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In this episode of the Rugby Coach Weekly Podcast, Dan Cottrell is joined by Adam Izzard, Head of Rugby and Head of Boarding at Stonar School. Adam shares his inspiring journey of building a rugby program from scratch at a small, co-educational school better known for its equestrian facilities than its rugby teams.
From turning a horse paddock into a full-size rugby pitch to coaching a first XV squad made up of players with little to no rugby experience, Adamâs approach to developing the sport is packed with lessons for coaches, teachers, and school leaders alike. He discusses the power of resilience, the importance of mass participation, and how structure and simplicity can help new players fall in love with the game.
Whether youâre looking for ideas to grow rugby at your school or inspiration for coaching players of mixed experience, this episode is a must-listen. Adamâs passion for the sport is infectious, and his story is proof that even the smallest schools can build a big rugby culture.
Listen now and discover:
How to build a rugby program from scratch in a small school.Why structure and simplicity are essential for coaching beginners.Practical ways to increase participation and enthusiasm for rugby.The key life skills rugby teaches players beyond the pitch.Tune in and be inspired to grow rugby at your school, no matter the challenges.
To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
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In this episode, Dan Cottrell sits down with renowned sports scientist and learning expert Mark Williams to explore some of the most controversial and misunderstood myths in sports coaching.
Mark is a visiting professor at the School of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences at Loughborough University. A world-leading expert in skill acquisition, Mark has authored 20 books and nearly 300 research papers and advised top sports organisations like FIFA, UEFA, and the EPL.
His latest book is: The Best: How Elite Athletes Are Made with Tim Wigmore. Click the link to find out more.
Drawing from Mark's thought-provoking LinkedIn series, they delve into key topics like the "constraints-led approach," the limitations of "skill transfer," and the role of "visual superiority" in player development.Should coaches be worried about myths in coaching, or do they offer a pathway to deeper insight? Mark addresses this head-on, revealing how scientific nuance often clashes with the simplicity coaches crave. Discover why coaching is more art than science, how to strike the right balance between "hands-on" and "hands-off" approaches, and why learning and performance aren't always as connected as we think.
This episode will challenge your assumptions, sharpen your coaching instincts, and offer practical guidance on how to create more effective learning environments â whether youâre working with novice players or elite athletes.
To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
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Join Dan Cottrell as he dives deep with coaching legend Dave Collins in this thought-provoking episode of Rugby Coach Weekly. Together, they explore how context dictates coaching strategies and how to develop adaptable, critical-thinking players. Dave tackles big questions:
What does a Dave Collins rugby session look like?How do you balance questioning with active practice?Why is âIt dependsâ a cornerstone of professional judgment in coaching?How do you foster curiosity and skill acquisition in players and coaches?Whatâs the role of experimentation and reflection in developing as a coach?This episode is packed with actionable insights for coaches, educators, and leaders in any field.
Suggested Further Reading
Expand your understanding with these academics and resources referenced in the discussion:
Mosston and Ashworth's Spectrum of Teaching Styles â foundational work on teaching methods across diverse contexts.Shane Pill and Brendan SueSee â experts in physical education and sport pedagogy.Jamie Taylor and Dave Collinsâ Upcoming Book on Skill Acquisition â releasing soon, blending ecological, cognitive, and predictive models of learning.Who is Dave Collins?
Dave Collins is a renowned performance consultant and psychologist. He is the director of Grey Matters, a leading consultancy specialising in performance psychology and coaching, with additional expertise in clinical psychology, counselling, conditioning, nutrition and sports medicine: in short, a one-stop shop! One big feature of the company is their 'pracademic' status; they generate original research to meet client needs as well as deploying current innovations.
Dave has worked with elite athletes, coaches, and teams across multiple disciplines, helping them reach their highest potential through evidence-based approaches. He is a former Performance Director for UK Athletics and has held senior roles in both academia and applied sports settings.
Currently, Dave is a Professorial Fellow in Human Performance Science at Edinburgh University and a Professor of Elite Performance at Dublin City University.To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be! -
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Join host Dan Cottrell as he sits down with Danny Powell, a skill acquisition developer and performance psychologist from Manchester Metropolitan University. Danny shares his expertise working with coaches, including GB Aquatics and Sale Sharks, to explore the art and science behind skill acquisition.
In this episode, they dive deep into:
What "skill acquisition" really means and why it matters for coaches.Practical approaches to helping athletes learn and refine motor skills.The balance between conscious and automatic learning processes.How coaches can evolve their own techniques through reflection and open-mindedness.Whether you're coaching at the grassroots level or working with elite athletes, this episode offers valuable insights into how coaches and athletes can grow together through experimentation, understanding, and a focus on the journey, not just the destination.
To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be! -
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Dan Cottrell chats with Graham Bourton, head coach of the Milton Keynes Under 15s. Since taking over in 2016, Graham has transformed the team from a mere 5 players to a thriving squad of 25, thanks to his innovative coaching methods and strong community engagement.
In this engaging conversation, Graham shares:
His journey from rugby parent to influential coach.The methods and training courses that shaped his approach.Strategies for player development and creating a fun, competitive environment.How he overcame challenges like COVID-19 to keep players engaged and motivated.Tips on working with parents and building a strong, supportive rugby community.Insights on team selection, managing player dynamics, and balancing development and competition.To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be! -
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In this episode of the Rugby Coach Weekly Podcast, host Dan Cottrell sits down with Alex Hadley, Director of Rugby at Battersea Ironsides, to explore what it takes to build and sustain one of the world's largest community rugby clubs.
Alex shares insights on balancing player availability and club culture, creating a positive and welcoming environment, and using flexible strategies to engage and retain players. The conversation delves into the challenges of running a successful rugby club in London, including managing training schedules, fostering player development, and finding effective systems to keep players motivated.
Alex also offers practical advice on maintaining a consistent yet adaptable coaching language, nurturing passionate internal coaches, and the importance of reflection and continuous self-improvement. This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to build a stronger, more connected rugby club.To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be! -
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In this episode, Dan and Lindsay Abery, Thatcham U14 coach and former mini and junior chair, dive into the ins and outs of building a thriving rugby culture in schools.
They tackle essential topics like engaging new players, ensuring safety with innovative techniques, and adapting coaching styles for different age groups.
Lindsay shares practical strategies for growing rugby's reach, including tips on creating a standout coaching CV and breaking into school coaching environments.
With a mix of personal stories, practical insights, and a few laughs, Dan and Lindsay offer a guide for coaches, teachers, and rugby enthusiasts looking to make a meaningful impact on young players and school communities.To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be! -
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Fi Hayes is a former Ireland international, winning two Six Nations and representing her country in the 2014 World Cup.
What does a Fiona Hayes training session look like?How do you deal with players who struggle with passing or break the flow of exercises?.What kind of information should players be communicating to each other during training?How do you handle situations when the players are not hitting technical targets during conditioned games?How do you keep co-coaches aligned, ensuring consistency in language and objectives across the coaching team?
More recently, she has coached UL Bohemians to cup and league titles, been head coach of Munster U18 girls, and is now Munster Women's head coach. She has also been the Energia Women's AIL coach of the year twice.
In the podcast, I ask:To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be! -
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Dan welcomes Matt Garvey to the podcast. Matt had 13 years in English top flight rugby, playing for London Irish, Bath where he was also captain, Gloucester and Worcester.
He is now the Rugby Playersâ Association (RPA) Development Manager for Bath Rugby and Gloucester.
In the podcast, they discuss:
When an 18-year-old signs up for a club, what happens next?Even talented players don't make it. What should aspiring players do to make themselves better prepared when it comes to stepping up?There's a perception that ex-players become coaches. What's the reality?How does the RPA support players in their current lives to help build a future life?What are the myths about professional rugby life?What is your view on win bonuses?You can reach out to Matt on: [email protected]
To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be! -
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We are delighted to welcome back Keith Lewis to the podcast. Keith is a practising referee and runs the RugbyReferee.net website and Facebook community.
The three new laws for this seasonThe experimental laws you might see that aren't enshrined yetThe old favourites of why it seems that not-straight at the scrum is ignored, why referees allow players to seal off or go off their feetThe real impact of the tackle height laws
Dan asks Keith about:If you are a referee, then you can join the rugbyreferee.net community on Facebook and also get Keith's excellent season journal.
For other great referee resources, go to RugbyReferee.net.To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be! -
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In this short podcast, Dan speaks to Gary Townsend, head of rugby at Switch Rugby about whether we have the wrong expectations of young rugby players.
He is former RFU National Player Development Manager and Bristol Bears Junior Academy manager.
In this episode, they discuss what a capable 13-year-old rugby player should achieve on the pitch and what coaches need to do differently to ensure we focus on the right skills and game understanding.To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be! -
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We are going to turn the tables and Stu James, is going to ask me the questions.
What question do I wish other coaches asked me on coursesHow do I help coaches who haven't got my experienceHow important is a coaching philosophyHow do I balance taking control and giving controlHow do I know when things are going wrong in training, and how do I fix itWhat has made my coaching philosophy changeWhat is the most important lesson learned from my coaching journey
Stu is a club coaching ordinator and colts coach at Guildford RFC, as well as a coach within the Quins Foundation programme and for Surrey Colts. In addition to these volunteer roles, he has a day job as a business consultant and executive coach.
In the podcast, Stu challenges me on:To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be! -
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In this short podcast, Dan speaks to Gary Townsend, head of rugby at Switch Rugby with a focus on deciding when to help players specialise as a 9 or 10.
He is former RFU National Player Development Manager and Bristol Bears Junior Academy manager.
In this episode, they discuss the best age, why it makes sense for this position and how it impacts their future development.To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be! -
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Welcome to the Coaching Knife when we cut to the root of the matter. In this episode, we speak to Martin Haag, high performance team and executive coach.
Focusing on managing people rugby we are going to cut to the root on the importance of having a coaching philosophy.
Martin played for 14 years at Bath, then coached Bath, Nottingham, Bristol, Bath Academy England U20 World Cup Winning, Rouen, and Scotland, and now work in high-performance teams and executive coaching.His philosophy is Encourage, Excite and Empower.
You can contact him on LinkedIn.To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be! -
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Welcome to the Coaching Knife when we cut to the root of the matter. In this episode, we speak to Nic Evans, L4 coach and former director of rugby for the Kings Cross Steelers.
Focusing on women's rugby, we are going to examine why there arenât more women coaches coaching both men's and women's rugby.
Nic is a former head of PE, director of sport, and then lecturer and programme manager in higher education. She played rugby for Wales, is an L4 coach and coached the King Cross Steelers as the DoR of the very first gay and inclusive club in London.
She is also an experienced sevens coach, working with Wooden Spoon and head coach of Lions 7s.
You can contact her on LinkedIn: Nic EvansTo find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be! -
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Dan speaks to one-half of the Squidge Rugby Owen brothers, Will.
How Squidge Rugby come into the world .Translating complex plays into a layperson's language is tough. How do you bridge the gap?His coaching journey.How does the analysis inform his coaching?Do top coaches truly innovate? Should international teams aim to win every game or build towards the World Cup?What's the best game he has ever seen?
With a massive following for their YouTube channel, Squidge Rugby analyses matches in a unique, bringing insight and entertainment in equal measure.
Will is an avowed rugby geek but also still plays and coaches his local team's colts.
Dan asks him about:Want to find out more from Squidge? Go to their Youtube channel
To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
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Welcome to the Coaching Knife when we cut to the root of the matter. In this episode, we speak to Gavin Blackburn, Head Coach Cambuslang RFC.
Focusing on the scrum rugby we are going to cut to the root on how to deal with a pack thatâs dominating you.
Gavin was a former age-grade district and international prop. He was a member of Saracensâ academy programme in the late 1990s, then played club rugby for London Scottish, Glasgow Hawks, Glasgow Southern, and Stirling County coached at Dunfermline, Kilmarnock, Biggar, Garnock, West of Scotland and Stirling County, and was a development officer for five years between 2012 and 2017 in the Garnock Valley.
His philosophy is to develop players by using a drill to demonstrate key points and then putting them into a conditioned game to work on these points/skills under pressure.
Instagram: GB Performance Coaching
You can contact him at [email protected]To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
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Dr Jocelyn Solomons tackles significant issues in women's sports.
In this episode, she talks to Lyndon Julius about the role of media in this domain.
Lyndon is a communications specialist and creative storyteller with over a decade of experience in sports reporting. He is dedicated to community sports and immerses himself in grassroots athletic endeavours.
With written and digital media expertise, they delve into his insights on the global impact of sports reporting, particularly concerning womenâs sports.
They discuss his experiences in writing and reporting on womenâs sports, the effect of media coverage on the growth and recognition of female athletes, and the media's responsibility for equitable coverage of womenâs sports, both locally and internationally.To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be! -
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Welcome to the Coaching Knife when we cut to the root of the matter. In this episode, we speak to Jamie Barnwell, Head Coach Cayman 7s and Performance director.
Focusing on 7s rugby we are going to cut to the root on to coach to compete when you have limited speed.
Can you win a game of sevens if you donât have any pace in your team?
Jamie spent five years as head coach of the Bermuda national team for both 15 and 7s. Back in the UK he was attack coach with Richmond, and head of coach of the England senior womenâs academ.
His philosophy is to inspire, and facilitate a group to become better, people, athletes and a team.Go to the Rugby7splaybook on Substack for some excellent resources and games to improve your 7s coaching.
You can contact him on [email protected]
To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be! -
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Dan speaks to Stuart Welsh, founder of ALTA Education.
The importance of acknowledging the novice-expert continuumHow novices and experts learn differentlyHow to differentiate effectivelyHow experts are novices, tooWhat is variation theory in education, and how it could work in a training session
With nearly two decades of experience in education, specialising in maths teaching and as well as coaching rugby in schools, Stuart is a well-sought-after speaker and presenter.
He has taught and led teams in schools worldwide, authored popular math textbooks, and founded a widely-used educational website used by tens of thousands of students every year. He is passionate about research-based pedagogy and committed to improving teaching and learning globally through ALTA Education.
In the podcast, we discuss:If you want to contact Stuart, email him at [email protected]
To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly
Also, tap into the library of 4,000 pages of activities, advice, tactics and tips to help you become the best rugby coach you can be! - Näytä enemmän
