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 [email protected] 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 [email protected] 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. 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