Coach to coach
Why did you get into coaching and how did you arrive at your current position?
My first proper coaching job was with the RFU as a community rugby coach. I had a brilliant boss in Peter Engledow who took over at Bishop’s Stortford as head coach. I had a few seasons as player coach with Steve Pope and followed on by Andy Long at the helm, both excellent people and coaches for me to learn from.
What is your profession outside of being a rugby coach?
I’m a secondary school PE teacher at Hockerill Anglo-European College. I have been there for 14 years now and it’s a brilliant state boarding school in the middle of Bishop’s Stortford. The college have always been very supportive in allowing me to balance my teaching and rugby commitments.
How would you describe your style of coaching?
I am a very honest coach who likes to be transparent with my players. Being adaptive is key to being successful and I’ve had to make some big tweaks already from pre-season. I like the hands on approach and would say I’m pretty meticulous.
What do you find the most challenging aspects of coaching?
Time will always be a problem when trying to combine coaching with another full time profession and somewhat limits what you can achieve throughout the week. Realistically we have around two/three hours a week together which is no time at all when you consider how many different facets of the game there are to get right.
Once the decision to drop a player from your 1st XV is taken what is the process that follows that to inform the player of that decision?
My preference would be to speak face to face with the player, but that isn’t always possible as we select our team after training on a Tuesday night. I asked my leaders at the start of the season how they would want to be told and the player feedback was that they would prefer a voice note. I do think a phone conversation is difficult as you are putting a player on the spot and they may react out of character. I would prefer to have a conversation with a player once they have had time to digest your decision.
Over the last four seasons, Bishop’s Stortford have finished between sixth and 11th in the table. Is National One where they are happy to remain? Is there anything from a coaching perspective you would seek to change to improve on these positions?
I’m not happy finishing between 6th and 11th place every season, that’s a dangerous game to play in my opinion! I am an ambitious coach and have ambitious players who try their best to win every game they play. But let’s be honest, money will always play a big part in how far you can realistically go and bringing in experienced ex Premiership and Championship players, as many Nat One clubs do, is very expensive.
From a coaching perspective is there anything about the structure of the season you would like to see changed?
To ask semi-professional players to play an eight-week block of games at the beginning of the season is ludicrous. Including pre-season we are expecting some players to play ten games without a break. I would prefer to see three blocks of games evenly split for the first half of the season. Playing at this level is still a huge commitment, and the players need sufficient time off to make sure the level remains high.
How do you continue to develop/improve as a coach?
I’m fortunate enough to have some good contacts at Championship and Premiership clubs so am always keen to go in and learn from them. But also I enjoy speaking to coaches at National one level and below. It’s also hugely important to speak with your players for feedback.
Name a player who you have really enjoyed coaching/developing and why?
Pat Metcalfe-Jones was a student I taught at Hockerill College and had an incredible enthusiasm for the game as a 12 year old and was so committed to everything that involved rugby. As a player she went on to play at Harlequins and Richmond and also captain Oxford University in the Varsity Match and now she is a coach at Surrey University.
What could be done/needs to be done to strengthen community rugby in England?
It is worrying the drop off in students playing the game in schools over the last two years. Parents are a lot more reluctant to allow their children to play contact sports and some schools are slowly phasing rugby out of their curriculum. Could local rugby clubs, through community coaches, like we have at Bishop’s Stortford, do more to help educate school teachers and their mini and youth coaches?
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?
Referees to enforce the basic breakdown laws better – if the referee says ‘use it’ to a scrum half at the base of a ruck, the kick must happen immediately or it’s a free kick awarded. Also referees to stop players being in front of the kicker.
What advice would you give to anyone considering or just starting to get involved in coaching rugby?
I think no matter what level you are coaching at, there has to be that enjoyment factor. You have to have that buzz when you get out onto the pitch and begin transferring your ideas to the players. Understand that you are going to have sessions or games that don’t go to plan and try to learn from them.
