Young players should all aspire to excellence

Steve Hill puts the questions to Dominic Brockes, below, the head coach of Dorking RFC Colts, winners of the RFU National Colts Cup 2023/24

Why did you get into coaching rugby and how did you arrive at your current position?

I have always enjoyed coaching whether via work or sport. I started coaching when my son joined Dorking as a mini and developed from there. When he stopped playing the club asked me to stay on as Colts head coach.

What is your profession outside of coaching rugby?

I am a Chartered Financial Planner and run my own advisory business.

What do you find the most challenging aspects of coaching?

I love coaching rugby at Dorking, so the challenges are minimal! We run a mixed U17 and U18 group. We have a new U17 group every season and the challenge at the start of each season is to quicky integrate them into our culture, game play and expectations.

What particular challenges exist for you working with schoolboys aged 17 and 18 years old?

Lads of 17 and 18 have a lot going on! There are often personal challenges and a balance to find with heightened academical aspirations. I try to work with the whole person, to acknowledge and understand their personal journey and to integrate this with my expectation of them. I work hard with them on self-respect, respect for the group and what we are trying to achieve.

Has anyone been an adviser/mentor/inspiration on your coaching journey and how have they helped?

My coaches when I was a colt were inspirational and I see and hear them in my approach now. Their core philosophy was one of care, team spirit and a dedication to be being the best you can be rather than a focus solely on winning. The DoR at Dorking, Armand Roux, has also been extremely supportive of me and the Colts set up.

Reflecting on winning the 2023/24 National Colts Cup, from a coaching perspective what did you get right and in what areas do you think you could improve?

Winning the National Cup was fantastic for the boys, the entire squad and all involved in the Colts set up. Culture is everything, a happy group with a few simple goals and a clear focus will be able to achieve great things together. We maintained a highly integrated approach with guest coaches, first team players and senior coaches all playing a part.

My technical approach could have been better – I am now a level three coach – and I intend to focus more on the detail around this in the future.

Is there a direct link/ pathway between the top end of youth rugby and the senior section of your club. If yes, how does that work?

Very much so. Myself, the DoR and the club's youth development officer, work closely to identify current talent and agree how we will develop them from early in the Colts set up. These guys are invited to train, pre-season, with the seniors. At U18 level we also encourage the boys that are capable and keen to play in a few senior games throughout the season.

The largest ‘leakage' of players from the sport of rugby is during the 12 months after those players leave school. What could/ should clubs do to stem that flow?

If you get the culture right at Colts level, you stand a good chance of retaining lads into the future.

It is important to recognise the risk of leakage and to be having early one to one conversations with U18s going to university or work. Having a clear pathway to integration with the senior set up via training and playing senior rugby is key.

Name a player who you have really enjoyed coaching/developing and why?

Dan Gale. A lad who initially at U17 lacked confidence in himself and his game. Seeing him grow into a leader, become extremely technically proficient and being one of the first names on the team sheet is what coaching is all about. Those “wins” mean more to me than silverware.

What more could the RFU do to assist youth age group rugby?

I firmly believe that they are missing out on a huge undiscovered talent pool in state schools. Particularly in counties like Surrey where there are many private schools. The Premiership clubs need a greater incentive to work with state schools. I know there are some “outreach” programmes, but the overall approach feels a little piecemeal to me. A fully integrated, well-funded and centralised approach to this could mean a significant increase in young people joining our sport and a pathway to identifying more talent.

As a coach what two laws or aspects of the game would you change to make it a better experience for either yourself or your players?

The 50/22 rule is rarely executed in age grade rugby. The rule is sound and rewards great kicking ability. Maybe a change to this with a lower distance threshold might work.

Watching the recent World U20 Championship I saw the trial of further restriction around playing the scrum-half. I like this, especially in age grade rugby.

What two words would your current or previous players use to describe you as a coach and why?

Kind but challenging! Players should aspire to excellence but they must have fun and enjoy (nearly) every minute.

What advice would you give to anyone considering or just starting to get involved in coaching rugby?

Do it! The ability (and responsibility) to enhance the lives and experiences of young people is a rare privilege. This is the unique opportunity you get when becoming a coach. Rugby is a fantastic family where the ethos of discipline and challenge come together to make us all better players and people. As a coach you can be a fantastic force for good in this journey.