise. Winning a
Superbowl wasn’t enough he had to win the next one,
and the next one. He started
giving himself zero points for
winning and negative points
for losing. In the end Walsh
admits he burned out, and
had to resign or breakdown.
He never got over seeing
Bill Walsh’s
Coaching Career
History
Oakland Raiders
1966 Running back coach
Cincinnati Bengals
1968-1975 Assistant coach
San Diego Chargers
1976 Offensive coordinator
Stanford Cardinal
1977-1978 Head coach
San Francisco 49ers
1979-1988 Head coach
Stanford Cardinal
1992-1994 Head coach
San Francisco 49ers
1999-2001 VP and GM
San Francisco 49ers
2002-2004 Consultant
Source: Wikipedia
VOLUMN 1 / ISSUE 1
15
Fridge notes: action points from this issue
Bouncing back from
defeat
Simon Middleton
앫Take your time to reflect if you have lost.
앫Keep the game in perspective: look at the
facts and not the emotion.
앫Take a balanced view: was it our
performance or theirs?
앫Emphasise the positives: did some areas of
our performance improve?
앫Find solutions for shortcomings: work with
the players to move forward.
앫Knees advanced of the toes.
앫Chest advanced of the knees
앫The bottom forward of the knees.
앫Flat back.
앫Core on, which means tensing the stomach
muscles.
앫Push from the ground through the legs. Don’t
“teapot” by lifting up the backside.
앫Get the attitude – go forward.
Same laws, better game
S
Place kicking
Paddy O’Brien
Doug McClymont
앫You can shape the flight of the ball so you can
kick more goals from the touchline.
앫For instance for curving the ball to the right
for a right footed kicker:
앫Run up: Rounder than normal, so the
approach is more front on.
앫Plant foot: Slightly further away than normal.
앫Follow through: From right to left, finishing
slightly to the left of the line of flight.
TThe laws at breakdown
Mark Calverley
앫Because the tackler must roll away and
not hold onto the tackled player your players
must be:
앫In attack – be fitter, use less risky offloads, be
prepared for faster ruck ball.
앫In defence – better tackle technique, do not
allow tackled player to go
to ground if you are on your
feet, be better disciplined in
releasing the tackled player,
step through the tackle to get
to the ball, counter ruck.
Dominating the hit
D
Martin Haag
앫The basic guide to a good
scrummage position:
앫On the balls of your feet
앫There are five areas we want our referees to
focus on to allow the game to flow:
앫Scrum cadence: engagement on the
referee’s timing.
앫Mauling: don’t get blockers in front of the ball
carrier at the lineout.
앫Tackler: roll away or if you are still on your feet
release the tackled player.
앫Kick chasers: stay onside or get onside.
앫Stay onside at the ruck.
T School of Hard
The
Knocks
Chris Chudleigh & Scott Quinnell
앫Teaching players who have never played
before helps us learn these lessons:
앫Small sided games reduce the need for the
coach to speak.
앫Intervene into games
selectively to
develop the
quality of play.
앫Progress
games with new
rules.
앫Preserve the self
image of every player. If they
have displayed a weakness then reissue the
challenge so success is more likely.
앫Learn how to win, not just compete.
Coming up
in the May
issue:
Wasps Director of Rugby,
Tony Hanks, on managing
a large squad and keeping
players motivated over the
whole season.
Wales U18 and Cardiff
Blues academy, Dale
McIntosh “The Chief”, on the
value of honesty and telling the
players the truth. He comments
on how he coaches the new
tackle interpretations.
Grand Slam winning Women's
coach, Gary Street on kicking
practices. He discusses drills
and games to improve your
team’s kicking out of hand, with
views from national kicking
coaches Neil Jenkins of Wales
and Jon Callard of England.
Brumbies coaching
development manager
Craig Leseberg on coaching
the scrum half pass. He
examines the merits of the
sweep pass against the pick
and pass methods.
Lynn Kidman, gives us an
extract from her latest book,
Athlete-centred Coaching,
Developing Decision Makers
detailing how Grand Slam
winning Mike Ruddock uses
games to help coach his team.
IRC editor and Welsh
Women's assistant coach,
Dan Cottrell on the scrum
half pass from the lineout. Dan
draws on the experience of
former Scotland international
scrum half, Greig Oliver, who
is now coach at Irish team
Garryowen.
International Rugby Coaching is a monthly publication for professional, semi-professional
and aspiring rugby coaches and is available by subscription only. £97 for 12 issues.
To subscribe email duncanh@greenstarmedia.net or call FREE on 0800 028 3596.
Published by Green Star Media Ltd, Meadow View, Tannery Lane, Bramley, Guildford, Surrey GU5 0AB, UK. Editor Dan Cottrell Contributors Simon Middleton,
Martin Haag, Mark Calverley, Paddy O'Brien, Chris Chudleigh and Doug McClymont Design Jimmy Egerton Illustrations Mike Ronald Online Marketing
Executive Lucie Lancashire Customer Services Representative Duncan Heard Publisher Junaid Khawaja Operations Director Toby Curthoys Managing
Director Andrew Griffiths © Green Star Media Ltd All rights reserved
This publication is protected by national and international copyright laws. International Rugby Coaching will take legal action against any individuals or organisations found to be
infringing its rights, and will make that action public. International Rugby Coaching members who have purchased this report may circulate electronic or hard copies to members
of their own club or school, provided this is done without commercial gain. However, no part or whole of this report may be circulated elsewhere or displayed on any website or
distributed commercially except under licence from the copyright owners. International Rugby Coaching will pay a £250 reward for information leading to the successful legal
prosecution against individuals or organisations copying or republishing this information in any format, including websites and bulletin boards. Your confidentiality is guaranteed.
16
VOLUMN 1 / ISSUE 1