Rugby Coaching Blog | Professional Rugby Advice & Coaching

Year 11 Rugby Team and Coach, originally uploaded by Arrow Vale High School.

The coach is part of the team, yet still separate.

How many coaches dress like the players for the game or arrive more formally? What do you do?

There has been plenty of confusion and misinformation, plus a number of conspiracy theories about the ELVs. The world’s top coaches see the ELVs as here, an opportunity and are working how to deal with them.

Here is what the top coaches are saying at the moment.

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Let me start with some good news in rugby coaching.

With all the appointments for the new season flying around, internationally and domestically, perhaps one great appointment has gone under the radar.

One of Better Rugby Coaching’s editorial advisory board, John Schropfer, has been made the new national coach development manager for the Welsh Rugby Union. The role means searching out and nurturing the best coaching talent in Wales, so the next Welsh coach is indeed Welsh. 

John is one of the prime movers in the UK coaching development circles and a key part of the coaching courses produced for Welsh, English and Scottish coaches. His energy and vision will invigorate the development process in the Principality.

Coaching development has been ignored for too long

Coach development has long been overlooked by the most important people in rugby.

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It is going to be tough time for 40 boys in the Osprey region (Wales) next week. The Under 16 and Under 18 squads need to trim their numbers by 20 each after trials over this weekend and the start of next week.

It is not only the boys who suffer, but also their parents who have invested time and travel expenses ferrying their sons to and from the training sessions.

For both squads it has been an intense four weeks, with three evenings a week of fitness and skills (some of these from me!). The players are fitter, stronger and more attuned to a higher level of rugby. But for some it will feel that the dream ends now.

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Rugby coach, originally uploaded by Charl Durand.

A novel way of holding the ball whilst expressing yourself to the audience.

They are here and whatever your opinion on them, you are going to have to play with them for the next year at least. There are 13 ELVs to consider and I have already passed on my first thoughts in this blog. 

Practically you need to work the ELVs into your training programme, so here are five ways you can approach this.

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I am tired. But I am also excited. It has been a busy few days pulling together some thrilling projects at Better Rugby Coaching. Lots of travelling, meetings and sorting. It is my eldest son’s 12^th birthday today as well, so an early rise this morning.

As I yawn, it reminded me that, like many coaches, I will sometimes arrive at training sessions tired from all the other things I have to do. I would not want to take any shortcuts in my rugby coaching. It would pain me not to put in 100% effort into the rugby training exercises I have pulled together for that evening’s session.

Yet this effort, the huff and puff, the energy expended on behalf of others can be misplaced.

Look at this quote: 

“Progress is made by lazy men looking for easier ways to do things”

Robert A. Heinlein American science-fiction Writer, 1907-1988

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I have just heard three of the most annoying words in rugby.

Last night I went to the Liberty Stadium in Swansea to watch the Junior World Cup finals. Wales were playing against South Africa for third place and the big prize being contested by New Zealand and England. In a sort of symmetry with the senior game, the power of Springboks and their super offload skills won the their match. The sparks of brilliance from the number one seeds the All Blacks were too good for England.

In the true spirit of rugby, fans from all nations sat side by side, sharing the atmosphere and rivalry in good humour.

Behind me, a South African supporter gave a running commentary to his friend. A fervent supporter but no reader of the game, he said at least three of the seven most well meant but least helpful words in rugby coaching.

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The Rugby Coach catalogue of DVDs is out today.

Here is one that slipped through though.