Introducing Rugby

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Introducing Rugby
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Welcome!

• Course Leader Introductions (CL bios found
  online)
• Thank you to our sponsors and partners
• World Rugby Shop
• National Guard
• International Rugby Board
• Rugby Football Union
• Better Rugby Coaching/Green Media

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Workshop Introduction

• Separate into groups of 5 and
• Sit next to people you dont know
• Mix with coaches of different experiences
  backgrounds
• Introduce yourselves to each other
• Name
• Team
• Rugby experience
• Greatest challenge as a coach
• As a group, come to a consensus on the top 3-5
  challenges that coaches face when introducing
  rugby to new players in the US.

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Rugby for All Development Continuum
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USA Rugby Certified Coach

• To become certified, coaches must
• Complete IRB Rugby Ready online module
• Complete Positive Coaching Alliance Double-Goal
  Coach online module
• Complete a face-to-face workshop (this workshop)
• Have current membership with USA Rugby (CIPP)
• Note USA Rugby Accreditations (Level 1, 2 or 3)
  have expired.
• Introducing Rugby Test Out does not qualify for
  certification.
• The test out only gains entry to Developing
  Skills course.

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CDP Continuing Education Program

• Coaches who hold a current USA Rugby coach
  certification will be able to extend the life of
  their certification by participating in various
  coach education events.
• During the span of a three year coaching
  certification, coaches can participate in events
  that will be worth five, four, or one CEUs.
• To extend current certification by 1 additional
  year, coaches must participate in 10 CEUs.
• More info check the appendix in the workbook or
  go to
• www.usarugby.org/goto/ceu

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Additional Resources in Workbook

• In the Appendix of your workbook
• Rookie Rugby Guidebook
• Key Factors
• Sample Games
• Law Update
• Coaches Code of Conduct
• Medical Safety Guide
• CEU Program
• Fit to Coach workout program
• Coach Assessment Checklist

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Workshop Overview Day 1 (Timing is Approximate)
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Workshop Overview Day 2(Timing is Approximate)
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Goals of CDP

• Improve rugby coaching
• Give coaches more tools approaches
• Improve safety and grow the game

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Course Learning OutcomesIntroducing Rugby

• By the end of this course coaches will be able
  to
• Safely and knowledgably use games to introduce
  rugby to new players.
• Safely introduce contact, specifically the scrum
  and the tackle
• Demonstrate and apply the coaching process
• Understand and apply the use of questioning to
  provide feedback and assist players to reflect in
  an athlete-centered coaching environment.

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Role of the Coach
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Best Coach Attributes

• Take 30 seconds to think about the best coach you
  ever had.
• What were their best attributes?

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A coach is someone who can give correction
without causing resentment. John Wooden
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Role of the Coach

• Discuss the role and responsibility of the coach
  in the following
• Season team goal setting
• Individual goal setting
• Game day organization
• Risk management
• Referee interaction

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Introducing the Game
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iRB Rugby Ready

• Completion is a requirement for certification
• Developed by the iRB
• Provides a basic background in rugby

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Introducing Rugby

• You have ten new players. Many have never seen
  rugby played. How do you introduce the game?
• How can we ensure that they will come back to
  their second practice?

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Rookie Rugby!

• Can be played by players of any age
• Safe introduction to the game
• Players learn the game through playing games!
• Players have fun!

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Rookie Rugby Rules

• Any size of playing area and numbers
• Focus on learning through playing games
• Review the rules for Rookie Rugby in workbook

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Practical Coaching - 1

• Players/coaches learn while doing!
• Self reflection and peer review for learning
• Opportunity to demonstrate coaching best practices

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Practical Coaching - 2

• Course Leaders will coach and review the first
  session.
• Next session will be coached by one or two of the
  coaches and the Course Leaders will review the
  session.

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Coaching Skills Review
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Coaching Style Continuum

• Two extremes of the continuum
• Coach-centered directive, coach tells players
  listen
• Athlete-centered develops decision-making and
  game sense in the context of the game. Uses
  questioning to check for understanding.
• Coaches should be able to move along the
  continuum as best serves their players
• When would you typically use one or other
  approach?

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Coaching Skills

• Here is a suggested structure that a coach can
  use for conducting a session
• Instruction and explanation
• Demonstrations
• Observation and analysis
• Feedback
• Each step has skills and behaviors associated
  with them.

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Key Factors in Providing Instruction and
Explanation
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Key factors in Providing Demonstrations
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Key factors in Observe and Analyze
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Key factors in Providing Feedback
1 Ask questions to generate self-feedback
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Competency Assessment

• Competency assessment is based on the coach
  demonstrating coaching competencies which are
  based on this coaching model
• Now we have the structure, what is the best way
  to coach and improve players?

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Technique or Skill
Recognition

• Many coaches focus solely on execution.
• A skill requires all the steps to be completed.
• Practice should be focused on developing skilled
  players.

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All my life we trained without opposition, not
really simulating game situations or pressures.
Game sense is a logical way to create tactical
understanding and awareness, getting the players
making the right decisions in various
situations. Wayne Smith, New Zealand All
Blacks coach
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Whole-Part-Whole
Play game or modified activity (WHOLE)
Coach Observes But rather than telling players
how to correct the errors the coach uses
questions to draw answers and understanding from
the players
Feedback and skill demonstration (PART)
Coach can condition or manipulate the rules,
etc to create the learning outcome required.
Return to game and modify if appropriate (WHOLE)
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Practical Sessions - Goals

• The goals of the practical sessions are to
• Practice coaching
• Give each other feedback
• Demonstrate competencies in best practices

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Practical Sessions Roles

• Every coach will act as a
• Coach
• Reviewer
• Player
• The roles will rotate for each session.

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Coach Requirements

• Every coach needs to
• Coach a tackle session
• Coach a scrum session
• Other rotations will be determined as needed.

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Practical Structure

• Coaching sessions will be 8-10 minutes.
• Each coaching session should include
• Pre-session introduction
• In-session practical session with interventions
• Post-session

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Practical Roles How It Works - 1

• The COACH
• Gives the assessment page to reviewer
• Introduces, coaches, and closes the session
• Be open to feedback and positive!
• The PLAYERS
• Act as the type of players as defined by the
  coach
• Be conscious of your intensity. The goal is to
  improve the coach!

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Practical Roles How It Works - 2

• The REVIEWER
• Keeps time
• Checks off fulfilled competencies on assessment
• Leads the review session
• Identify areas for the coach to work on and have
  the coach recognize them through questioning
• The COURSE LEADER
• Monitors coaching sessions and steps in where
  needed to check on safety and good practice

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Demonstration of Behavior

• The reviewer should watch the coach carefully and
  identify the required behaviors.
• Coaches have multiple opportunities to
  demonstrate behavior.
• A behavior only has to be demonstrated once
  during the workshop.

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End of Session Review

• Quick review of the session (5 minutes)
• The reviewer should ask the coach
• What went well and why?
• What did not go well and why?
• The reviewer should ask the players
• What went well for them and why?
• What could have been done better and how?
• The reviewer should ask the coach
• What would you do differently next time?

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Review of Regular Sessions

• Would you use this review process after every
  session you coached
• If not what would you do
• If not when would you use the process if at all

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Rookie Rugby Practical

• Each coach will coach a session using the
  coaching model and each coach will participate in
  the subsequent review
• Coaches are free to use or modify Rookie Rugby or
  use a similar game to focus on a specific area.

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Principles of the Game
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iRB Video

• Review the upcoming video and be prepared to
  comment.

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Using the Principals

• Analyze team performance using principals
• While reviewing performance, look for each
  principal and check it off
• Design session to improve team performance of a
  principal

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Principles of Attack

• Gain Possession
• Go forward
• Provide Support
• Create Continuity
• Apply Pressure
• Score!

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Principles of Defense

• Contest possession
• Go forward
• Apply pressure
• Prevent territorial gain
• Provide support
• Regain possession
• Counter attack

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Key Factor Analysis
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Key Factors Analysis

• What is key factor analysis?
• Where in the coaching process would we use it?

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Key Factor Analysis

• Observe player execution and compare to template
  (key factor analysis).
• Identify area(s) to work on.
• Develop skill development exercise to focus on
  area.

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Coaching Tools

• Team Performance Development
• Principals of the Game
• Individual Technique Development
• Key Factor Analysis
• Decision Making/Skill Development
• Small Sided Games/Conditioned Games

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Coaching Contact Technique The Tackle
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Coaching the Tackle

• What is the best approach to coaching the tackle?
• List the key factors that should be in your
  coaching template.
• Review in your group.

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Tackle Key Factors

• Start in a crouched position
• Head up, back straight
• Sight the target - just below the ball carriers
  buttock and drive into tackle
• Head behind the ball carriers body
• Wrap the arms around the ball carriers legs
• Hold on tightly until the ball carrier is on the
  ground

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Falling in the Tackle Key Factors

• Hold the ball firmly in both hands
• Turn with the tackle
• Land on the back of the shoulder
• Place the ball so team mates can recover it

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Coaching the Tackle - 1

• Use progressions for safety
• Ensure the players know and understand the law
• Focus on body and head position
• Focus on technique first before application
• Be directive (if required)

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Coaching the Tackle - 2

• Two players, coach, and reviewer
• Develop a session to safely coach the head-on or
  side-on tackle

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Filling the Emotional Tank
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Filling the Emotional Tank

• ? E-TANK IS LIKE A GAS TANK
• Empty -------------------------------------------
  --gt Full
• Less coachable More coachable
• ? HOME TEAM WINS ABOUT 60
• Portable home team advantage
• ? HOW DO YOU
• Fill Drain
• Praise (Truthful Specific) Criticize
• Express Appreciation Correct
• Listen Ignore
• Nonverbal Nonverbal
• Magic Ratio is 51

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During practice what can you do to fill your
players emotional tanks?
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Day One Review
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Day One Review

• What went well?
• What did not go well?
• Anything that should have been done differently?

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Day Two
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Honoring the Game
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Honoring the Game Gets to the ROOTS of positive
play
Respect for Rules - refuse to bend the rules
to win Opponents - a worthy opponent is a gift
that brings out our best Officials - show respect
for referees, even when we disagree Teammates -
model the kind of behavior to make our team
proud Self - live up to our own high standards
even when others do not
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What can we do to Honor the Game?

• Get into groups.
• List the activities that teams, coaches, and
  fans can do to Honor the Game.

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Coaching Contact Technique The Scrum
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Coaching Contact The Scrum

• What approach should we use to coaching the
  scrum?
• What is the most important coaching key factor?
• What are the coaching key factors in the scrum
  and in particular, the front row?
• How can we coach the scrum key factors without
  two packs or a scrum machine?

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Scrum Key Factors - 1

• Select players according to body type.
• Set front row one arms length from the opposing
  front row.
• Front row binds securely and comfortably.
• Engage following crouch touch pause- engage
  cadence.
• Front row engages by driving across and up from
  crouched position.

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Scrum Key Factors - 2

• On engagement, keep the head up, back straight,
  spine in-line, and stay square on.
• Hook the ball between the loose-head props feet.

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Scrum Practical

• Everyone coaches a scrum session.
• Pick one or two key factors for the focus of your
  session.
• You have 3-5 players.
• We will build a scrum at the end.
• Lets coach!

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Double-Goal Coach
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Positive Coach Mental Model

• A Positive Coach is a Double-Goal Coach
• Winning (important)
• Teaching life lessons (more important)
• Honoring the Game
• Redefining Winner
• Filling the Emotional Tank

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Redefining Winner
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Redefining Winner

Scoreboard Definition Results Comparison
w/others Mistakes not OK
Mastery Definition Effort Learning Mistakes OK
The tree of mastery is an ELM tree.
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Two Thoughts on Effort Goals

• Although I wanted my players to work to win, I
  tried to convince them they had always won when
  they had done their best.
• Success is peace of mind which is a direct
  result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did
  your best to become the best you are capable of
  becoming.
• John Wooden

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And One on Mistakes

• If you're not making mistakes, then you're not
  doing anything. I'm positive that a doer makes
  mistakes.
• John Wooden

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Answer these questions!

• What effort goals are appropriate for rugby?
• How can you let players know that mistakes are OK?

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Coaching Technique Passing and Receiving
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Pass/Receipt Key Factors

• List the key factors for passing.
• List the key factors for receiving a pass.

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Key Factors Passing - 1

• 1. Run straight.
• 2. Hold the ball in both hands.
• 3. Commit a defender.
• 4. Prop on the inside leg.
• 5. Turn side-on to the defense to face the
  supporting receiver.

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Key Factors Passing - 2

• 6. Swing the arms through in the direction of the
  pass.
• 7. Use the elbows and wrist to control the speed
  and flight of the ball as the ball is released.
• 8. Follow through with the hands in the direction
  of the pass.
• 9. Pass to the target area at chest height in
  front of the receiver.
• 10. Support the receiver once the pass has been
  completed.

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Key Factors Receiving

• 1. Position so that the ball can be run towards
  in its flight.
• 2. Run towards the space created by the passer.
• 3. Extend the hands early to catch the ball.
• 4. Watch the ball into the hands.
• 5. Catch the ball with the fingers and hands.
• 6. Once the ball has been caught, choose the best
  option.

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Coaching Using Modified Games
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Goal of Module

• By the end of this module coaches will be able
  to
• Improve players skills and match performance by
  using small sided and conditioned games.

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Advantages of Coaching Through Games

• Match-like
• Decision making
• Complementary
• Skills based
• Diversity
• Problem solving

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Advantages of Training Through Games

• Fitness.
• Motivation
• Repetition
• Competition
• Team building
• Full on activity

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Three Types of Games

• Small-sided games
• Small sides fast action, defense and attack
• Conditioned games
• Isolate skills with constrained rules
• Game situations
• Game like situations to test skills under pressure

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Some Thoughts

• Let the players find the solution
• Use short group discussions and good questioning
  to draw out answers.
• Dont worry if the players take time to work out
  the rules
• At first games may be chaotic

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Games and KFA

• Observe the players playing the game
• Analyze skills that are not being executed well
• Use KFA to identify area(s) to address
• Work on specific area
• Return to game and continue observation

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48 Rugby Skills Games

• Courtesy of Green Star Media Ltd
• Purchased online at
• www.rugby-coach.com/48rugbyskillsgames
• Why use a third party?
• Available resource
• Well organized

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Sample Games

• Review the sample games in the workbook
• Chose one to coach as is or modify
• Focus on goal, setup, scoring and coaching notes

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Coaching Using Modified Games

• Pick one principle and develop/modify a game to
  coach the principle.
• During the session, use key factor analysis to
  identify areas that need to be addressed.
  (Technical Improvement Session)
• Where appropriate, break session down and coach
  the key factor. Then, return to the game
  afterwards.
• Use questioning to check for understanding.

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Practice Planning
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Practice Planning - 1

• Before planning the practice the coach should
  consider
• Areas of concern
• What did not go well in the last game/practice?
• Aims of the session
• By the end of this session the players will

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Practice Planning - 2

• Identify areas of concern and aims for your team.
• Design your next practice to address these
  concerns and meet your aims. Review sample in
  workbook.
• How has this weekend influenced your practice
  planning? Discuss with your group.

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Workshop Debrief
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Course Debrief

• Within your group, each coach should answer the
  following
• What went well?
• What did not go well?
• What could be done differently?

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Your Action Plan

• What are your next steps?
• What will you do differently?
• How will you implement the change?
• What support do you need to change?
• Share your answers with your group.

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The Final Whistle

• Share contact information with your fellow
  coaches.
• Have Course Leader check your completed
  assessment page.
• Complete workshop evaluation.

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Thank You!