Wise Words from the Experts
Three acknowledged rugby coaching experts provide tips on their coaching strategies.
I spoke to Andy Robinson, former England rugby coach, John Morrison, former England A player and former coach of Bristol Rugby Under 21s, and Andy Wyeth, former captain of Rosslyn Park, about their coaching styles.
Plan but don’t plan
Have a plan, but be prepared to deviate from it if you need to during the session. "I always like to let drills or practice games grow," says Andy Robinson. "If something good is happening and the players are developing because of it, it is more important to let this happen than move on to the next drill". If the drill is not working or the players are failing due to other reasons, be ready to change and try a fresh approach.
Andy Wyeth has a practical reason for making his plans flexible: "You may not have the luxury of having your first choice players for a practice session, holidays and injuries being the worst offenders." Both agree that the experienced coach can adapt easily on the spot, but will have additional and alternative activities lined up if necessary.
Work outside the comfort zone
Players need to work outside what feels comfortable. Robinson likes to challenge his players. He may have had the cream of English rugby to work with, but he knows that for players to develop, they will have to be stretched. If they can kick straight with their right foot, then make them practice only with their left. Wyeth reminds us of the old adage that each practice should use the three to one principle - once on the good side and then three times on the weaker side.
Make the unexpected expected
By introducing unexpected events into training, players gain a better awareness of their playing environment. They play "heads up" rugby, reacting to what they see, rather than what they expect to see. John Morrison noticed that his players' perception of the game improved when they played against lower grade opposition.
"These sides were fierce, strong, motivated, but unlike the sides who we would play in our league, their systems were unstructured, and the conditions were unusual for our players, who were used to top level moves and facilities." The players improved as individuals because they were faced with different patterns and techniques were a stronger examination of their own skills.
He suggests changing conditions in training to replicate these situations, such as doubling the size of the goal, playing on the side of a gradual slope or making players try out completely different positions.
Messing with their minds
"Messing with their minds improves a team's mental toughness", says Wyeth. In a game there are going to be times when things don't go your way and you need to be able to deal with them.
Wyeth believes in the psychological shock treatment. "I will tell them they are going to do five sprints, then make them do six", which, he admits, doesn't always go down well. Another way is to referee practice games and be deliberately biased, accepting no comeback from the wronged side.
Technique, technique, technique
No matter what standard of player he coaches, Robinson will always concentrate on technique. He knows that bad execution during a drill renders it useless if not damaging. Returning to the basics is vital and a drill is the slave rather than the master of the technique. The best coaches will find new, interesting and appropriate ways to achieve this.
Perfect practice makes perfect
Practice makes perfect, but it is more important to make sure that it should be quality over quantity. A recent study showed that it was not the number of practices that improved skill acquisition but the number of correct practices. The conclusion is that the best route for skill enhancement is to increase the number of properly executed practice trials.
Reference: * Ashy, M. H., Landin, D. K., & Lee, A. M. (1988). Relationship of practice using correct technique to achievement in a motor skill, Journal of Teaching in Physical Education.