CROSS CODE COACHING (Feb 2006)
Phil Larder, Joe Lydon, Mike Ford, Shaun Edwards, Clive Griffiths, Neil Kelly, Graham Steadman, David Ellis, John Muggleton, Les Kiss.....to devotees of the 13 a side code the names of former rugby league heroes trip off the tongue easily. And,thanks to the quality of their coaching duties in rugby union in England, Wales, Ireland, Australia, and South Africa their names are now just as well known to those who prefer the 15 a side variety of the oval ball game.But why should this be?
Obviously the advent of open professionalism in Rugby Union ten years ago allowed many clubs and their national organizations to take advantage of the expertise and experience of a similar ball game which had enjoyed the benefits of professionalism on and off the field for over a century. Off the pitch marketing, media, pre match activities and presentation, programmes, club shops, souvenir sales, and even new club names were revamped or introduced after a close look at the profile and commercial outlook of clubs like the Wigan Warriors, Leeds Rhinos and Bradford Bulls. On the field "angles of running", "defensive patterns" ,"close running support play" ,and their like became the order of the day as former league players and coaches donned their tracksuits at Wasps RU, Swansea RU, Ulster RU, Stade Francais RU and elsewhere.
It is obvious to anyone watching the game of rugby union ten years on from the introduction of professionalism how many aspects of the two codes of rugby are now so close to each other. And it is obvious that much good work has indeed been done in Union by many ex League men, despite the fact that many union clubs now appear to want to appoint an ex Rugby League coach as head of their coaching activities rather in the same fashion as the Brownies and the Scouts collect their badges. Every Rugby Union club these days must have their Rugby League guru whether or not he has any ability to pass on any knowledge helpful to the other code.
Why then are there no Union coaches working on behalf of a League club or even with the Great Britain RL side? Is there nothing on the pitch that the 15 a side code can offer the rival game? Surely that cannot be true? And surely Rugby League people are not so arrogant as to refuse help from anyone who can help to improve the abilities of an individual player and the performances of the team?
Why does the Rugby Union's kicking expert,Dave Alred, himself an ex Rugby League player, not hold sessions with the likes of a Sean Long, a Kevin Sinfield, a Lee Briers, or a Iestyn Harris? Why is there no assistance for kicking a ball out of hand when there is more of such a practice in League than at any time in the game's history? Why is there no line out expert on hand to teach the League players how to catch the ball or, with cover around the jumper, to deflect the ball to a team mate when it is kicked high to them at the kick off and drop out situations in a game? Why are there no ex Gloucester RU, Saracens RU, or Leicester RU forwards to show any League pack men how to shield and retain the ball, as they do in a union maul, when they are driving the ball at the opposition from a Play the Ball? Why is there no one available to teach a League pack how to scrummage and push as a unit when, despite the facility in League for a scrum half to feed his own scrum, a concerted drive from a set of six forwards can seriously disrupt play behind the opposition pack and even allow a set of forwards to win a ball by pushing the other six off it?
Why do we see just one way traffic from League to Union from our coaches? More money? More opportunities? Greater profile? It beats me!
Ray French
Phil Larder, Joe Lydon, Mike Ford, Shaun Edwards, Clive Griffiths, Neil Kelly, Graham Steadman, David Ellis, John Muggleton, Les Kiss.....to devotees of the 13 a side code the names of former rugby league heroes trip off the tongue easily. And,thanks to the quality of their coaching duties in rugby union in England, Wales, Ireland, Australia, and South Africa their names are now just as well known to those who prefer the 15 a side variety of the oval ball game.But why should this be?
Obviously the advent of open professionalism in Rugby Union ten years ago allowed many clubs and their national organizations to take advantage of the expertise and experience of a similar ball game which had enjoyed the benefits of professionalism on and off the field for over a century. Off the pitch marketing, media, pre match activities and presentation, programmes, club shops, souvenir sales, and even new club names were revamped or introduced after a close look at the profile and commercial outlook of clubs like the Wigan Warriors, Leeds Rhinos and Bradford Bulls. On the field "angles of running", "defensive patterns" ,"close running support play" ,and their like became the order of the day as former league players and coaches donned their tracksuits at Wasps RU, Swansea RU, Ulster RU, Stade Francais RU and elsewhere.
It is obvious to anyone watching the game of rugby union ten years on from the introduction of professionalism how many aspects of the two codes of rugby are now so close to each other. And it is obvious that much good work has indeed been done in Union by many ex League men, despite the fact that many union clubs now appear to want to appoint an ex Rugby League coach as head of their coaching activities rather in the same fashion as the Brownies and the Scouts collect their badges. Every Rugby Union club these days must have their Rugby League guru whether or not he has any ability to pass on any knowledge helpful to the other code.
Why then are there no Union coaches working on behalf of a League club or even with the Great Britain RL side? Is there nothing on the pitch that the 15 a side code can offer the rival game? Surely that cannot be true? And surely Rugby League people are not so arrogant as to refuse help from anyone who can help to improve the abilities of an individual player and the performances of the team?
Why does the Rugby Union's kicking expert,Dave Alred, himself an ex Rugby League player, not hold sessions with the likes of a Sean Long, a Kevin Sinfield, a Lee Briers, or a Iestyn Harris? Why is there no assistance for kicking a ball out of hand when there is more of such a practice in League than at any time in the game's history? Why is there no line out expert on hand to teach the League players how to catch the ball or, with cover around the jumper, to deflect the ball to a team mate when it is kicked high to them at the kick off and drop out situations in a game? Why are there no ex Gloucester RU, Saracens RU, or Leicester RU forwards to show any League pack men how to shield and retain the ball, as they do in a union maul, when they are driving the ball at the opposition from a Play the Ball? Why is there no one available to teach a League pack how to scrummage and push as a unit when, despite the facility in League for a scrum half to feed his own scrum, a concerted drive from a set of six forwards can seriously disrupt play behind the opposition pack and even allow a set of forwards to win a ball by pushing the other six off it?
Why do we see just one way traffic from League to Union from our coaches? More money? More opportunities? Greater profile? It beats me!
Ray French