Coaching & Officiating E-News: June 2005
COACHING NEWS Teaching effective tackling for Rugby
The tackling area of our game is very unique to Rugby. It's therefore necessary when initially teaching the tackle to make sure it is coached in a sequence that develops both technique and confidence.
However, before we can begin teaching the elements of tackling, we must first understand the technical points required to perform a safe and effective tackle.
NSW Rugby Union's Community Rugby Education Coordinator, Shannon Fraser has prepared a paper titled Effectively Teaching the Tackle.
Click here for a full copy of the paper.
Rugby Sledging
Australian youth changed dramatically with the invention of video and DVD players and game consoles.
Not only do Australian youth seem to spend more time indoors than their predecessors and have less social interaction with peers and adults, there is also a general acceptance of lower social standards including 'sledging' opponents in sports and swearing. Some of this change may also be attributed to violent and submissive movies.
This has been a minor issue in youth Rugby Union matches, but still one that required addressing. All participants involved in matches including players, coaches, referees, touch judges, administrators and spectators are bound by the Code of Conduct.
The Code includes players respecting their opponents, coaches coaching within the Laws of the game and spectators accepting refereeing decisions.
Click here for a full copy of the article Rugby Sledging.
Active Coaching - The Waratah Way
The NSW Rugby Union has developed the first CD of the series Active Coaching - the Waratah Way, that will become an integral part of its Coach Education program.
The CD includes the most current training techniques and activities to enhance and provide coaching techniques and tools so coaches can improve their team's performance.
The elements of tracking, tackling, ground skills and ruck and maul are explained step by step the Waratah Way.
Click here for a copy of the flyer Active Coaching - the Waratah Way.
To order a copy of the CD visit the NSW Rugby Union's website www.nswrugby.com.au and download the order form. Copies cost $34.95.
REFEREE NEWS
Update on match official communication
The August 2004 issue of Coaching & Officiating News, included an article on communication for match officials. In particular, this article focused on the need for communication to be accurate, brief and clear in order for it to be effective.
Since then, the International Rugby Board (IRB) has produced a protocol for match official communication and this protocol has been adopted for use in community rugby within Australia. The aim of this protocol is to provide a consistent approach and guidelines for communication for referees and touch judges at all levels of the game.
The protocol was distributed to state refereeing staff earlier in the year. However to ensure that all coaches, referees and touch judges involved in the game are aware of the protocol, please click here for a summary.
2005 Telstra Australian Rugby Shield - the referee stats to date
The referees participating in the 2005 Telstra Australian Rugby Shield include Nathan Pearce and Grant MacNeill (NSW Country), Paul McKay and Darren O'Brien (Vic), Callie Prinsloo (QLD Country) and Geoff Patching (WA). The Level III Referee Coaches are providing off field support for the referees.
In addition, local referees and referee coaches are providing support as touch judges and sideline officials (No.4/No.5) as well as collecting the statistical information for the matches.
As in previous years, the game management goals were established prior to the commencement of the 2005 tournament. These goals, which look at the overall presentation of the games, were reviewed as a result of the actual outcomes from the 2004 tournament and updated to reflect the improvement in playing and refereeing standards in the competition.
Below is a summary of the 2005 figures after Round 3 including the range over all the games and a comparison with the 2005 goals.
Item | Average | Range | SOG |
| | | Benchmarks |
| | | |
Scrums | 28 | 23-36 | 29 (2004) |
Scrum Reset/PK/FK % | 23% | 8-41 | < 30% |
Lineouts | 35 | 29-44 | 37 (2004) |
Lineouts WAT | 20% | 15-32 | < 15% |
Total PK/FK | 24 | 16-35 | < 25 |
TRM | | | |
PK @TRM | 15 | 10-19 | 15+ (60%) |
PK @ Tackle only | 7 | 5-9 | 8+ (50%) |
Unplayables | 2 | 1-4 | 3 or less |
Turnovers | 8 | 6-13 | 8 or less |
Advantage Conversion | 43% | 33-56 | > 40% |
Injuries | 5 | 2-8 | < 6 |
Total Stoppages | 92 | 75-109 | < 95 |
Tries | 7 | 4-11 | 7+ |
Keep up with all of this year's Telstra Australian Rugby Shield action by visiting www.rugby.com.au
AUSTRALIAN RUGBY NEWS
MyRugbyCard Update
As advised in the last issue of Coaching & Officiating E-News, the Australian Rugby Union has begun issuing the new MyRugbyCard to those coaches and referees who have attended a Telstra SmartRugby course this year and who have obtained an updated or new accreditation in 2005.
More than 3,000 coaches and officials have already become SmartRugby compliant in 2005. The task of matching this information with the database is significant and we apologise for any delays in getting your card to you.
In future, we hope to make this task significantly easier and quicker through the implementation of enhancements to the MyRugbyAdmin database (see details below).
MyRugbyAdmin database
In May, a number of enhancements were made to the MyRugbyAdmin database which we hope will assist all MyRugbyAdmin users.
The enhancements will provide the following functions:
introduction of Telstra SmartRugby, Junior Player Pathway, Foundation Certificate and Advanced Coach Seminar course attendance information;
the ability to show Match Officials, Coaches and other ARU qualification details in search results;
the ability to include all Match Official and Coach accreditation and other ARU qualification information in all data export functions;
the ability for Coach Administrators to view the club relationships that a coach may have;
enhanced search criteria for individuals to include postcode range, date of birth and gender; and
- the ability to report on SmartRugby qualified or Match Official/Coach accredited individuals.
Accreditation
The process of updating accreditations (Coaching & Officiating) that expired on 31 December 2004 is to be completed by 30 June 2005.
If you have an accreditation that falls into this category and have not been contacted by your State Referee or Coaching Manager, you should contact them as soon as possible to ensure that your accreditation details are updated prior to the end of June 2005.
Outstanding efforts of Rugby volunteers recognised
Congratulations to the 38 Rugby Union volunteers around Australia who were recognised this week for their outstanding service and commitment to Rugby in the community, through this year's Telstra Volunteer Recognition Program.
This year's winners represent the 18,000 Community Rugby volunteers throughout Australia who devote countless hours each week, each year at the grass roots level of the game through roles such as volunteer coaches, team managers, registrars, administrators, ground assistants and publicity officers.
In recognition of their contribution to Rugby Union, the 38 volunteers and their guests will attend one of the Qantas Wallabies 2005 Australian Test matches as a guest of the Australian Rugby Union.
Congratulations again to this year's winners and a huge THANKS to all volunteers involved in grass roots Rugby.
For a full list of the 2005 Telstra Volunteer Recognition Program winners click here
Australian Women's team positions up for grabs
The Australian Rugby Union (ARU) is currently seeking applications for the roles of Head Coach and Assistant Coach for the Australian Women's Rugby Team, the Wallaroos, who will compete in the IRB Women's World Cup in Canada in 2006.
Expressions of interest are also being sought for the role of Team Manager.
Reporting to the General Manager, ARU Community Rugby, these roles will assist in maintaining the highest standards of on and off field performance by the Wallaroos and provide an excellent opportunity for the right people to combine their coaching and management skills with their love of Rugby.
For further information about the roles, including position descriptions, click here
Applications close 5.00pm on Wednesday, 15 June 2005.
Advice to Junior Clubs regarding use of caffeine by professional athletes
In recent weeks there has been a large amount of media coverage of the use of caffeine by professional athletes.
This discussion should have been conducted in an unemotional and scientific way, however the level of hysteria and the number of conflicting views undoubtedly made it difficult for the Rugby community to form a balanced view.
The purpose of this note is to clarify the Australian Rugby Union's perspective, particularly in relation to suggestions that the use of caffeine (in any form) is being encouraged in relation to junior and school rugby.
The use of caffeine by junior and school teams is be to be discouraged at all times. It is an unsafe practice and may place young players' health at risk.
In particular, players unaccustomed to a high level of caffeine may suffer adverse side effects. This applies not only to caffeine administered by tablet, but also by other means such as some sports drinks and energy drinks.
This advice is consistent with previous advice provided to the Australian Schools Rugby Union in 2000.
For the record, caffeine has been removed from the World Anti Doping Authority's (WADA) banned list and remains on a list of "monitored" substances. It is not a prohibited item and used in small quantities by some adult professional athletes in a medically supervised environment, may deliver a small benefit to that athlete. This advice comes from the Australian Institute of Sport.
There have been a number of different opinions voiced by officials from WADA in the past week in relation to the consumption of caffeine by adult athletes.
It is instructive however to note the comments of WADA Chairman Dick Pound on May 18th, 2005 where he indicated that in the view of WADA, caffeine was thought not to improve performance, it was not dangerous to adult health and that is wasn't contrary to the spirit of sport.
However, the view of the Australian Rugby Union remains firmly that the consumption of caffeine in any form should be actively discouraged in relation to junior and school players.
This message should be conveyed to the coaches of all junior and school teams.
COACH & REFEREE PROFILES
Mat van Heerden, Referee Development Officer, Victorian Rugby Union
After twenty years in the pharmaceutical industry, I decided to follow my passion and moved into Rugby.
Rugby has been part of my life since birth, as I was born into a rugby family, my father being involved in rugby in the Border Region in South Africa for many years.
I played for Selbourne College 1st XV in East London, South Africa for two years and enjoyed the privilege of touring Rhodesia and other states within South Africa while playing for my school.
Highlights of my school rugby included playing in my schools centenary celebrations against invitation sides from throughout South Africa including players like Peter Kirsten (South African Cricket Player) and during my military service, playing scrumhalf to Geisie Pienaar (played fullback for the Springboks).
I played first grade rugby for the Buffalo Rugby Club in East London, South Africa for about three years before sustaining an injury, forcing me to give up playing and take up coaching for a while. I coached my club's Colts team for two seasons until I moved to road running and squash as my main activities. Highlights of my road running activities included running the Two Oceans Ultra Marathon (56 KM) and the KWT - East London marathon (65 KM).
My family and I moved to Cape Town in 1988 and I involved myself around my children's sporting activities (daughter - hockey and two sons - rugby). When my eldest son left school I found I had a vacancy in my diary on a Saturday afternoon all of a sudden, so took up refereeing in 1998 in Cape Town.
I moved to Australia in 2000 and after three years as sales manager of a medical equipment company, joined Rugby Union Victoria in February 2004. I have enjoyed being part of the development of referees in Victoria and look forward to the continued growth of rugby in Victoria.
Matt Kaye, Coach Education Manager, Brumbies Rugby
I was appointed Coach Education Manager with the ACT Brumbies in August 2004 after being with the organisation for nearly five years.
Over the past five years I have worked in a number of roles with the Brumbies, beginning as a development officer for the ACT region.
Through the success of the Brumbies, participation numbers began to grow and more staff were required. I took on the role of Development Manager before progressing last year to Coach Education Manager.
After my playing career ended due to injury in 2002, I took up the opportunity to become assistant coach with the Queanbeyan Whites (Canberra Premier Division). During this time I also assisted the Brumbies Academy throughout the off-season.
I'm currently completing the ARU Level III Coaching Accreditation and have held my Level I Referee Accreditation for a number of years.
As part of my current role I coordinate and conduct all courses across the regional areas within Southern Inland, Monaro and the Far South Coast. These courses include SmartRugby, Pathway, Foundation, Level I Accreditation and Level II Accreditation.
This year I'm also assisting with the Canberra Vikings in the Sydney Premier Rugby Competition as well as many Junior Representative Squads within Canberra.
