Craig McKay, a Rugby Coach subscriber from Grimsby, UK, says that certain professionals in rugby are telling us that judo is a necessary part of development training for young players, even Premiership players. He wants to know why.
Something is bothering me.
My son trains with the local professional club’s development squad and so I get hear about some of the current thinking in rugby. And one of those ideas which keeps coming up is using judo training to enhance the ability of players in contact.
I want to know more. It sounds like a good thought, but I need some more convincing.
An enterprising rugby place kicker has posted a video of himself on Youtube wanting some advice on how to improve his rugby goal kicking.
He has used two static positions to place the camera, plus some slow motion footage. It is a refreshing approach, and one used by rugby skills coaches to help isolate technical faults.
Coaching rugby goal kicking is a tricky business because there is more than one way to strike a good kick. Also a good rugby goal kicker in matches requires mental strength.
But in this video, what can we offer in terms of rugby coaching expertise?
Here is a checklist to start with:
Is there a good rhythm? Does the kicker look comfortable when he strikes the ball?
Does the foot follow through to the target or cut across the rugby ball?
Does the landing foot allow the kicker to strike the ball on the up stroke of the swing of the leg?
You are the rugby coach…what do you think?
And remember – we don’t to give the goal kicker too many thoughts. One or two is enough for this rugby session.
Welcome Coach,
My name is Toby Curthoys. I’m going to be posting my thoughts and views on a wide range of rugby coaching topics in the months ahead. I’ll kick-off by telling you a bit about myself and why we have created this blog.
I am the publisher of Dan Cottrell’s Better Rugby Coaching publications and training aids. Whilst Dan makes sure the quality of everything we do is second to none, my job is to develop our range of products to reflect the needs of rugby coaches worldwide.
Unlike Dan who played to a very high standard, I have no talent for rugby. But I do have a huge passion for the game.
In my opinion there’s room for all styles of play across the vast “rugby spectrum”. I love to see fast open play, with nimble side steps by the hooker and delicate offloads by the fly half.
But I also appreciate the more gladiatorial elements of the game, like the front row combat. And if one team’s route to success is by hoofing the ball into the corners at every opportunity – then good luck to them!
In fact, I think it’s the range of playing styles, skills required and people involved that make rugby such a great game. That and the fact that anyone can play the sport and be challenged by it.
That’s why I am committed to not only helping rugby coaches, but also playing my part in expanding the sport worldwide.
This blog is for everyone involved in rugby coaching and all the issues you face have a place here. We’ll be contributing something new each week, and I’d like to extend an open invitation for you to join in with your comments.
Through this blog we can listen to what you have to say about your coaching issues and, with our many contributors, look at ways to help you.
Whether it’s individual or team skills, coach development, refereeing, player behaviour, discipline, the role of parents, team management and selection, talent spotting or fitness, Rugby Coaching Blog aims to cover it all.
Your feedback and contributions are important and valuable for coaches all over the world, as this blog allows knowledge to be shared among coaches in scores of countries.
Please get involved, comment on this blog and give us your feedback. I promise to do our best to make this the most informative and compelling rugby coaching blog on the web.
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