Bristol launch coach education programme

Posted on Aug 4, 2011 in Championship

Bristol Rugby are set to launch the 2011/12 Coach Education Programme in September, giving coaches from across the region a unique opportunity to develop a greater understanding of the game.

In conjunction with the RFU, the club’s coaching staff will run quarterly coaching development sessions throughout the year at the Clifton RFC training base. The programme is completely free and open to coaches of all levels and ages.

Using a combination of theory, practical-based activities and question & answer sessions, the personal development courses are aimed at improving the depth of coaching skills across a range of areas.

Head Coach Liam Middleton, Academy Coach Matthew Sherratt, Academy Manager Mike Hall and Head of Strength of Conditioning Lee Douglas will each host a session centred upon a different element of the game. Two will take place before Christmas 2011, with two more in 2012.

The first of the four 90-minute sessions will take place on Monday 12 September, starting at 7pm. Matthew Sherratt will be discussing attacking philosophy, with a particular focus on coaching line-breaks.

“We’re looking to develop a coaching centre of excellence,” said the new Academy Coach and backs specialist. “The Coach Education Programme will directly benefit coaches at local schools and combination clubs. Bristol Rugby is committed to helping to nurture the next generation of players and high-quality coaching is central to this process.”

“Individual development is of paramount importance if clubs and schools in the region are to continue delivering coaching that is safe, effective and of a high quality.”

At the end of the programme, all attendants will receive a coaching information pack including a DVD compiled throughout the four sessions.

Sharks appoint Hanks as first team coach

Posted on Jul 14, 2011 in Premiership, Sale Sharks

Sale Sharks have announced the appointment of TONY HANKS as the club’s First Team Coach. Tony started at the club’s Carrington base yesterday, and will be responsible for attack, game plan and defence.

The New Zealander is best-known in English club rugby for his two spells with London Wasps, first joining the Club in 2002 under the then Director of Rugby, Warren Gatland. Working as a Technical Analyst and Assistant Coach for the side, Hanks was a key part of the coaching set up that secured three Premiership titles, a Heineken Cup and Parker Pen Shield in just three seasons.

Hanks returned to New Zealand three years later, where he took on the role of Assistant Coach with the Waikato provincial team between 2005 and 2007, securing the Air New Zealand Cup in 2006 and the Ranfurly Shield a year later. Throughout 2006 and 2007 he also worked for the Super 14 side, the Chiefs, as Technical Analyst and Skills Coach, combining the same role with the Junior All Blacks. In 2008 he was promoted to Head Coach of Waikato – a role he left for his second spell with Wasps.

Welcoming Tony to his new club, Sale Sharks’ Executive Director of Sport Steve Diamond said,

“We are very pleased to announce Tony Hanks as our new First Team Coach at Sale Sharks. Tony will work alongside Forwards Coach Steve Scott, Academy Transition Coach Pete Anglesea and Performance Manager Nigel Ashley-Jones. He will be responsible for attack, our game plan and our overall defensive strategy. Tony has worked with some of the best teams in the world and brings a level of experience and achievement that will be of immediate benefit to Sale Sharks. There was tremendous interest in this position and Tony has emerged ahead of several other high profile and experienced coaches. He is the final piece of the off-field jigsaw and we are delighted he has chosen to join us.”

Tony Hanks commented, “I’m excited to be joining Sale Sharks, especially at a stage when there have been many changes. With so many players joining to form a much-changed team, it’s a great time to be involved and I share the massive sense of anticipation at the club.”

Billy Millard joins Connacht as Backs Coach

Posted on Jul 12, 2011 in Connacht

Connacht have secured former Australian 7′s coach Billy Millard as their new backs coach on a two year deal.

Millard, who spent two years with the Cardiff Blues, will join Connacht in the coming weeks following a year off with family in Australia.
One of Australia’s most talented coaches, Millard has worked with some of rugby’s greatest players in his time as the head coach for the national 7′s side, head coach of Sydney University and head coach of the Melbourne Rebels. Players such as scrumhalf Luke Burgess, fullback Ashley Cooper, wingers Drew Mitchell and Digby Ioane and wonder kid James O’Connor have all benefited from Billy’s coaching expertise.

Millard led the powerful Sydney University club to back to back Premierships in 2005 and 2006, then took the Melbourne Rebels to the Grand Final of the Australian Rugby Championship. Billy has most recently been working with the Cardiff Blues and in his time there the Welsh side reached the quarter final and semi finals stages of the Heineken Cup and lifted both the EDF Energy Cup and the Amlin Challenge Cup.

Speaking about the move Billy said:
“I’m really looking forward to joining Connacht. It is a very exciting time for both me and the club as Connacht head into their first season of Heineken Cup rugby. I look forward to working with Eric Elwood and the rest of the coaching team in helping to develop the squad for the season to come.”

Team manager Tim Allnutt was equally as pleased:
“We are very happy to have Billy joining us next season, he comes with a great pedigree of coaching and a proven track record of success both nationally with Australia and within Europe having been involved with the Cardiff Blues for a number of very successful seasons.”

Lyn flies in to Old Deer Park

Posted on Jul 4, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

It was a whirlwind visit but Lyn Jones certainly made his mark during his recent flying visit to Old Deer Park.

The new London Welsh head coach flew in from Abu Dhabi for a whistle-stop three-day explorative mission to meet the club’s players and staff, before he returns on July 6 to take up his position.

Jones’ first act was to sit down with some of the club’s senior players to identify any areas that they felt could be improved upon, both on and off the pitch, for the coming season.

He later addressed the entire playing squad, together with the club’s rugby staff, before meeting members of the administrative team and casting his eye over the training facilities.

“It takes a long time to form good relationships but I was delighted with what I saw, and I found everyone to be very positive and ready to move forward,” said Jones.

“It was an opportunity to get a better understanding of how the club is structured, what’s good and what can be improved, and for me to then come back with recommendations to the board.

“It was also a chance for me to meet the players and for them to come and speak to me in an open and transparent environment, and see what I’m looking for and what they can concentrate on.

“For me, it was the start of a process. I’m looking over players and the quicker I can make and form opinions on individuals and key strategies the stronger we are going to be.

“Selection is key for the players. I don’t want to get to November to understand what my best team is. The quicker I can judge that then the quicker we can get the rewards of our performances.”

Jonathan Mills was among those senior players to meet with Jones and although he has never played under the former Ospreys coach before he was very impressed by what he heard.

“He certainly knows what he’s talking about regarding rugby. He challenges you and he asks for your point of view,” said Mills.

“And that’s what you want from a coach, someone who is willing to listen but also challenges you as player, mentally as well as physically.

“Lyn wants to play the running rugby that London Welsh is famous for – that’s the London Welsh way. There’s not going to be a massive change in the way London Welsh play.

“I’ve never worked with him before, but everyone I’ve spoken to has said he’s a really good coach.

“He talks a lot of sense, he’s very organised and that’s what you want from a coach – you want to know where you stand. I’m really looking forward to working with him.”

London Welsh second row Matt Corker, who passed 100 league appearances for the club last season, is optimistic for the season ahead.

“I think Lyn’s definitely going to be a positive influence,” said Corker. “He’s coached at the top level and he’s very keen on personal development.

“He’s got a wealth of experience and he’s learnt things out in Abu Dhabi that he wants to use at London Welsh, and all of that will help us move forward.

“This part of pre-season is obviously very important from a physical aspect, preparing your body for the season, but ultimately you’re always looking forward to when the rugby starts and working on how we’re going to play as a team. It’s a very exciting time.”

Those sentiments were echoed by former Scotland international Gordon Ross, who has come up against Jones’ teams in the past during his time at Leeds and Saracens.

“It was all very laid back and informal but I think some key points came across that the players thought might help, and Lyn had ideas as well,” said Ross.

“For the senior guys it was nice to get some idea as to what he wanted. Everyone wants to know what the new coach wants and to get to know him as soon as possible, so it was nice for the senior guys and everyone came out of the meeting very positive. It was a good start.

“From the meetings we’ve had with him and from playing against teams he’s coached in the past, he likes to play a free flowing fast game, which is the way we’ve tried to play at Old Deer Park in the past and I think that suits the personnel we’ve got at the club.

“The Ospreys were very abrasive. They had the aggressive rush defence that we try and play, and when they got it right they were almost impossible to play against. Hopefully we can bring that type of attitude to Old Deer Park.”

Meanwhile, for London Welsh flanker Lee Beach it was a chance to reacquaint himself with the coach he spent two seasons playing under at the Ospreys. Hence Beach is well placed to comment on what the London Welsh’s players and supporters can expect from their new head coach.

“It’s exciting times for London Welsh,” said Beach. “Lyn is an outstanding coach. He has a tremendous understanding of the game and he sees things that no other coach sees.

“In terms of his all round and one-to-one coaching ability, I don’t think you’ll get anyone better.

“If something goes wrong at the weekend, we’ll be working on it on Monday and Tuesday to make sure that wrong is put right the following week.

“From a personal point of view, he’ll sit you down on a one-to-one basis and look at your game and say if you do this, your outcome would have been that.

“We’ve lost people like Josh [Drauniniu] and Errie [Claassens] but I think the new boys we’ve signed are strong enough to take us that step further.

“The Championship has to be a target for us as a squad and Lyn’s won so many leagues with the Ospreys, I think he’ll do the same with Welsh.”

Wayne Smith to join Chiefs as assistant coach

Posted on Jun 27, 2011 in Latest Rugby News

All Blacks Assistant Coach Wayne Smith is to join the Chiefs Investec Super Rugby franchise as an Assistant Coach, the Chiefs and New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) have announced.

Smith has signed with the Chiefs for the 2012 – 2013 seasons, joining new Head Coach Dave Rennie and Assistant Coach Tom Coventry, and will finish with the All Blacks at the end of the year.

Smith was born in the Waikato town of Putaruru and said he was looking forward to returning to his roots.

“Even though I’ve lived in Christchurch for many years and consider myself a proud Cantabrian, I am also a Waikato boy. I have family and lifelong friends there and am really excited to take up this opportunity with the Chiefs.

“I know that the time is right to step down from my All Blacks role at the end of the year, but I was keen to stay in New Zealand and keep contributing to New Zealand rugby and this gives me a fantastic chance to do that.”

NZRU CEO Steve Tew said they were delighted that Smith would be staying in New Zealand rugby.

“Smithy is a world-class coach with huge mana and not just within rugby circles. He is hugely respected, continues to be an inspirational influence for many rugby players and it is a huge plus to be keeping him in New Zealand.”

Chiefs CEO Gary Dawson said:  “The Chiefs are thrilled to have a coach of Wayne’s calibre onboard.  Wayne is internationally recognised as an outstanding coach and we are very fortunate to have someone with his experience, knowledge and skill join our coaching group. Both the Chiefs squad and region will benefit hugely from Wayne’s decision to join us.”

Chiefs Coach Dave Rennie said:  “Smithy is one of the best coaches in the world. While his role will primarily be around defence and counter–attack, his experience will be of huge benefit to our playing and coaching group as a whole.”

The Chiefs appointment is the latest move in distinguished career for the former All Black. While more well-known recently as the All Blacks Assistant Coach, Smith was also an accomplished first five-eighth in his playing days. He was part of the legendary Canterbury provincial team of the 1980s and played 17 Tests for the All Blacks and 35 matches overall from 1980 – 1985. He was coach of the Crusaders from 1997 – 1999 winning two Super Rugby titles, first joined the All Blacks coaching staff as a Technical Advisor in 1998 – 1999 and was coach of the national team in 2000 – 2001.  After a stint overseas, he returned to the All Blacks coaching team in 2004 alongside Graham Henry and Steve Hansen and since then has helped coach the team to an 86 percent winning record.