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How much talking is too much? In this episode, Dan Cottrell and Stuart James explore how coaches can make every word count. From the power of the short, purposeful chat to the art of explaining the how, what, and why in under a minute, they share practical ways to sharpen communication and boost player engagement.

Discover why the best sessions often start with fewer words, clearer intent, and more playing time — and how taking the “temperature” of your group can help you adapt what you say (and when you say it).

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In this episode of The 50:22 Podcast, Dan Cottrell and Stu James explore why focusing on perfect technique can hold players back. 

Instead of trying to tick off isolated skills, they discuss how layering, context, and repetition help players understand what to do and when to do it. 

The aim is to move from drills to decisions, from repetition to recognition. 

Learn how to guide players toward real game sense and long-term progress in every session.

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How You Start Changes Everything
In this 8-minute episode, Dan Cottrell and Stu James dive into the power of the first five minutes of a session. From early wins to playful warm-ups without a ball, discover how to boost energy, build connection and benchmark your plan. Quick, practical and purposeful: start better, coach smarter.

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Welcome to the coaching knife when we cut to the root of the matter. In this episode, we speak to Ollie Phillips, former England sevens captain now running Optimist Performance.  Focusing on performance, we are going to cut to the root on why winning is underrated. 

Ollie was 7s World Player of the Year in 2009 and captained England to three World Series Cup victories. He has completed many adventures, including sailing around the world.

His philosophy is to inspire change through shared experience, continual learning, and an appetite to help and support people.

You can contact him at www.optimistperformance.com

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Welcome to the coaching knife when we cut to the root of the matter. In this episode, we speak to Amanda Owens, leading sports and performance psychologist and former professional tennis player, and the first women to work as a sports pyschologist in premiership football with Southampton. She is founder of the Edge consultants. 

Focusing on developing better performances, we are going to cut to the root on how we can help and support athletes with performance anxiety. 

Amanda has been heavily involved in working the Worcester Warriors and Leicester Tigers, and international rugby players, as well as supporting business leaders to improve their performance

Her company approach is unique and client-centred, highlighting the importance of a person-centred approach, meeting the specific needs of the client. This enables the client to be more aware of their core needs, so behavioural and emotional change can occur and their vision achieved from a uniquely Gestalt and humanistic methodology and approach.

You can contact her on email amanda@believeconsultanting.co.uk and www.believeconsultanting.co.uk

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Welcome to the coaching knife when we cut to the root of the matter. In this episode, we speak to JP Nerburn, author, coach for coaches, podcaster and culture coach.

Focusing on intentionality in coaching, we are going to cut to the root on why it is important to have a clear idea or direction in coaching.

JP coaches primarily high school and collegiate coaches, rugby, basketball, track and field and ice hockey.

His philosophy is: The world doesn't need more coaches, they need more mentors. People willing to lead, develop, and empower their athletes.

 You can find out more by reading The Culture System on Audible and Amazon, or go to TOCCULTURE.COM for the newsletter and listen to more on The Coaching Culture Podcast

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Welcome to the coaching knife when we cut to the root of the matter. In this episode, we speak to Justin Goonan, strength and conditioning coach with the US military. Focusing on improving athlete performance, we are going to cut to the root on why S&C coaches are undervalued. 

Justin is also director of athlete performance with USA Touch, and former director of S&C with USA U20s.

His philosophy is movement over muscles.

You can contact him on social media @UniversalSportsStrength or 
universalsportsstrength@gmail.com

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Welcome to the Coaching Knife when we cut to the root of the matter. In this episode, we speak to Nick Leah, general manager at Six Degrees Sports, focusing on coaching skills.

We're going to cut to the root on where skills coaches often go wrong.

Nick was the academy manager at the Super Rugby team Brumbies,  assistant coach for the Australian sevens team, and assistant coach of the Melbourne Reds. His philosophy is all about the individual, testing and then basing the programs on what they need.

If you want to get in contact with him, you can contact him at nick@sixdegreesports.com or at his LinkedIn account.

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Welcome to the coaching knife when we cut to the root of the matter. In this episode, we speak to Graham Smith, director of Estonia rugby, and head coach Kalev rugby. Focusing on coaching the scrum, we are going to cut to the root on costs and benefits of using a scrum machine in training. 

Graham is a former assistant coach to England Women’s Rugby, helping them to win one of their two World Cup victories in 2014. Their previous win was in 1994. He is a Level 5 coach and has coached all across Europe.

What he says about his philopshy: I have thought for many years what a philosophy mean and I am still not convinced about them, coaching or playing. Are they not just plans? However, an umbrella philosophy is a few words: care about what you do and the players you work with, and be passionate about the game we love and how it is played. Involve everyone, staff and volunteers.

You can contact him on gbsconsultancy1@gmail.com and find him on YouTube at Graham Smith.

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Welcome to The Coaching Knife when we cut to the root of the matter. In this episode, we speak to Eddie Abel, head coach of the Midwest Thunderbirds Youth, focusing on kicking tactics. We're going to cut to the roots on why every player should learn to kick tactically.

Eddie has spent the last seventeen years coaching Indiana and Midwest-based teams at all levels. In 2021 Eddie left EIRA to restart the Midwest Thunderbirds program for u15-u19 players. He was also named Interim Head Coach at his alma mater Indiana University where he led the program to a top 10 ranking and several high profiles wins including beating #20 Iona 55-14 on ESPN.

You can contact him at MidwestThunderbirdsYouth

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Welcome to the Coaching Knife when we cut to the root of the matter. In this episode, we speak to Dustin Steedman, head coach of Davenport University men's rugby team, focusing on why culture matters. We are going to cut to the root on developing culture in an organization.

Dustin is former coach with the Michigan College Select men's and the women's team.

His philosophy is find work, always compete, win the competition with oneself, apply pressure on defence, play possession, win the territory game. A very much a rugby-orientated philosophy.

You can contact him by email dsteedman@davenport.edu. Or Facebook or the Davenport University Rugby site.

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Welcome to the coaching knife when we cut to the root of the matter. In this episode, we speak to sports scientist and assistant professor at UMCG Job Fransen. Focusing on applying science to coaching, we are going to cut to the root on how to improve skill acquisition.

Job is also a fellow at UTS Sydney and a skills acquisition consultant.

His philosophy is to encourage as much as possible the spread of excellent information in the field of skill acquisition science to coaches and practitioners.

You can contact him on LinkedIn, Job Fransen or JobFran3 on Twitter

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Welcome to the Coaching Knife when we cut to the root of the matter. In this episode, we speak to Corey Mömsen, assistant coach, Thomas Moore University, focusing on jumping in the lineout.

We are going to cut to the root on developing players to get into the air faster and quicker.

Corey played professional rugby for, at the time, the National Champions, the, Austin Herds. His philosophy is to make rugby enjoyable for everybody, not just for the players, but for the coaches, the fans and the families, and attempting to grow the game.

You can speak to him via facebook.

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In this powerful episode of the Rugby Coach Weekly podcast, Dan Cottrell sits down with Regan Sue, co-founder of Haka Rugby Global, to explore how Maori culture, adaptability, and people-first coaching have helped shape one of the world’s most culturally rich rugby initiatives. 

Regan shares stories from over a decade of running 100+ camps across 50 countries, unpacking the deeper meaning behind the haka, the power of coaching with cultural intent, and the nuances of leadership, energy, and skill development.

From managing chaotic changing rooms to instilling “mana” in every tackle, Regan explains how his coaching journey has always been rooted in adaptability and authenticity. With themes like the Warrior on the Edge and feet-fight-finish, he outlines how traditional values merge with technical excellence on the pitch and how every session balances smiles with sweat.

Links:

Insta: Haka Rugby Global

Facebook: Haka Rugby Global

Insta: Coach Regs

Facebook: Coach Regs

Regan has shared some key concepts:

Patu

He is the co-founder of Haka Rugby Global with business partner Troy Nathan 
•⁠  ⁠100s camps, 50 countries, 30 Staff, 3000 players
•⁠  ⁠Utilise Māori culture and rugby as a tool to help create future world leaders

Maori culture as a way to grow players?
We know where we come from
•⁠  ⁠Turangawaewae: Where one stands, their place in the world: Belong
•⁠  ⁠Whakapapa (genealogy line of ancestors)
•⁠  ⁠Pepeha acknowledges: Mountain, River, Canoe, Tribes, Marae (meeting place), Family + Me

RESPECT
•⁠  ⁠He aha te mea nui o te ao? He tangata he tangata he tangata!
•⁠  ⁠What is the most important thing in the world? It is the people, the people, the people

•⁠  ⁠It’s better to walk into a room go to the back and be asked to go to the front, rather than walk into a room go to the front and be asked to go to the back.
When it’s your time to lead, your people will call you to the front

•⁠  ⁠Mana: Leader, Power, Strength, Service to the people… ”Prestige”
•⁠  ⁠In many cultures a person's status in society is determined by their financial wealth
•⁠  ⁠In Māori culture a person's status in the tribe is determined by their Mana
•⁠  ⁠You gain Mana by how you perform on the field

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Welcome to the coaching knife when we cut to the root of the matter. In this episode, we speak to Tom Carter, Head of Athletic Performance Australian Women's 7s. Focusing on high-performance coaching, we are going to cut to the root on why high-performance coaching is different to normal coaching. 

Tom is a former professional rugby and captained the Australian Super rugby team, the Waratahs. He has worked as a high-performance coach across numerous sports, including cricket and rugby.

His philosophy is physical performance utilises a comprehensive understanding of sports science, psychology of behavioural change and elite sports performance, yet recognises that more is necessary for supreme athletic excellence.

Essentially, underpinning all the above is the human element, about forming a life-long relationship with an athlete, a genuine relationship based on the exact needs of an individual athlete and what it takes to help them excel to the best of their athletic and human capacity.

You can contact him on LinkedIn at Human Performance @humanperformancetc or tom.carter@rugby.com.au

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Welcome to the Coaching Knife, where we cut to the root of the matter. We speak to Phil Klevorick, who is CEO of the Rugby Foundation. In this episode, we're going to cut to the root of the matter of respect and how you create it.

Phil is a top level referee assessor and coach, sourcing and coaching referees for some of the top world sevens tournaments. He also founded The Rugby Foundation. Formed originally in the USA to help develop new players, coaches and referees and provide them with opportunity, especially in under-served communities, "The Rugby Foundation" has developed a number of programmes that benefit the rugby community everywhere. TRF now has representatives in more than a dozen countries who will promote opportunity, development and support wherever it is needed.

You can find out more about his work on their Facebook page and at therugbyfoundation.org,

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Welcome to the coaching knife when we cut to the root of the matter. In this episode, we speak to Nick Wilkinson, senior coach at Sidcup Rugby as well as delivering rugby in schools. Focusing on coaching large groups, we are going to cut to the root on how to make training a good experience for everyone. 

Wilko is a level 2 coach and referee, also coaches in schools and is the director of rugby at the Bromley Bengals rugby league team. 

His philosophy is to give every person, regardless of gender, age, sexual orientation, background or heritage a positive experience of rugby union, rugby league and martial arts.

In a  fun, safe environment which allows participants to make an informed decision whether it is the sport for them. He does not believe in forcing something.  He just wants to help anyone he coaches be the best possible version of themself. So that may mean guiding a player towards a sport which might be a better fit for them.

For example: A great sprinter could be a world-class winger. Conversely, a great winger could be a world-class sprinter or a great forward could be a world-class bobsleigh crew member

You can contact him on Twitter, @nick_wilko_

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Welcome to the coaching knife when we cut to the root of the matter. In this episode, we speak to Steve Lewis, general manager of the MLR team, Rugby New York and 7s coaching consultant. Focusing on sevens, we are going to cut to the root on how you develop an attacking system in sevens. 

Steve has consulted with a number of teams, including Brown University, Siena University and the national teams of Brazil and Nigeria.

His philosophy is to pick the right people, nudging, and you can only piss with the cock you've got.

You can contact him on Twitter @lizardrugby

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Welcome to the coaching knife when we cut to the root of the matter. In this episode, we speak to Mark Ring, a 1-1 rugby coach, attack and skills coach who won 32 caps for Wales. Focusing on coaching flair, we are going to cut to the root on how you can develop more skilful players. 

Mark has coached pro-rugby in England, Wales and Ireland. He is setting up his own website, markring.co.uk, with a library of rugby skills which will be filmed.

His philosophy is to improve skills and game understanding which builds confidence and encourages players to see a bigger and clearer picture as to how they can evolve into someone who can influence a game which the general public can enjoy.

You can contact him on LinkedIn or at mrcelt@hotmail.com

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Bird and LJ talk to Lynne Cantwell, the first high performance manager for the women’s game in South Africa.

Lynne is Ireland’s most capped (86) female rugby player. She was appointed to the South African role in February 2021. She has been a member of Sport Ireland’s board since 2019. She is also a qualified physiotherapist.

Here are the questions posed to Lynne:

• Your degree was in Sport and Exercise Science along with a Masters in Physiotherapy. When and how did you realise that your real passion was driving high performance sport?
• This year you were appointed as South African rugby first HP manager for women’s rugby- how exciting is this role?
• You have a young family, husband and are uprooting and moving to SA was this a difficult decision?
• There are lots of exciting Autumn Internationals plus games against the Barbarians, Wales, Scotland. We saw Twitter post of squad celebrating announcement of fixture singing. Talk us through the culture, support and what it means to the players
• What does the current pathway look like?
• Let’s look forward to the World cup pool with England, France, and Fiji to deal with. What are your expectations?
• Ireland has not qualified for the World Cup in 2022 which is devastating for all involved. What needs to happen now?

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Focusing on harnessing the use of language, we are going to cut to the root on why words matter when it comes to optimal performance. 

Coach Reed has two master’s degrees—in sports psychology and early childhood development—and thirty years of professional coaching experience,  His philosophy is human performance is a distinctly individual phenomenon based on the skills, tactics, values, and beliefs of each person and our role as coaches/leaders is to help create the environments and provide the tools people need to raise and chase their own excellence. Excellence can be achieved every day and I am most passionate about finding out how language, learning, and leadership can impact a person’s ability to achieve everyday excellence.

You can contact him at coachreed.com and find out more about the book at FullSpartan.com

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In this episode we speak to Joe Goodman, owner of Evo Rugby and head coach of the University of Bristol mens rugby team. Focusing on the EvoRugby promise to ignite your attack, we are going to cut to the root on how to coach evasion and agility skills in rugby. 

Joe, a Level 4 RFU coach says this about this philosophy: Within an innovative, enjoyable and measured performance learning environment, where detail matters, values are lived, and people are both cared for and empowered, I aim to educate, align and challenge athletes as they pursue excellence in developing themselves to achieve their desired vision and goals.

You can contact him at joe.goodman@bristol.ac.uk and visit his website evorugby.systeme.io and you can also find him on linkedin, Joe Goodman

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In this episode we speak to Sammie Phillips, General Manager and Head of Elite Performance at England Touch Rugby. Focusing on the benefits of touch rugby, we are going to cut to the root on why touch rugby isn’t rugby touch.

Sammie is a current touch rugby international and her philosophy is to identify potential in coaches and athletes and support them to maximise their potential and achieve their vision/mission/goals.

 You can contact her @sammiephillips04 on Instagram and find out more about England touch rugby on www.englandtouch.org.uk  

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In this episode, we speak to Eamonn Hogan, Level 3 coach, author and studying for a PhD around sports coaching. Focusing on coach development, we are going to cut to the root on what's wrong with coaching pathways.

Eamonn has coached all around the world, particularly in the US, and his philosophy is to reveal current thinking about rugby union coaching as a career and to grow opportunities for true meritocracy, . You can contact him on Twitter @theeamonnhogan, or through @rugbycoachweekly. 

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In this episode, Dan Cottrell speaks with Leicester Tigers player and Peak Team Performance founder, Tiana Gordon, about the power of soft skills in coaching. 

Drawing on her academic background in neuroscience, psychology, and mental health, Tiana shares practical tools to help coaches improve communication, build genuine connections, and regulate their emotions under pressure. 

From managing difficult player conversations to creating inclusive environments that support the whole squad, not just the starting XV, this episode challenges coaches to go beyond the technical and rethink how they show up for their teams.

To find out more from Tiana, here are the key links:

Peak Team Performance:

Website: www.peaktp.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/peaktp/

Email: tiana@peaktp.com

Tiana Gordon: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tianagordon/

Email: tiana@peaktp.com

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In this episode, we speak to James Barkell, Lecturer at the University of Sydney & Coaching Consultant with the Coach Doctor. Focusing on how you can improve the design of your practices, we are going to cut to the root on how you can use contextual interference.

James runs the CoachDoctor podcast, and is  Level 4 High Performance Coach in rugby union and has a PhD which focused on high performance in rugby. His philosophy is to encourage creativity in coaching, no one way is correct and you need to modify what and how you teach content depending on age, ability etc. Using questions is great, but it's how you use them effectively that matters. Likewise, games over drills, but there is still a place for drills. 

You can contact him at Linkedin @james barkell phd, Instagram @thecoachdr and visit him at thecoachdoctor.com.au and the coach doctor podcast site.

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In this episode we speak to Dave Sharkey, director of Team Architecture, a communications consultancy. Focusing on using themes and stories in sports coaching, we are going to cut to the root on how we can use them effectively with our players.

Dave is a English teacher and rugby coach as well as a consultant. His philosophy is "Some see things as they are and say: 'Why?' I dream of things that never were and say: 'Why not?'"

You can contact him at www.team-architecture.com @SharkTeams (Twitter) David Sharkey on LinkedIn

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In this episode we speak to Sam Barke,  sports doctor - Head of sports medicine at Meliora Medical Group and Return2Play. Focusing on the myths surrounding concussion, we are going to cut to the root on your deal with head injury. 

Sam is a school doctor at several major private schools and is match day doctor at Harlequins. Return2Play's philosophy is that by managing risk we can ensure the huge benefits of rugby can continue to be enjoyed.

You can contact him at sam.barke@melioramedicalgroup.co.uk and visit their website: www.Return2Play.org.uk

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Dan Cottrell cuts to the root with Brian Moylett from Mindset & Performance at Off-Field Rugby.

They discuss playing in the zone from The Book On How You Become A Pro Rugby Player.

Brian is a mindset and performance coach at off-field rugby. He also coaches university women's rugby and men's rugby in Canada. His philosophy is that he helps young players become more confident on the field, develop their self-belief and play in the zone.

 You can contact him at brianmoylett@gmail.com and visit his website www.offieldrugby.com

 The book is on sale now, The Book On How You Become A Pro Rugby Player.

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It's finals week. Claire Cruikshank joins the pod to chat about her experiences on the World Rugby Coaching internship. Jess and Eamonn also chat with Graham Smith, who discusses coaching in Estonia, and how to prepare for a World Cup final.

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This week, Liza Burgess joins the pod to chat about her experience and how to invest in female coaches. Eamonn reflects on a week coaching in France before chatting about the semi finals and how to show vulnerability when coaching.

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This week, Eamonn is away so Jess is joined by Andy Stevens. They chat about how they support and challenge each other's coaching. 

Sarah and Charley from Huddersfield RUFC women's team chat about training and the World Cup and Jess learns about the Utrecht Shield which tracks women's rugby history.

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Dan chats to Jeff Neville, the host of The Loose Head podcast. Jeff has managed to gather an amazing array of some of the top coaches in the game and chat to them about their approaches.

Now it is time to find out what he has learned and ask him the questions.  We focus on three pods in particular: Andy Friend, Ben Ryan and Pat Lam.

Here are the key questions we discussed:

• What theme or themes from all the podcasts has or have most resonated with you?
• We hear a lot about the "why" when experienced coaches discuss how they approach coaching. What does it mean to you, and how do you implement this in your coaching
• Ben Ryan's story about coaching Fiji rugby is both inspirational and sad. We don't get to coach the same talent where rugby is embedded in their souls. How can we use Ben's lessons in our rugby?
• Pat Lam talked about love and honesty. There are so many possible interpretations of what these can mean. How can a coach use these in their environments?

Jeff's Loose Head project isn't just a podcast, but a whole range of great coaching resources.

You can visit him on Twitter: @TheLooseH

And go to his Patreon site: www.patreon.com/thelooseh

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This week, we're joined by former England international and Head of Women's rugby at Leicester Tigers, Vicky Macqueen. Eamonn Hogan chats to Lincoln player Jodie about last weekend's matches and recent Lincoln training sessions. 

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In this episode, Dan Cottrell catches up with the globetrotting coach and former pro player Ben Herring. From being told he was too small for the 1st XV to wrestling with his dad for jackal strength, Ben shares a raw and inspiring journey through rugby, coaching, and personal growth.

Now Director of Rugby at Newington College and host of The Coaching Culture podcast, Ben reflects on how being underestimated shaped his coaching philosophy, why finding your niche is key to player success, and what it really means to develop team culture without losing individuality. The conversation travels from Japan to New Zealand to professional club rugby, touching on topics like over-coaching, player psychology, bench dynamics, and how stoic philosophy inspired a team-wide cultural shift.

A must-listen for any coach, educator, or rugby lover looking to lead with empathy and impact.

🔗 Highlights include:

• Being cut from school teams and how that built resilience
• Coaching culture lessons from Japan
• The role of repetition and language in learning
• Why sometimes it's OK to say, "Stuff the structure"
• Creating a unique team identity around stoicism
• How to balance team-first mentality with individual strengths

Here's a link to his show:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/coaching-culture-with-ben-herring/id1788635110

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Dan chats to Dan Wooler and Christian Lang from the Star Scheme. The scheme supports clubs in building their junior numbers, with the aim to specifically develop strong, trusted relationships between the club and player. 

Crucially, they target communities that would not usually engage with rugby and aim to make a difference to young people who are suffering or have suffered adverse childhood experiences, poverty or mental health issues. 

They discuss the following areas: 

• How the scheme has blossomed in such a short time 
• Who it helps and why 
• What happens for the player, a school and a club 
• How rugby makes a difference 
• Why it makes coaching and recruitment easier

For a video on what they do, click below:

https://vimeo.com/754762197/9f6646c29b

For information and how to get involved, go to their website:
www.starscheme.co.uk

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To launch the series and to get excited for the first round of matches, Jess Bunyard is joined by fierce rugby activist Alice Soper to chat about her country being the host nation. Eamonn Hogan also joins the podcast to discuss barriers to coaching.

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Dan chats to England's U18 men's head coach Jon Pendlebury about this role and how he goes about his week looking after this exciting group of players.

A former professional player with Leeds, and then heading up the Yorkshire and Wasps academies, Jon became head coach of England U18s in 2019. He is just completing an MSc in Sports Coaching at Leeds Beckett University. 

Dan asks Jon about  the following issues:

• How do you go about caring for your players?
• The role of winning is when you are selecting a team.
• Using the SAS as the mental model for training.
• How do you manage players who want to play through injuries for fear of being dropped?
• With 14 different academy approaches, how do you create a cohesive unit for the national group?
• How much can you plough your own furrow, and how much do you have to fit in with the senior team's patterns? 

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Host Phil Llewellyn with guests review some of the many great podcasts, books, articles and webinars from the last week. 

This week's guests: Dr Amy Whitehead, Reader, Associate Professor, Lecturer and Researcher in Sports Psychology at Liverpool John Moores University and Coaching and Chris Chapman, UK Coaching as Learning Experience Manager and Rugby Coach

This Week's Content:

• ‘Think Aloud’: Toward a Framework To Facilitate Reflective Practice Amongst Rugby League Coaches - Whitehead et al, 2016  
• Suspended Above, and in Action”: Think Aloud as a Reflective Practice Tool – Stephenson, Cronin and Whitehead, 2020 
• Developing the Triad of Knowledge in Coaching: Think Aloud

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Dan chats with Dave Ellis, who has coached  Super Rugby with the Blues, at Connacht with Pam Lam, as well as working with New Zealand rugby as a resource coach.

With all these years in the game and a passion for skills coaching, Dave talks around the following themes:

• What young coaches often struggle with
• How to know your players
• Helping players understand the "why" and how important that is
• How to develop skills, from detail through to the scenarios
• What Sonny Bill Williams said to Dave which changed the way he coached
• How to keep square with your body angle
• Coaching strike plays
• Finding the right balance to develop skill detail

To find out more about Dave and his latest courses, visit https://www.ellisrugby.co.nz

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Dan with Gary Townsend, the Bristol Bears Junior Academy Manager, chat about a question from coach Renzo Vedovelli on scanning.

Renzo runs an U15s team, and his 9, 10 and 15 tend to look into the ball rather than at the opportunities.

Dan and Gary discuss the following:

• What do you want them to look for?
• What is appropriate for this age group?
• How you would set this up in training?
• The practicalities of scanning. 

If you want your question answered by the RCW panel, then drop us a line at support@rugbycoachweekly.net.

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Host Phil Llewellyn with guests review some of the many great podcasts, books, articles and webinars from the last week. 

This week's guests: Mike Pride, chiropractor and rugby coach, Isak Hommedal, Norweigan sports club leader and Matthew Shaw, sports lecturer and coach. All are rugby players in Norway who have been instrumental in setting up rugby clubs in the west of the country.  

This Week’s Content

Tweet Thread - Matthew Shaw shares their journey and key principles of setting up Rugby clubs in Norway

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Dan talks to two key people from the Crusaders Coaching Leadership Programme™: Crusaders International Academy Manager Grant Keenan, and Kaila Colbin, CEO of Crusaders leadership training partner Boma. 

They share their experience of working with the 13-time Super Rugby winners from New Zealand, and how the team has built their culture and environment.

They draw on leadership lessons from Scott "Razor" Robertson, Wayne Smith, Robbie Deans, Kieran Reid and Sam Whitelock.

Here are some of the themes they covered: 

• Would you think that the Crusaders might be a bit scared if you're sharing all the secrets, given that they've been so successful?
• How do you elevate the game?
• If all the teams in a league have a high-performance culture, what happens when you find yourself in the bottom half of the table?
• From a coach's point of view, how do you help people understand their roles?
• How can you authentically care about your players?
• Should a coach be worried about their authority if they also show they care?
• Will the players slack if they know there’s always a soft landing from a caring coach?
• Knowing players is important, but can it also become too intrusive?
• What is meant by accountability and vulnerability?
• How have the Crusaders created themes?

For more information on joining the Crusaders Coaching Leadership Programme™, click here.

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Host Phil Llewellyn with guests review some of the many great podcasts, books, articles and webinars from the last week. 

This week's guests: Sally Needham, Academy Human Development and Performance Culture Lead at Sheffield United, consultant and FA coach educator and Jane Booth, 'Chaser of Dreams' Consultant, Mentor and Cultural and Leadership Developer. 

This Week’s Content

• Neuroscience for Leadership: Harnessing the Brain Gain Advantage – Tara Swart and Kitty Chisholm
•  Words Can Change Your Brain: 12 Conversation Strategies to Build Trust, Resolve Conflict and Increase Intimacy – Andrew Newberg and Mark Waldman
• Switch: How to change things when change is hard – Chip Heath and Dan Heath
• The Art of Creative Thinking – Rod Judkins

SUGGESTED CONTENT/WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED 

Tara Swart Website

Dean Leak on The Magic Academy Podcast – Russell Earnshaw 

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Dan Cottrell speaks to Inside Running Academy boss, Mike Rogers. Mike, who's just finished a season in the US MLR with the New England Free Jacks talks openly about his experience coaching in both his homeland of New Zealand and the States.

There is a very moving passage where we discuss vulnerability and authenticity. Mike's message about his relationship with rugby and his family will strike many chords with coaches.

Here's what else we chatted about:

• Why we need to coach players to tackle higher, not lower
• The benefits of ball stripping in the tackle
• Reviewing players more effectively
• Life balance for a coach
• How we share as coaches
• What can businesses learn from rugby and vice versa?

Inside Running are about to run their next amazing Coach Learning, number seven in the series.

Link to sign up for Coach Learning Series 7 is here:
https://forms.gle/c1EpjQaHQDHxkD5C8

For more info:
https://www.rugbyacademy.global/coach-learning-series/ 

Contact details for Mike:

Email:  mike@insiderunning.com

Twitter:  @InsideRunning

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In this episode of the Rugby Coach Weekly podcast, host Dan Cottrell sits down with Dr. Michael Francis Pollin, a leading expert in coach development and coaching behaviours for player learning, development and performance. They dive into the fascinating world of creativity in rugby coaching, challenging traditional perceptions and exploring how creativity is not just a product but a process.

Michael shares insights from his research and experience working with elite football and rugby academies, discussing how coaches can create environments that foster cognitive awareness, adaptability, and decision-making. From exploring the balance between structure and freedom to understanding the importance of silence and observation, this episode will leave you reflecting on your own coaching practices.

Key takeaways:

• Creativity as a process: Understand why creativity in coaching is more of a cognitive process than just a final product or "wow moment."
• Balancing structure and freedom: Discover how to blend structure with autonomy to create an environment that encourages creative thinking.
• The power of silence: Learn why saying nothing can sometimes be the most powerful coaching tool.
• Observational skills: Improve your ability to notice subtle cues and patterns in player behavior and game situations.
• Questioning techniques: Explore how the right questions can guide players to think independently and creatively.
• Decision-making under pressure: Equip your players to make effective decisions in high-pressure situations by fostering problem-solving skills.
• Creative defense and attack: See how creativity applies not just to attacking play but also to defensive strategies.
• Coaching behaviors that inspire: Reflect on how your own coaching behaviors can either foster or stifle creativity.
• Future-proofing your coaching: Prepare players not just for the current game but for the evolving nature of rugby in the future.

To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly

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Host Phil Llewellyn with guests review some of the many great podcasts, books, articles and webinars from the last week. 

This week's guests:  Josh Fletcher, performance coach with Formula 3 and founder of Career Blueprint and Dan Howells, strength and conditioning coach consultant and personal development coach with Collaborate Sports.

This Week's Content

https://www.yourcareer-blueprint.com

https://collaboratesports.com

Josh Fletcher Contact Info 

@careerbluepring – Instagram

@coachblueprint1 – Twitter

Dan Howells Contact Info

@collaborate_sports - Instagram

@howellsdan - Twitter

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Dan is joined by Gary Townsend, the Bristol Bears Junior Academy Manager to chat about Mark Poole's question about his colts team.

They are struggling to implement their backs moves and shape in matches, despite training going well and skills levels remaining high.

Dan and Gary discuss the following:

• Why do you need the backs move?
• What triggers the move?
• Ways to practise the play.
• Nudging the players into when to use the play.

If you want your question answered by the RCW panel, then drop us a line at support@rugbycoachweekly.net

To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly

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Host Phil Llewellyn with guests review some of the many great podcasts, books, articles and webinars from the last week.

This week's guests: Charlie Morgan, Senior Rugby Writer at The Telegraph and Ross Hamilton, freelance Rugby Analyst working with BT Sport, formerly Saracens and England analyst.

THIS WEEK’S CONTENT

Two Sides – British and Irish Lions Documentary

Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game – Michael Lewis

SUGGESTED CONTENT/WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED  

Creating Chaos Through Ruck Speed – Alan Dymock

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