There is a rugby song at a school that echoes through the grandstands during derby days. The lyrics go like this: ‘We have a rugby team, we bought it from [school name]. They are a happy crowd of whom we are very proud…’ Currently, this school boasts twelve of their 1st XV players who have been attending since Grade 1. There’s something special about nurturing talent right in your backyard. Through personal experience and observation, it becomes increasingly evident that nurturing talent within local communities not only yields better results but also fosters a sense of loyalty and passion unp ..read more

“The cream always rises to the top” is a mantra I have sworn by as coach for as long as I can remember. It has enabled me to be intentional with selection, particularly when the margins are tight, and the stakes are high. The provincial week selections have once again shone the spotlight onto the selection processes, with many voices of dissatisfaction ringing from around the country. Worthy of mention at this point is that very rarely is there an absolute agreement from all stakeholders on a team selected to represent a province and so contrasting opinions will remain indefinitely.  Coac ..read more

I have written this post with the intention of putting together a simple method of coaching “overs” and “unders” lines. One so often sees a move or play being executed too far away from the defenders. A rule of thumb is to cut within 1.5m of the defender. Youngsters are often not taught what their roles are when it comes to a move. Running something aimlessly without a clear understanding and without a progression to the introduction of defenders is pointless. Overs: Attack the inside shoulder of the defender and then the outside shoulder Unders: Attack the outside shoulder of the defender ..read more

Gary Kirsten advised me to not be afraid of being fired during a PowerAde Performance clinic in 2018. He explained that it was part of being a coach; being hired and fired. It is the only thing that you can be certain of. My team had just suffered a heavy defeat to Grey Kollege on national television the previous day. You can imagine how unsettling this advice was. It has taken me a while to finally understand why one should not be afraid of failure. Syed (2015) suggests that the key to success is a positive attitude to failure. Coaches fail all the time. Even great coaches fail. We cannot gro ..read more

I have been developing a schoolboy Rugby Program over the past 13 years. What I have tried to create over this period is a comprehensive coaching program that can add value to both the player and coach. The first version was made available to Selborne College in 2008 when I served as the Master-in-charge of Rugby. It was then developed further during my time at St Andrew’s College as the Director of Rugby (2010 – 2014). The current version of this program has been developed over the past five years while I have been at Grey High School. I have until recently been the Head of Rugby at the schoo ..read more

“The Safe Keeper and Breaker” Need to have good timing and vision to hit the line with pace Must possess enough speed to join the line He is often the last line of defense so he must be able to defend Needs to be good at recognizing where there are open spaces or gaps on the field on both attack and defense Must sum up crisis situations quickly and make decisions while remaining focused Retain concentration and composure when under pressure General kicking ability is important i.e. line kicking and up and under Catching of the high ball and positional play imperative Creative Shows courage in ..read more

“The Finishers” Need to be good finishers and must possess enough pace to beat their opponent on the outside Must always be aware of where the opponents and his team-mates are If given room must be able to score Reacts very quickly under pressure Fearless ball carriers Kicking skills are important e.g. chip kick and line kicking Good hands Supports the fullback (1/3 and 2/3 split) Must be able to create space by moving into a gap before taking a pass Solid defender and uses the touchline to his advantage Ability to score in the corner is imperative i.e. dive    A winger needs ..read more

“The General” Needs brilliant vision and must possess amazing distributing skills Good communicator on attack and defense Creative Great kicking skills and ability to kick of either foot is important Good feet i.e. stepping Dictates how the game needs to be played therefore must be able to quickly sum up where the strengths or weaknesses are on attack or defense Consistently makes quick decisions under pressure Must be able to react quickly to rectify his own mistakes or of his team-mates Create space for outside backs by drawing opposing loose forwards Keep the forwards in the game T38 – Ca ..read more

“The Line Breakers and Off-Loaders” Possesses brilliant skill and pace (explosive) Vision to link with wingers, fullback and support play is also important Great defensive abilities Good feet i.e. can step off either foot (swerve/step = ability to beat a man) Sound tactical kicking ability and must be able to execute basic kicking techniques quickly and correctly Reacts quickly Creative Runs good angles Ability to pass under pressure (simulate at training) Coaching tip: CHAD = Communicate, Hold (don’t creep), Alignment (wide/close?), Depth (flat/decoy?) T33 – Bermuda triangle Bermuda triang ..read more

Always determine where your receivers are BEFORE arriving at the ruck, maul or lineout. “The Playmaker” They need brilliant vision and possess amazing distributing skills Creativity is important Communicates well with the forwards and backs (vital link between them) Should always be close to the ball, within 5 meters at all times Must quickly sum up the different situations on the field Needs to execute all skills quickly and well under pressure Defensively must be capable to tackle a forward Plays a covering role on defense watching for any grubbers, chips or line breaks Must be able to re ..read more