Rugby Coaches: Ground Based Mobility/ Grappling Workshop

Improve your players’ movement and contact skills

Negotiating the ground safely and effectively

Developed for coaches of senior players and those of junior players aged 14-18.

Saturday, 9th July, 2022. 0930-1230. 

Coached by James Marshall & Andy Stone.

In the three-hour workshop you will learn how to:

• Build the capability and capacity to play low and drop body height.
• Get off the ground quickly and accelerate.
• Land and fall safely to reduce the impact.
• Handle the opposition in contact situations to gain leverage and control.

“I believe James’s ground-based conditioning concepts are superb. The content would be equally valuable to rugby coaches, strength & conditioning coaches and medical staff returning players to full training.”

Dean Benton Ex-head of Sport Science, England Rugby

A unique chance to learn

James Marshall and Andy Stone have developed this workshop for Rugby Coaches using ideas gained from working together and individually.

James uses the knowledge gained from

James helping players transition from floor to contact

• Working in rugby (Exeter Chiefs Academy fitness coach, England Rugby Under 18s and Under 16s fitness coach, Great Britain Rugby League Under 18s and Under 16s fitness coach, London Welsh RFC fitness coach).
• Training in Martial Arts (England Karate Squad member for 3 years, 4th Dan black belt)
• Coaching gymnastics (Head Coach Excelsior ADC).

Andy uses the knowledge gained from:

• Competing at the University of Tennessee and post-grad for the New York Athletic Club.
• Coaching experience: Assistant coach at University of Tennessee, Syracuse University and head coach at The Collegiate School in Virginia.

The workshop will give rugby coaches ideas and skills that they can then implement in their existing training sessions.

Getting off the ground quickly and efficiently is an essential part of the modern game. Coaches will go home knowing how to help their players using quality movement. The better the movement the less chance of injuries.

Eddie Jones wants players off the ground quickly

“I think some of the blokes had a cup of tea and a scone with jam and cream before they got off the ground.” England Coach Eddie Jones on his assessment of players when he first arrived.

Module 1: Control your own body

Before you try to control your opponent, you must first learn how to control your own body.

The content includes:

• Basic rolling progressions.
• How to transition from ground to feet quickly.
• A game to practise the above.
• Reducing force on impact, how to land safely on the upper body and conditioning exercises to help prepare.
• Two drills to help apply into contact.

“There are only two statistics we look at. Firstly, how long does it take a player to get up off the ground and get back in his place for defence? Secondly, how long it takes a player to get up off the ground and get back in his place for attack.” Eddie Jones again.

Module 2:

This class focuses on wrestling games & partner coordination to help players understand positioning and leverage. Once the players understand how their body works and how to get into position efficiently, teaching contact in rugby situations becomes a lot easier and safer!

It includes:

Tag games, contact games in different positions, advantaged positions.

“I have known Andy for 5 years and often talk with him about applying wrestling knowledge to rugby. When working in the USA I met up with Andy to discuss in detail the exercises, skills and drills that can be transferred. This led to practical sessions that combined my rugby law knowledge with Andy’s wrestling techniques to find the most applicable wrestling exercises to use in Rugby training.”

Nick Hill, Assistant Head of Rugby at St. Joseph’s College, Ipswich.

Each coach will leave with:

An understanding of WHY these progressions are important.

Drills that show them WHAT to do.

Practice time so they know HOW to do the exercises.

• Cost £35 per coach.
• Location: Royal Wootton Bassett RFC.  (6 minutes from Junction 16 of M4).
• Book below (Only 25 spaces are available to ensure the quality of interaction.
• Booking deadline: Friday 24th June, NOON.
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