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APRIL2013 • VOLUME 4 • ISSUE 1
Attack where
Win with front
they are weakest lineout ball
Peter Russell
Head coach,
Newcastle Falcons
England
Listening to
the players
Elite session
9v6
Sir Graham
Henry, ex-All
Blacks coach
New Zealand
Joe Payton
Academy coach,
Hawkes Bay
New Zealand
Andy Friend,
Head coach,
Canon Eagles,
Japan
How to play downhill
in both halves
Make sure your fundamentals are accurate and it will be like playing downhill
in both halves of the match. The momentum you gain from having front-foot ball will make the
subsequent decisions and plays much easier and enable you to "tilt the field" in your favour.
Here is how we balance our core areas of the game within our short international windows.
BY NICK SCRIVENER, ASSISTANT COACH, AUSTRALIA
Building on and
changing our
principles
Like most international
teams, we have smaller
windows of time to prepare
our squads in comparison
to provinces and club
teams who also have pre
seasons, etc. In this time
we have to build the base
of our pyramid, making
sure our principles are in
place. The principles are the
fundamentals of the game,
patterns of play and defence.
How much do we change
our principles, especially
our patterns and defence?
Between games we will
definitely be tweaking, based
on what is working and not
working and the opposition
coming up. Over a longer
period, you may well find
1 VOLUME 4 / Issue 1
we have a different shape
in attack and defence. Again
this is based on historically
what has worked well or
not in the past, but also how
we are reacting to the law
changes and interpretations,
the way the game is moving
and the opposition.
It is unusual that you face
a side three times in three
weeks, like we did
with Wales last
summer and with the
Lions in 2013. It is a rare
opportunity to put longer
term plans in place, some of
which might not be revealed
until later in the series.
The why and the what
In the training window, we
are working with players
to help them understand
what we are trying to do
1
2
Learning from game
and into training
In training we might work on areas where we have been
penalised in previous games. For instance, where we picked
up penalties for going off our feet, we either (1) improved
our stability over the ball, or (2) if the player felt he was going
off his feet, he worked on rolling away quickly
The trouble
with being
honest and
open
With Lions fever hotting up, it was easy to lose sight of the
personal goals of the 6 Nations head coaches. England’s Stuart
Lancaster wanted to prove his team’s progress was still upward
while Rob Howley wanted to arrest Wales’ decline of last year.
In the end, the Welsh team were on the up in tournament, while
England were fading.
The post match comments were honest and open by the
England management, as they were throughout. Too honest
and open perhaps, because they wanted to seek clarification
from the referees’ department on a couple of matters and told
the press so. Sour grapes were on the menu suddenly.
Sometimes it is better to say nothing other than to admit to
your own shortcomings. Though the Lancaster coaching team is
still very well respected, this reduced their stock somewhat.
But, I wonder, does that really matter? The England team
members will probably welcome some respite from the Press
in terms of weeding out problems and weaknesses, and this
was a public show of support by their coaches. No player would
have slept well after that defeat, like the Welsh boys back at the
start of the tournament. You can put your hand up to say where
you have been lacking but no player gains from entering the
field nervous of making mistakes or feeling like they are playing
poorly.
Look at the resurgence of Sam Warburton. His form had
dipped and arguably he had an average game by his standards
against Scotland the week before England. But he did enough
for the media and crowd to remember his glory days. He was
championed all week and came off the field in Cardiff a different
player to the forlorn figure of just a few months ago.
England, by contrast, looked nervous. What a difference from
their performances either side of Christmas. What happened to
their confidence?
Nick Scrivener, the Australian assistant coach, writing in this
month’s International Rugby Coaching, wants his squad to play
with confidence and skill. He knows there is little he needs to do
to motivate his team, because a Lions tour is a privileged test of
any player’s mettle. His challenge is to make sure the players are
operating to their full potential. In a sense, his solution is simple.
Work on the basics, use a simple common language, develop
the players as a whole with their provinces.
Open and honest can help confidence, but best to keep it to
the players.
Dan Cottrell
2 VOLUME 4 / Issue 1
and why. For example, we might be focusing on
the breakdown. Say if we were penalised a lot in
the tackle area for lying on the ball, we would be
working on tackle stability/balance and positioning
post tackle or rolling away if we cannot stay on
our feet. The “why” is reducing the penalty count,
the “what” is executing tackles better or the rolling
away post tackle.
Essentially, we want the whole squad singing
from the same hymn sheet in a short period of
time. We are, therefore, talking the same language
in training. This means we establish key reference
points in the core areas of our game which we will
continue to reinforce during the training period and
into the games.
We can split the core areas into individual and
“Essentially, we want
the whole squad
singing from the same
hymn sheet in a short
period of time.“
team aspects. When it comes to individual skills,
because we are in match preparation phase
for most of the time, we have regular but small
windows of opportunity to spend on specifically
improving the players individual skill sets – through
structured or unstructured “extras”. Ongoing
individual/position specific skill development is
crucial in any rugby programme. During the Test
window, we also have scope throughout the week
to put work into players outside the starting 15 and
those outside the Test 23, especially later in the
week when the starting team will be tapering off
in terms of volume in preparation for the match. If
appropriate, they will have been given work-ons
as part of their feedback why they are not in the
starting 15 or match 23.
The majority of our time has to be focused on
game preparation (remember we will be adjusting
our patterns of play, set pieces and defences,
etc.. to the new opposition!). The individual skill
development has to be an ongoing long-term
process which is done hand-in-hand with the
provinces to ensure that the player is continually
addressing individual or position specific skills
during the various handovers during the year.
The information flow is very important between
national team and the provincial coaches to ensure
Training: Preparing an international team
Integrated approach to development
FORMAL
INFORMAL
Playing
National Team
Provincial Team
Training
Plan for t
en
Developm
Positional skills
signed
Player
_______
am
National te
_
__
__
__
al team
ci
in
ov
Pr
_______
We only have a small window with our
players, so we need to work closely
with the provinces. We have formal and
informal channels to discuss player’s
match performances and training
that everyone involved in
delivering programmes for
the player have a thorough
understanding of what
has been done with the
player in each programme
and more importantly, that
there is a clear ongoing
plan in place for the player
to develop agreed areas of
schedules. We will want to dovetail this
with positional skills and individual skills
training, with a plan for development
agreed between us, the province and
ultimately, the player
his game. This is achieved
through formal reporting and
informal ongoing discussion
between national staff,
provincial staff and of course
the player.
Team fundamentals
From a team point of view,
we have to constantly work
“The information flow
is very important between
national team and
provincial coaches“
3 VOLUME 4 / Issue 1
Individual skills
on the base of the pyramid
- set piece, contact area,
defence and catch/pass/
attack skills. We cannot
ignore these areas, they
are the fundamentals of
the game. When it comes
to contact, we will generally
work on these aspects early
in the week.
Last year we had an
unprecedented 15 Tests,
so in very general terms
we had to get the volume
of contact work early on
in the cycle. It is important
to establish the technical/
tactical applications we
are trying to develop and
also set the tone of what
is required in terms of the
behavioural components
of the game – for instance,
work off the ball, contact
appetite, and developing our
collective attitude. It must be
remembered that players
have developed these areas
within their provinces and
have also had a lot of contact
over numerous Super 15
games.
By the end of the Test
cycle we may have to find
other ways to work on or
emphasise the physical
aspects of the game as the
players can be carrying the
physical residual effects of a
long season.
For example, we might
spend more time watching
video footage or more time
feeding back with individuals
or having the players playing
a larger part in team analysis.
In other words, the shift
goes from physical contact
volume in training to working
more on their mental state
and making sure they have
recovered and are fresh for
the next match.
The challenges for 2013
The 2013 season presents challenges but also
opportunities. Since Christmas, the players will have been
on pre-season with their Super 15 sides, then into the
Super 15 season, back to the national team for the Lions
tests, then back to the Super 15 including finals then back
to national team for the Rugby Championship Nations
and end of year tour, which obviously means a number
of handovers - something relatively new in the Australian
rugby landscape.
Training: Preparing an international team
Week in, week out, we must concentrate on the basics
SET PIECE
CONTACT
We cannot afford to miss out on improving
and consolidating the basic skills of even
the best players. These form the base of our
pyramid so that we can implement our game
CATCH/PASS
ATTACK
plan. Each week we have with players there
will be some work on the four key areas:
Set piece, contact, catch/pass attack and
defence.
My plays or your plays
With a multi-talented and
experienced group of
players, you need to come
to a consensus on what
plays and moves you might
use in the next match.
Remember that our more
senior players will have
played some opposition
teams many times and
will have a good insight
of what may and may not
work. With the coaching
staff obviously doing
their background work,
DEFENCE
collectively we can bring a
range of ideas to the table.
Then we can thrash it out
between us.
It is a consultative process,
while we will have ideas
and plans, the coaching
staff are not there
necessarily to impose a set
of plays or game plan– we
encourage and expect the
players to do their own
research, to formulate
ideas, to think strategically
and laterally.
We can never rest in
addressing the fundamentals
of the game. In Test rugby
the margins are so small.
We need to be consistent. In
2012 something near to 60%
of top Test matches scores
were within 10 points and
a third of those within five
points.
I like to think if teams
control the fundamentals,
they are more in control
of the game and that the
other areas of the game
Tackle training late in playing cycle
We have to think creatively
about tackle training when
players are fatigued during
an extended campaign.
We might reducing the
amount of contact time.
4 VOLUME 4 / Issue 1
For example we might spend
more time watching video
footage or more time feeding
back with individuals or having
the players playing a larger part
in team analysis.
become easier to execute
(like phase plays/starter
plays) effectively playing
with momentum, as if they
were running downhill.
Alternatively, if they struggle
in the core areas of the
game, everything else
becomes difficult - struggle
to win ball, use ball, make
breaks and control the
scoreboard, so chasing the
game, like playing uphill.
Working with the
best in training
We have a very talented
group of players to work
with. When I set up activities,
I want them to flow.
Therefore I will feedback “onthe-run” rather than stopping
and starting the activity too
often. There needs to be a
balance between continuity
and information, where
too much information can
stifle the activity. This, of
course, depends on the
type of session – if it is an
organisational/tactical
session we may spend more
time stopping and talking
compared to a core skills
session where we may want
to work a high intensity
and pump out plenty of
repetition.
I know it seems very
basic, but it is important
the explanation and
demonstration of the
exercise is very clear.
Then the players can do
plenty of repetitions, with
coaches throwing in some
feedback as the players are
moving from point to point.
Afterwards I might give them
more detailed feedback
on the spot, or back in the
analysis room. Different
players need different
feedback at different times.
You have to choose your
moments wisely.
Training: Preparing an international team
Feedback on the run
11
12
13
9
11
13
15
Fire wrists
to pass
Inside hip
pass
Fingers
to the sky
I will use feedback to the players as they are
working within the drill. These are triggers that
the players will have heard before, and are
part of our common language. In the handling
When giving the “on-therun” feedback, I will be using
our common language and
terminologies.
For instance in a handling
drill I might be saying “inside
hip” which is where I want
the players to catch the ball,
or “fingers to the sky” for
catching or “fire the wrists”
to pass, all with the name of
the player next to it. These
will not be new terms to the
players.
They will know
beforehand why we are
concentrating on these
skills and we may make
reference to the execution
of the particular skill in
previous match/training
performances.
We are trying to
constantly give short-term
focus in the activity to the
players which over time will
change behaviour.
Effective communication
5 VOLUME 4 / Issue 1
example above, “fire the wrists” means twist
the wrist joints, “inside hip” is where I want
players to catch the ball and “fingers to the
sky” is help with the catching skill.
strategies on the training
field are very important, we
are not looking to throw in
new information out of the
blue where possible.
When I am observing
the activity, I am looking for
trends. It is easy to pick up
one-off instances. If there are
new areas to address, these
will be done later. This is not
the time for new information.
Post match goods and
bads
If we have won a game
and an area like the
tackle contest has gone
well, because it is such a
fundamental, we will still
be working on it in some
capacity. We need to
consistently get these areas
right and will be building
on our success in the next
training session.
Ignoring them even for
a small amount of time can
have a massive impact on
performance. Similarly if
an area of the game has
not been done well, it is not
always a case of devoting
all your time to it – there are
too many other things to
consider in a training week.
We will recognise a good
performance, draw out the
fundamentals, but still work
on the core areas. In this
training session we might be
doing more of the same or
we might need to change an
Nick Scrivener
Assistant coach, Australia
Nick played for Tuggeranong
Vikings, then represented ACT
in both Sevens and 15s, while
featuring in the inaugural Brumbies
squad.
He began his coaching career back
at Marist College, before moving
through the coaching ranks at
the Brumbies during the height of
the club’s success between 2000
and 2004 when the side won two
Super Rugby titles and also making
emphasis because of who
we are playing or how we
have performed.
We cannot simply rely on
past performances and are
constantly introducing slight
variations, manipulating the
activity.
If a fundamental area has
gone wrong, we have to be
prudent in identifying the
core reasons why it went
wrong. A system error, like
missed tackles in defence,
might require a different
solution to a player making a
technical mistake. Of course,
the statistics are a guide to
support our thoughts but
they must be taken into
context. A missed tackle by a
back three player defending
a line break with three
players coming at him is
different to a front-up tackle
at the side of a ruck.
With the players
involvement, we therefore
build up an understanding
how we improve it, whether
through behavioural,
technical or tactical
adjustment.
A player who has a
couple of missed tackles in
midfield might have been
compromised by a player
inside them who stepped
in rather than out to make a
tackle, isolating the player.
another final. He was assistant
coach at the club between 2005
and 2008 specialising in defence/
contact before taking up a post with
Edinburgh.
He was assistant then became head
coach. He was also involved in the
Scottish national set up, primarily
with the A team before returning
to Australia to take up an academy
role with the national squads. He
took on roles with Australian U21s
and A team before becoming
assistant coach with the national
team.
Attack: Tactics to exploit a weakness in defence
Rip the heart out
of their defence
Attacking teams need to move the ball away from the strength of the defence.
Theoretically, all defence policies at the breakdown are the same so you need to shift
the ball towards a peripheral defender which in turn becomes finding space.
BY PETER RUSSELL, HEAD COACH, NEWCASTLE FALCONS
All defences are theoretically
the same. Yes, they might
run a rush, drift or jockey
type defence from set piece,
breakdown or counter
attack plays, but the key
to any effective defensive
system is to have the right
numbers in the right place
at the right time. The heart
of the defence is the same
from the ruck. On each side
of the ruck, you have a “rock
or pillar or post” who guards
against the pick and go and
the half back sniping around
the fringe of the breakdown,
the next defender covers
a running 9 and the third
defence covers outside him.
These roles are well defined
and set at every ruck. If the
ball movement is slow or
quick, at least the defensive
policies are fixed and they
will have their “heart” of their
defence in place.
The “heart” of the defence
is a point of strength for
any team. A strong “heart”
defensive system allows
other systems of the
defensive policies to be
deployed, like line speed and
drift which, in essence, cuts
down the attacking options
of the opposing team. As
an attacking team we need
to soak up that line speed,
or find a way to break down
6 VOLUME 4 / Issue 1
The heart remains the same
C
B
A
A
pass
Whatever
a teams style of defence (drift,
blitz etc), the heart of defence will remain
the same: Three defenders either side of the
ruck fulfilling the same roles. The name of the
their defensive system. For
a start, we look to move the
point of contact away from
their strength. In simple
terms, we want to attack the
“unexpected” defenders
or their weakest defenders
who might well be the fifth
or sixth position in the ruck
defence chain.
We can do this by
grouping the defence and
spreading the ball - fixing the
defence, because they must
stay in their system - and
move the ball towards the
unexpected defender.
B
C
defenders may change, but their roles will
be pretty similar: “A” covers the pick and go
or cut back, “B” the 9 running or pop, “C” the
first receiver.
Grouping the defence
Inevitably, your ball carriers
will take contact. In fact they
may seek contact. There
are three main reasons
why they look to run at a
defender, two of which need
correcting, the other which
is a tactical play. We need to
distinguish between them.
Bad reasons to
take contact
1. The ball carrier does
not have the skills to move
the ball before contact.
Added to that, his is not
positively encouraged to
avoid contact. To remedy
this, we need to work on
his awareness of where
the weaknesses are in a
defensive line or defender
and how they can be
exploited.
2. The ball carrier has the
wrong mentality about
taking contact. He wants to
carry into the middle in the
defender, to take him on,
rather than attack the soft
shoulder and edges of the
defender.
Attack: Tactics to exploit a weakness in defence
A good reason
to take contact
Sometimes it is necessary
to take contact. It is not
because the player simply
thrives on contact, does
not have the skills to avoid
it or the defence is better
at getting in the way. It is
necessary because it is a
means to an end. It’s about
grouping the defence and
utilising quick ball into space.
What is necessary
contact?
Necessary contact is
when you want to set up a
particular contact point in
the opposition defensive
system to expose a
weakness elsewhere, or
the defending team cannot
get their defensive system
in place quick enough to
negate your attack.
Contact can also group
a weaker defensive team
knowing they must send
more support players in to
stop a rampaging attacking
team, leaving spaces
elsewhere.
If a team has a front line
defence mentality with a
tackle-only system, you
may need to take contact to
ensure they send necessary
defenders in to stop your
momentum. In this system,
you will find the team that
makes one-on-one tackles,
not over-committing to
the ruck and relying on
individuals to make sound
defensive tackles and
decisions, ensures the
defensive line stays intact.
This is where you can exploit
weaker or slower defenders
and system errors
Necessary contact is not
attacking the defender fronton. Instead, the ball carrier
attacks a weak shoulder,
which in turn draws more
defenders into the tackle to
try and halt the attack. With
more than one defender
stepping in, the defence will
have fewer players on their
feet around the tackle, and
will need to send wider out
defenders in to secure their
“heart” defence. This will give
space out wide to attack.
Stressing the defence
Not just about
necessary contact
need our players to have the
following skills:
• Good catch and pass skills
under pressure. That means
we can hold a defender and
then pass the ball to a point
of weakness, rather than
To break down an organised
defence, we don’t
necessarily need to take
contact. We need to attack
weaknesses. To do this we
When you attack a certain
area of the defence, the
defenders have to realign.
If you can overwork a part
of the opposition defence,
it can become stressed,
leading to spaces to attack
through elsewhere.
“To break down an
organised defence, we don’t
necessarily need to take
contact. We need to attack
weaknesses. “
Unexpected defenders
Defensive systems around the ruck
are pretty standard. The first three
players next to one side of the ruck
have specific roles, which I call the
heart of the defence. Outside these
players, the roles become less
defined. Once we reach the fifth and
sixth defender, they are not so likely
to be involved in the thrust of the
defensive system, especially against
teams who run a 1v1 attacker/
tackler and tackle assist system.
If you watch footage of matches,
you will see they often do not come
forward as fast as the other players,
or keep their shape.
To exploit these players, we need
to engage and hold the first four
defenders and then move the ball
into the spaces in front of the fifth
and sixth defender.
Attacking the unexpected defender
1
pass
7 VOLUME 4 / Issue 1
2
3
4
5
6
Attack: Tactics to exploit a weakness in defence
Tip plays
To aid not taking a full
contact on the defensive
line, we use tip or short
pass plays where a player
encourages or entices
the defender to come
onto him. He then shifts
the ball very quickly to a
supporting attacking player
who can either attack the
space left by the advancing
defender or take the ball
to the tackle line and then
pass short to another
player who either makes
the decision to carry or
pass wider.
moving the ball and allowing
the defence to shift with the
ball.
• The ability to get into our
attacking shape quickly. We
cannot attack effectively
unless our alignment is
good and the right players
are in place to either create
space or penetrate.
• Awareness of opposition
strengths and weaknesses.
“By players getting into
position to attack early,
they can better analyse the
strengths and weaknesses“
numbers OR hold them
and attack an “unexpected
defender”. This defender
will be under pressure
because his team mates are
“stressed” elsewhere.
Peter Russell
All defensive systems have
weak points and all teams
good and bad tacklers. Our
players should be aware of
where and who to attack
and when.
In essence, we are
moving the point of contact.
By players getting into
position to attack early,
they can better analyse the
strengths and weaknesses
of the defence. Now, they
can either “stress the
defence” by attacking it
in one place with more
Head coach, Newcastle Falcons
Peter has been coaching in New
Zealand since 1995 where he
started with Marist St Pats in
Wellington. He won personal and
team accolades before he moved
to Wairarapa-Bush NPC team in
2003, a semi-pro side. He helped
them through to promotion and
then accepted a job with top grade
side Hawkes Bay Magpies in 2007.
He won the NZRU Steinlager Coach
of the Year 2007 and led the team
to the ITM Championship in 2011.
During his time at Hawkes
Bay, he was assistant coach
to Highlanders Super Rugby
franchise. He also been NZRFU
Heartland and Divisonal assistant
coach. In 2012 he took on the role
as assistant coach at Newcastle
Falcons under Dean Richards.
He has the top NZ coaching
certificate and is a regular course
leader with IRANZ.
Holding the defence
We work on our catch and pass skills in every session. We
focus in particular on what I call “keeping our feet” so the
players catch and pass the ball without using up too much
of the valuable space in between the attack and defence.
One way we practice this is to have players catching and
passing while ruck pad holders rush up to put pressure on
them. We develop this exercise by modifying the defence
and having defenders showing a soft shoulder (hips away
from attacker) or running a passive/drift defence with
shoulders going towards the touchline. We will be spending
a minimum of 10 minutes on these sorts of exercises every
week.
Attacking shape
Defenders
BD
9
SPACE
Forwards Attackers
Backs Attackers
Here pass
is an example of the sort of attacking shape
you could use to attack the “unexpected defender”.
A wide group of forwards stand outside the third
defender, with a forward on the inside to hold the
8 VOLUME 4 / Issue 1
10
BD = BREAKDOWN
heart of defence in place. A second line of backs is
behind. The ball is moved to first forward of the three
who tips it onto the next player who can attack the
“unexpected defender”.
12
Set piece: Making the best use of front lineout ball
Front ball at the lineout:
More than one option
first.
It is easy to think that front ball at the lineout is only for a catch and drive to
clear your lines, or attack their try line from 5m out. In fact, it can still used
for off the top and front peels. But make sure you have the basics in place
BY JOE PAYTON, ACADEMY MANAGER, HAWKES BAY RUGBY FOOTBALL UNION.
Off the top from
the front
Make front ball into middle ball
9
Front ball or throwing to the
Aim for the 9 to take the
ball off-the-top in line
number two jumper at the
with the fourth or fifth
lineout is sometimes seen
player in your lineout.
He should be moving
as safe ball but not the best
onto the ball.
option when passing the ball pass
out to the backs. The 9 has to
pass further and opposition
players at the back of lineout
9
are inevitably closer to your
Aim for the 9 to take the
ball off-the-top in line
10 than if it was middle or
with the fourth or fifth
back ball. But that needs to
player in your lineout.
be weighed up with the fact
Get the front jumper to twist after the catch and
He should be moving
put the ball into the path of the 9 who is opposite
onto the ball.
that front ball is easier to win pass
the fourth or fifth player in the lineout
than middle or back ball.
I believe you can still
Practising the twist
make front ball workable for
the backs. The 9 needs to
take the ball 8-10m in from
the touchline, approximately
opposite the fourth or fifth
man in the lineout. He has to
take it so his momentum is
towards the intended pass,
which is your 10.
Secondly, it is the lineout
2
3
1
jumper’s responsibility at 2
pass
Using
a
thrower
(1)
and
“jumper”
(2)
on
their
supported
by
lifters.
When
the
player
delivers
to deliver the ball accurately
knees, work on the torso twist and deliver
it, it should be passed with one hand when he
to the 9. To achieve this he
before moving onto standing twists and then
finally lets go of the ball (3).
has to twist in the air once
he has received the ball and
then drop it into the path of
the 9.
head, twist their torso and
done under pressure from
or the 10, do not want the
We work on the first
shoulders to deliver the
opposition.
ball looped back because
jumper twisting by
ball with one hand as far
We aim to get the process 2 they will be pressured
3 by
1
themselves. Starting on their “back”” as they can. This can sharp, with an accurate
opposition forwards coming
pass
knees, they kneel square
be progressed to standing
throw to the jumper, then
through the line.
to the thrower and then
and then working in a pod
an accurate hard and flat
This sort of work does
take the ball above their
with their lifters. Finally it is
delivery to the half back. He, not always come to fruition
9 VOLUME 4 / Issue 1
Set piece: Making the best use of front lineout ball
Straight to 9, not looped
“The players need to
be comfortable with
the processes involved
and it takes plenty of
repetition to gain the sort
of sharpness we want“
Make sure the delivery from the
top is straight down and not looped
so the 9 is under less pressure from
opposition forwards coming through the line.
more likely to pick up the
back lifter twisting around
and becoming a shield
between the opposition and
jumper, so he has, like the
front lifter, to bind square
and in line with the jumper.
These two lifters become
the blocks. Their shape will
be very much like that of a
prop when scrummaging.
They “fail” if they have been
shifted out of position and
allow the opposition to get
through and attack the ball.
Now we have our blocks
in position, the fourth player
in the lineout will come in
to take the ball from the
straightaway. The players
need to be comfortable with
the processes involved and
it takes plenty of repetition
to gain the sort of sharpness
we want.
To start a catch and drive,
when the ball is brought
down by the number two
jumper in the line, the front
and back lifter bind on
and over the back of the
jumper. Referees are now
The front peel
Making the front peel work for you
Catch and
drive basics
Lineout ball which is taken
from the front jumper and
run into the 5m channel
is called a “front peel”.
Defensive teams have
become more astute at
defending this area but I
still think they are a useful
weapon. First, it can be
used effectively if you
arrive at the lineout quickly
and the ball is up and in
before the opposition
have a chance to set
themselves. Second, some
teams will defend with a
hooker in the 5m channel,
others with the 9. You can
decide to target a “dull”
hooker who tends to
wander with the throw or a
weak tackling 9.
10 VOLUME 4 / Issue 1
jumper. Timing must be
correct as he needs to take
the ball as the jumper lands
to initiate the drive. The new
ball carrier will put the ball
on his outside hip or under
his chest. He should be
able to shift himself back
through the maul and away
from danger. Once he has
taken the ball, he punches
the maul forward to start
some forward momentum.
This is to give the opposition
less time to set themselves
to counter. Also, too much
delay can make the referee
call “use it” Since our fourth
player is likely to be a lock
With a player taking the ball from the front jumper into the 5m channel, you
can exploit a weak defender, such as a slow hooker or small 9. Works best if
their front pod is slow getting into position because they are not ready.
Not ready
Weak defender
like a 9
Slow thinking 2
Set piece: Making the best use of front lineout ball
Bind over and body shape like a front row
more chance of the getting
up in front of his opposition
number.
The front jumper starts
‘loaded’ (hips and knees
bent- ready to explode). He
jumps forward and across
Bound over
Bound over
Facing in
Facing in
on speed. He aims
back of back focusing
of
catcher catcher
to get one hand to the ball,
and if not, certainly in the
Flat backs
Flat backsline of sight. The back lifter
has to chase the jumper
to help him up. In defence,
since we have the hooker in
the line (and 9 in the hooker
channel), I would have two
props lifting the front jumper
and the hooker and say one
Not driving
Not driving
Bound on
Bound on
of the flankers lifting the
Facing
Facing
straightstraight
front of front of
forwards
forwards
middle jumper. This very
catcher catcher
much depends on what
On the catch and drive, I think it is better to
that the back lifter must not get in between the defensive lineout structure
you are working with and
bind on the back of the jumper when he comes defenders and the jumper because referees
to the ground. And then take up a driving
are likely to penalise for obstruction.
what the opposition are
position like a front row would. Remember
doing with their attack.
The back lifter
or a lifter, I prefer the ball to
eventually go backwards
to the hooker or another
explosive runner. Depending
on what we want to do next,
it might be that the 9 tells
this player to attack the gain
line.
The fifth and sixth player
come into the make up the
maul, so we have a row of
three, followed by another
row of three and perhaps
the ball carrier at the back.
Defending front ball
We want to create as much
pressure as possible on their
front jumpers when we are
defending outside our 5m
line. We tend to put up a
player at two and four in the
lineout, aiming to take up
their space, forcing them to
be accurate.
We have spent a lot of
time watching and learning
from the South Africans,
who are among of the best
11 VOLUME 4 / Issue 1
exponents of the art of the
lineout. One of the ways
they add pressure on the
opposition front jumper
is to have their front lifter
standing at 45 degrees to
his own jumper and facing
in towards the opposition.
That means the defending
jumper will effectively be
closer to the 5m line and
more likely to have his inside
shoulder in front of his
opposite number and has
The lifter at the front of the
line has an easier job than
the middle lifter, who might
have to be a front lifter or
back lifter depending where
we are throwing the ball.
In attack, this middle lifter
Basic catch and drive set up
Defence
L
5
J
4
X
Form three rows, with the jumper (J) facing
towards your try line and the lifters (L) binding
his back. The next player rips the ball from the
jumper, with the fifth and sixth player binding
L
6
Direction
of play
on him to form a second row. Finally have your
“X-factor” player at the back. He can be a good
runner like a hooker who can break and make
metres if necessary.
Set piece: Making the best use of front lineout ball
Offset to get in front of the opposition
Hips and
shoulders
square
5m
lin
e
Jumps over right
shoulder of lifter
and therefore in
front of the
opposition
OPPOSITION
Hips and
shoulders
turned towards
opposition
5m
lin
e
has to be careful not to
give away his intentions.
Normally I would have him
facing the opposition.
The back lifter’s hand
position has not changed
much over the years,
with the cup of the hand
fitting under the cup of
the buttocks. What has
developed, however, is that
the jumpers and lifters have
become more explosive,
meaning the lifters can
release the jumper and
then catch him again to gain
some more height on the lift.
OPPOSITION
On their throw, have the front lifter
throw in, the jumper can get in front
turn his body at an angle towards
of their front pod by jumper “over
the opposition. When the opposition the shoulder” of the front jumper.
Great coaches act on
feedback from others and
focus on each player’s
individual strengths and
needs. These factors underpin
The Star Coach approach.
With the help of professional
coaches, personal
development experts and
clever online technology,
The Star Coach helps players
communicate their views and
experiences confidentially
while also making coaches
receptive to the feedback.
Coaches and players are
invited by email to work
through a series of carefullyconstructed questions which
help them focus on the
core attributes of a highperforming coach and team.
The questions have been
designed, by experienced
online researchers working
with professional sports
coaches.
To add value we work
closely with the coach both
before and after the review.
This enables us to understand
a coach’s goals before
receiving the feedback.
Following the review, we
develop a personalised
report for each coach and
meet face-to-face with them
to review the feedback
and to set strategies for
improvement.
For more information
visit www.thestarcoach.
com or email Toby Payton,
general manager at toby@
thestarcoach.com
12 VOLUME 4 / Issue 1
The loaded jumpers
From our research of South African lineouts
and jumpers, we can see that they are
using specific techniques to generate
momentum to get into the air more quickly
and more explosively. In the last 5 to 10
years in NZ the “little tick” terminology has
been used to describe players’ jumping
technique. Little ticks refer to jumpers
using as little angles as possible at the
ankle, knee and hip joints – as well as the
arms to propel
themselves into the
air. Theoretically,
this means that
opposite jumpers
have little or no time
to react to cues
from the attacking
jumper and
therefore he wins
the race into the air.
Contrary to this –
there is terminology
to describe players
who use large
angles at the ankle,
knee and hip (and
Joe Payton
Academy manager, Hawkes Bay
Joe has been a skills coach and
technical analyst since 2005. He
started with the New Zealand RFU as
a technical analyst and was part of
the U20s coaching team in the 2007
arms) – these are called "big ticks". These
are generally players who actually jump
off the ground, using big arm pumps, a
short sharp hop with as little contact time
on the ground as possible. There is no
right or wrong with these two differing
techniques but we have been using the big
tick approach which has been derived from
watching the South Africans and we are
having a good amount of success using it.
World Championship.
He then became a lineout skills
coach with the union, working
with individual players on their
development. He also worked
at the same time with Manukau
RFU. He had a short spell coaching
in Italy before becoming player
Little ticks v big ticks
Some coaches like the
jumper to have a little
bend at their hips and
knee joints in particular,
so they can get into the air
quickly without alerting
the opposition. However,
learning from the lineout
experts in South Africa,
a bigger set of “ticks” at
those joints means the
jumper is more powerful,
easier to lift, gets into the
air quicker and higher.
development manager at Hawkes
Bay. At the start of 2012 he became
head coach of Hawkes Bay U20s and
academy manager.
Since 2010 he has been a key force
at The Star Coach, which helps
coaches gain meaningful feedback
from their players.
Management: Learning to work with the players
All Black and Blues
mind over matter
Sir Graham Henry explains how he turned to his key
players for tactical and strategic help in ending New
Zealand’s 24-year wait to win the World Cup and now
does the same as technical adviser to the Blues
DAN COTTRELL, EDITOR, INTERNATIONAL RUGBY COACHING
Graham Henry was delighted that his captain, Tana Umaga, was
bold enough to tell him to stop giving pre-match team talks.
Sir Graham Henry called
upon his most experienced
players for help when
plotting New Zealand’s path
to World Cup glory in 2011.
The All Blacks won the first
World Cup in 1987 but apart
from reaching the 1995
final, had failed to make an
impression since. So when
they hosted the tournament
two years ago, Henry used
every method he
could to give
his team
the
edge – and was not afraid to
ask for ideas.
He told International
Rugby Coaching he was
almost in awe of the big
names in his squad and
knew they had more to offer
than just power and skills.
They knew the game inside
out and Henry wanted that
knowledge. He extended his
leadership group and said: “I
was sitting around the table
with these guys and there
was I - not good enough
to play for the All Blacks
- discussing tactics with the
likes of Richie McCaw, Dan
Carter and Conrad Smith
who have hundreds of caps
between them.
“We could really push
their experience, listen and
implement their ideas. They
were part of the strategic
decision-making which
made them even more
committed to implement it.
“But even with these
players, you still need
to make sure that the
Sir Graham and Sir John.
Henry and Kirwan were
once international coaches
on opposing sides.
They are now working
together for the first
time with the young
Blues Super 15
franchise.
13 VOLUME 4 / Issue 1
“It is about creating a
performance environment.
You have to judge what
your team and the leaders
in that team can handle“
leadership tasks are not too
onerous. We want them to
enjoy their work.”
Henry insists it is a
plan that works at any
level, adding: “With less
experienced teams, you
can still use leadership
groups. You need to gauge
what parts of the strategy
and tactics they should be
responsible for.
“In this way, the players
have more ‘skin in the
action’. That is, they can take
credit for success and also
be more responsible for
downsides. By sharing the
risks, they will buy into the
strategy.”
“By taking on this
responsibility, it leads to the
key for me: Self-sufficiency.
They can make the decisions
for themselves. I found that
it took time for me to learn to
give that sort of power to the
players. However, over time I
was able to feel I trusted the
players.
"For example, Tana
Umaga, the All Black captain
in 2005, came to me when
we were on tour. He told
me that the team didn’t
need me to give them a
team talk before the game.
I was delighted he was
bold enough to say this and
from then on I stopped. The
reality is that if the team is
not ready to play just before
the game, no matter what
you say, it won’t make much
difference. Your job has not
been done properly if you
have to rouse the players at
this moment.”
Henry acknowledges
that he had great players
around him, yet knows that
there are fundamentals
that are true for any player:
“It is about creating a
Management: Learning to work with the players
performance environment.
You have to judge what
your team and the leaders
in that team can handle.
Make sure that there is
never an atmosphere of
“us-and-them” between the
management and players.”
Henry, 66, also coached
Wales and the British & Irish
Lions. He is now technical
technical adviser at Super
15 franchise, the Blues in
Auckland. They have young,
exciting players and a new
coaching staff fronted by All
Black legend and World Cup
winner Sir John Kirwan who
also leads the leadership
group of coaches and
players.
The Blues have struggled
Brain biology to
handle pressure
“Being part of the All
Blacks means you carry
the weight of national
expectation on your
shoulders. To help handle
the pressure, it was
suggested we got outside
support to develop
the skills to deal with
this. I called this “brain
biology”. It was clear that
some players were very
apprehensive about this
sort of training while others
loved it. I thought it should
be the same for everyone,
so we went with it, but
because it was not for
every player, we varied the
amount of content. This
is an example of how we
implemented ideas as a
collective.”
Pierre Spies is such a
dominant runner with
the ball, you need
to make sure you
are marking from all
situations. A good coach
makes the players aware
of these situations to create
better game awareness.
14 VOLUME 4 / Issue 1
Sorry, you are not in the World Cup final squad
“Every coach acknowledges that telling players they are
not selected is the hardest job. I have to do it week in,
week out, and telling a player they are not in the 23 for
the World Cup final was one of the toughest moments in
my career. There is no easy way to go about it, but I know
have to front up and meet the player face-to-face. It must
be done with dignity and with an explanation. There are
only two real reasons you can give. The first is that the
player has lost form and needs a break from the team. Or,
there is another player who performing better. In either
case, honesty is the best policy.”
in recent years so Henry has
helped rebuild the structure
of the club. He said: “We
split our season into chunks
and have objectives and
strategies for each of these
periods of two to three
games.
“Our first objective was to
win back the respect of the
Blues fans. They have had a
couple of lean seasons, and
we knew they wanted - and
deserved - better.
“Our players will focus
on what needs to happen
in those periods. The key
is that we set out simple
plans – nothing too
grandiose.
“It is challenge being
a new group of coaches
together, despite our shared
years of international
experience (Kirwan also
coached the national teams
for Italy and Japan). To
evaluate our plans, we need
to know where we are as a
group and as a team.
“One area which always
needs development is game
awareness. In a recent game
against the South African
Super 15 team, the Bulls, we
knew that Pierre Spies was
a very good ball carrier off
scrums. Yet, on a scrum on
their 5m line with their put
in, we went up on 3 (that is,
wheeled right). He picked
up the ball, and went off
down the blindside, covering
almost 50m before he was
stopped.
Defensively this was a
basic error. The team on
the pitch at that time was
probably a bit stressed
and lacking experience. It
illustrates that you need
to balance young with the
old. The group on the pitch
need to have good game
awareness to understand
what the best tactics are
for that moment. For all
players, you need to create
situations in training to help
players understand what
they should do and when.
For me, that means good
coaching.”
Graham
Henry’s book, the Final
Word, where you can
read more about his
unique journey in rugby
coaching is now available
in the UK. Published by
HarperCollins, it costs
£8.99.
Elite session: Attack and defence skills
ELITE
Continuous attack v
SESSIONS defence - 9 v 6
Andy Friend, head coach, Canon Eagles
Work on attack skills, defence connections and conditioning in this continuous game
Set-up
Work across the field,
halfway line to goal line,
with 5m line as try line. Six
bibs and at least three
balls.
ATTACK
DEFENCE
Goal line
Defenders start on
the 15m line and
attackers start on
the 5m line.
Ball is tapped and
played (similar
to restarting
from free-kick/
15m
5m
penalty) and
attackers
play with the
intention of
breaking the
defensive line.
Shoulder contact with ball
carrier is deemed a “tackle”
Support player
with the ball carrier going
who must get
over ball carrier
to ground and placing it
within two seconds
long.
The defender must stand
over the “tackled”
player but not touch
the ball, while the
closest attacking
player must
perform a clean
out (passive
Ball carrier
with long place
because not full
contact).
There are
unlimited
touches for
the attack.
• Ball is knocked on
If the attacking team scores a try,
• Ball is lost backwards and the
then they wait five seconds to
defending team secures it
allow defenders to reset on the
• Attacking player runs into touch
15m line and then tap and play
• At the tackle, no support player
going the opposite direction.
from the attacking team arrives
Kicking is allowed only once per
within two seconds in which case
every attacking attempt.
defender can touch the ball and
Defenders can force the attacking
send attackers back to 5m line
team to return to the original 5m
Before a restart, the defending
line and collect a new ball if the
team works hard to get onto the
following occurs:
15 VOLUME 4 / Issue 1
Try lin
e
What to do:
15m
5m
Half way
Defender
who made
the touch
15m line and gets ready to defend
again.
Run this for four minutes
followed by a 90-second break
before starting again. Swap so
every player has a chance to
defend.
Keep track of which team scores
the most tries or concedes the
fewest to see who are the top
attackers and defenders.
Strategy and tactics: How warfare translates into rugby coaching
Learnings from a
Chinese literary
masterpiece
The Art of Team Coaching How Sun Tzu would coach coaches
Allan Sand
RRP: £10.99 (Kindle edition: £3.84)
As you walk into the indoor
training facility for the Welsh
National team, you are met
by a Sun Tzu quote: “Every
battle is won before it is ever
fought”. Perhaps Wales had
indeed beaten England in
their famous victory of 2013
before they had stepped
onto the pitch.
There is little doubt that
the words of the famous
general from ancient China
resonate for many coaches,
yet few would want to toil
through his book finding
what is relevant to their
coaching. Luckily Allan Sand
has done just that. Though
not written specifically for
any sport, it is obviously
aimed at invasion games.
Sand has worked his
way through the book
contextualizing Sun Tzu
into sporting terms. There
is a danger that some of
the metaphors become a
little stretched. Death and
total destruction are not
necessarily easily translated
into hard tackles or winning
games, despite our desire to
beat bitter rivals.
However, the premise
of the commentary is to
make us think around the
challenges of managing
players and teams to win
games. We simply have to
remember to swap scoring
points for spilling blood
when we measure whether
we have won or not.
This is definitely a
reflective book. You can
read it in chunks and then
go away and think how it
informs your coaching. It
won’t tell you what move
or play to use in the next
match but it might subtly
change your approach to
attack or defence.
“Every battle is won before it is
ever fought” SunTzu
16
VOLUME 4 / Issue 1
Often it will simplify your
thinking. I think it will make
you feel like you are a wiser
coach. Why? Because you
will consider what you are
doing, why and then have
to justify it to yourself. As
Sand says himself in the
introduction, “you will see
things different.
These will be your
discoveries.” In other words,
it is not someone giving you
exactly how you should run
your team. It is you working
out for yourself what works
for you.
Ordinarily this would be
hard work but Sand has
made the task easier by
summarising Sun Tzu’s
words in bite-sized ideas to
ponder. You can read either
the general or Sand or both
to gain greater insight into
your own coaching.
The book follows the
13 chapters of the Art
of War. Each section
has a comment on how
to apply what is said
to your situation. Allan
has kindly allowed us to
reproduce some of the
book in International Rugby
Coaching - you can find
these on page 17.
It might be worth
pointing some of your
more enlightened players
to “The Art of Personal
Competition”.
The book is available on
Amazon (Kindle)
Barnes & Noble (Nook)
or the web site (PDF)
http://sites.fastspring.
com/billiardgods/product/
gamesmanship
Allan Sand...
... is an experienced
coach and senior technical
writer. He is certified
as an instructor by the
Professional Billiards
Instructors Association
(PBIA) and American Cue
Sports (ACS). He is on the
national PBIA Instructors
Committee and the national
ACS Marketing & Player/
League Development
Committee. He is the author
of 13 books on multiple
subjects and is also fluent in
Mandarin Chinese.
Strategy and tactics: How warfare translates into rugby coaching
Sports and The
Art of War
The Art of War has been
applied in the world of
sports. NFL coach Bill
Belichick is known to have
read the book and used
its lessons to gain insights
in preparing for games.
Australian cricket as well
as Brazil soccer coaches
Luis Felipe Scolari and
Carlos Alberto Parreira are
known to have embraced
the text. Scolari made
the Brazil World Cup
squad of 2002 study the
ancient work during their
successful campaign.
Extracts from the book:
Introduction and
welcome
War has been a subject
of study by all civilizations
throughout recorded
history. In the modern
era, one document has
become required study
by war colleges the world
over. The Art of War by the
ancient Chinese general
Sun Tzu is the premier
guide to students of military
operations and battlefield
management.
His notations, warnings,
solutions, and commentary
have been studied by
hundreds of thousands of
people who work within
organisations from the
small to the most complex.
His ideas and concepts
have direct application to
businesses, governments,
and most directly in sports.
02 Waging war
"It is only one who is
thoroughly acquainted with
the evils of war that can
thoroughly understand the
profitable way of carrying
it on."
Allan Sand says: The best
lessons learned occur when
17 VOLUME 4 / Issue 1
mistakes are made. The sum
of a person's wisdom can
be tallied by the number
of errors in judgement
and failures they have
experienced. This applies to
coaching personnel as well
as players. This statement
assumes that the people
around you know and apply
this fact. Don't try to help a
person who won't learn from
such experiences.
03 Planning attacks
"Thus the highest form
of generalship is to baulk
the enemy’s plans; the
next best is to prevent the
junction of the enemy’s
forces; the next in order is
to attack the enemy’s army
in the field; and the worst
policy of all is to besiege
walled cities."
Allan Sand says: The
best game approach uses
designed offensive and
defensive strategies tailored
to your opponent's strengths
and weaknesses.
The next best is a straightforward continuous denial
of opportunities. Limiting
movement and preventing
scores give your players time
to capitalise on opponent
errors.
The worst approach is no
planning, weak responses,
and incorrect actions.
05 Energy
"The clever combatant
looks to the effect of
combined energy, and
does not require too much
from individuals. Hence
his ability to pick out the
right men and to utilise
combined energy. When he
utilises combined energy,
his fighting men become
as it were like unto rolling
logs or stones. For it is the
nature of a log or stone
“The best game approach
uses designed offensive and
defensive strategies tailored
to your opponent's strengths
and weaknesses. ”
to remain motionless
on level ground, and to
move when on a slope; if
four-cornered, to come to
a standstill, but if roundshaped, to go rolling down.
Thus the energy developed
by good fighting men is
as the momentum of a
round stone rolled down a
mountain thousands of feet
in height. So much on the
subject of energy."
Allan Sand says: It is
important to not depend
too much upon star players
to achieve your goals.
Constantly rotate through
your roster giving everyone
opportunities to shine. When
circumstances do require
special treatment, your top
players are rested and very
intent on doing their best.
To counter the opponent’s
star players, assign specially
trained individuals who
can prevent or otherwise
interrupt their activities.
06 Weakness and
strength
"Therefore, the clever
combatant imposes his will
on the enemy, but does not
allow the enemy’s will to be
imposed on him."
Allan Sand says: The
clever coach makes the
opposing team react to
his actions. If the opposing
coach attempts to do the
same, modify your activities.
Use your play selections
to keep him mentally offbalance.
By holding out advantages
to him, he can cause the
enemy to approach of his
own accord; or, by inflicting
damage, he can make it
impossible for the enemy to
draw near.
Allan Sand says: During
the opening minutes of the
game, provide tempting
opportunities to the
opponent. Observe their
readiness to respond. This
can also validate previously
gathered intelligence.
08 Variation in
tactics
"The art of war teaches
us to rely:
• Not on the likelihood of
the enemy’s not coming,
but on our own readiness
to receive him;
• Not on the chance of his
not attacking, but rather on
the fact that we have made
our position unassailable."
Allan Sand says: So the art
of competition means that
you:
• Do not depend on your
opponent being unprepared,
but depend on your
readiness to compete
against him.
• Do not depend on your
opponent being weak, but
depend on your abilities
and cleverness to deny
opportunities.
• Do not depend on your
opponent being unable to
stop you, but depend on
your ability to counter their
efforts.
Fridge notes: Coaching tips from this issue
Feedback on
the run
11
12
Nick Scrivener
Coming up:
13
9
I will use feedback to the players
as they are working within the drill.
These are triggers that the players will
have heard before, and are part of our
common language. In the handling
example above, “fire the wrists”
means twist the wrist joints, “inside
hip” is where I want players to catch
the ball and “fingers to the sky” is help
with the catching skill.
11
13
15
Fire wrists
to pass
Inside hip
Fingers
to the sky
Attacking shape
pass
Peter Russell
BD
Defenders
9
SPACE
9
Aim for the 9 to take the
ball off-the-top in line
with the fourth or fifth
player in your lineout.
He should be moving
onto the ball.
Forwards Attackers
pass
Backs Attackers
10
9
pass
12
Aim for the 9 to take the
ball off-the-top in line
with the fourth or fifth
player in your lineout.
He should be moving
onto the ball.
Practising the twist
Joe Payton
2
Little ticks v big ticks
2
1
pass
3
Here is an example of
the sort of attacking
shape you could use to
attack the “unexpected
defender”. A wide
group of forwards
stand outside the
third defender, with a
forward on the inside
to hold the heart of
defence in place. A
second line of backs
is behind. The ball is
moved to first forward
of the three who
tips it onto the next
player who can attack
the “unexpected
defender”.
Using a
thrower and
“jumper” on
their knees,
work on the
torso twist
and deliver
before moving
onto standing
twists
and then
supported by
lifters.
3
Some coaches like the jumper to have a little
bend at their hips and knee joints in particular,
so they can get into the air quickly without
alerting the opposition. However, learning
from the lineout experts in South Africa, a
bigger set of “ticks” at those joints means the
jumper is more powerful, easier to lift, gets
into the air quicker and higher.
Everyone knows how we
play, says Mark Mapletoft,
assistant coach at leading
English team, Harlequins.
Given this, he explains how
they maintain high standards
through their training, systems
and environment so that their
opponents still find it hard to
beat them. He outlines the
principles that allow them to
“play rugby”.
Mike Ford has been an
international defence coach
with both England and Ireland.
He tells us how he manages
to balance the defensive skills
and tactics in conjunction with
the rest of the teams’ needs.
He also shows us how he
utilises the players' individual
strengths within the system he
prefers.
Rugby in Hong Kong has
progressed significantly in the
last decade with their Sevens
team being an international
force and their 15-a-side team
moving up the IRB rankings.
The lessons in their success
are universal, and their
director of rugby, Dai Rees,
describes how you can make
tough selections and build
teams for the season.
Plus, Scott “Razor”
Robertson (Canterbury),
on rucking, Eugene Eloff
(Boland) on backline play,
Alun Powell on player
development (RFU Elite
academies), Byron Hayward
(Wales skills coach) on
decision making and Stuart
Dickenson (international
referee).
International Rugby Coaching is a monthly publication for professional, semi-professional
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Published by Green Star Media Ltd, Meadow View, Tannery Lane, Bramley, Guildford, Surrey GU5 0AB, UK. Editor Dan Cottrell Sub editor Mark Lawford
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18 VOLUME 4 / Issue 1
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