This website is about the mechanics and methods of coaching rugby union and the approach I've taken is to concentrate on the "whys" of rugby playing and coaching -- why things happen, and and what we as coaches and players can do to make the good things happen more often and how to avoid the rest. It also deals with how the game is played, of course, but in a general way rather than in exhaustive detail.
Why don't YOU take over "Rugby Coaching Notes"?
For a number of reasons I will not be able to maintain RCN in the future; in fact since 2009 I have not been able to devote the time that it deserves.
This being the case, I have decided to offer the site to an interested party or group who will undertake to do the required refurbishments and develop the website for the future.
This offer is devoid of strings although, as you can imagine, I would hate to see what has effectively been a respected, fully-functional rugby coaching website and, may I add, a labour of love for the last fifteen years degenerate into some sort of facile news/personality-driven resource.
However, this doesn't mean that commercialisation of the website is ruled out!
If you have an interest in this offer please let me know before immediately and I'll be happy to discuss your plans, the details of the site and whatever statistics I have gathered over the years as well as my extensive file of supplementary diagrams and images.
Alan Hutchinson (alan_hutchinson@yahoo.com)
THE COMMANDMENTS
1. TICKER is the most potent quality a team can possess. Helping to build the team's TICKER is everybody's business, every day.
2. Your first task on the pitch is always SUPPORT.
3. Move FORWARD.
4. Challenge your team-mates to TAKE THE BALL AT PACE.
5. POSSESSION is paramount. Guard it wholeheartedly and use it wisely.
Don't drop the ball -- or throw or kick it away, either!
6. Boost your AWARENESS in matches AND at practice. You can't make good decisions unless you look and analyse!
7. It's NEVER over till it's OVER! Take the field committed to play full out for 90 minutes.
In fact, the website is still evolving as the game changes and as its readers make suggestions and ask questions. I always welcome your input so please send me your questions, comments, suggestions or criticisms
Perhaps you're wondering who I am and why I think that I can help with rugby coaching and playing?
My name is Alan Hutchinson and I had a pretty humdrum but vastly enjoyable rugby playing career - grammar school, university minor teams, a little provincial representative rugby and then twenty years or so when rugby never entered my mind.
One caveat: I usually don't much give a damn for Political Correctness
but it is very important to me that female players and coaches are treated
with the respect they absolutely deserve. Hence, may I just
ask them to excuse the fact that this page might seem to be directed exclusively to men? Irrespective of the 'he's' and 'him's', it isn't!
Coming back to rugby I got involved with a local club and ended up 'coaching' one of the minor league teams. As luck would have it my team went to the playoffs - nothing to do with me, I have to admit, I just did my best to provide a little organisation on the field. As a result, however, I spent a few years trying to coach until it finally dawned on me that I actually knew very little about rugby or about coaching and that my choice was to either learn something or hang up the boots for good. So I moved to a place where rugby is a religion, landed a minor coaching job and started taking things seriously - even to the extent of making notes! The rest, as they say is history. The notes turned into Rugby Coaching Notes and then
GRASSROOTS RUGBY and I coached and guru'd at senior club level. I know a bit more about rugby now and having made most of the coaching mistakes possible a bit about coaching too. Hopefully, some of what I know is to be found on this website.
By the way, if you need a more comprehensive rugby manual I still recommend "Total Rugby" by Jim Greenwood (4th edition) even though it would benefit from a re-write. Having said that his sections on the scrum and back play are indispensible.
RUGBY COACHING NOTES Copyright © Alan Hutchinson 2009
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