This week, England will cast aside the last vestiges of the Johnson era and hopefully select the backbone of a side to take us through to 2015 RWC.

There’s truly a frisson of excitement building amongst the press corps at Lancaster’s attitude to rugby- no nonsense, back to basics, value the shirts etc.

In some areas, the selection will be pretty easy- the front row picks itself; the halfbacks also, when all are fit. But elsewhere, the backrow, inside centre and second row will all inspire huge debate.

Lancaster has gone on record as saying he wants to play an expansive game. All very good to say that, but sadly, that style relies upon a linking 7, and that’s the one area England’s resources are very thin. For someone of my age, brought up on a series of absolutely world class opensides (Hill, Back, Winterbottom etc), it’s unthinkable that we have no-one to challenge the best of the world- the likes of Dusautoir, McCaw, Pocock, Brussouw and the wonderful Sam Warburton.

I believe he’ll go with a starting line up of Wood, Croft and perm one from Morgan and Robshaw. It’s a mix and match situation- play Morgan and you go in with an inexperienced 8 and no 7. Play Robshaw and you have two 6-and-a-halves and no 8. Croft can count himself lucky that his line-out is an integral part of England’s set piece, as his work around the park in recent games has been lacking in physicality. It’s makeshift to say the least, but I do think England will profit from the workrate of the Quins skipper and the robust work around the fringes of Saint Wood.

Elsewhere, with Manu Tuilagi injured, it’s a shoo-in that the Saracens club unit of Hodgson, Farrell and Barritt will form the spine of the midfield, although some may question if Hodgson’s style will be suited to a cold day in soggy Edinburgh. Trinder will bench and add pace to the outside channels when he comes on.

At lock, it’s a case of pick the best available. Tom Palmer, surely one of the most under-rated locks in world rugby, should partner one of Lawes or Attwood in the enforcers role, although Mauritz Botha, the big Saracen-cum-South African, will also press his claims. In the back three, it’s a case of Sharples or Quin’s Mike Brown, which will inform if Foden (also a candidate for the outside centre berth) starts on the wing or at full back. Ashton will of course resume his splashdowns on the other wing.

Looking at the above, England’s season will be defined not by results, but by ambition and the content within those results. The fans have an appetite to watch an attractive team ; if a few eggs are broken making a delicious omelette of pacey, expressive rugby, so be it. However, Murrayfield in February is a daunting prospect, and one hopes, in the desperation to play expansively when conditions perhaps dictate otherwise, Stuart Lancaster doesn’t end up with some of those eggs on his face.

“If you trust your nerve as much as your skill, you’re capable of a lot more than you imagine”- Mike Atherton (Former England Cricket Captain)

The Lesson

That’s really what competing in sport is all about – giving your best. We get the most out of playing the game by giving it a go each and every time we compete. Striving to do our best doesn’t mean we need to be miserable either. We should always play with a smile on our face and enjoy ourselves, otherwise what is the point. It’s also worth remembering that even if we give our best we may not come out on top. This is just another aspect of competing, results don’t always match our efforts.

The Action

I will always give it my best shot.

 man is electric. I devised a very specific training conditioning game of 6 tackle rugby, which is based on speed, agility and evasion.  It is  basically a combination of rugby league and rugby union.  The first day Shane played it, he ripped the other team to bits!  He must be the hardest player to tackle when he runs at you at full tilt.  I often chuckle to myself when some big back rower sets themselves to try and smash Shane, and just as they think they are about to make contact – BOOM !!!  ‘Shano’ is gone and away. 

Mikey

Normally the way you would want there to fall would be an away game first, get some sort of a result on the road and then get them home and kick their ass!! That’s the plan anyway… 

But for some teams the other way suits just fine, take a look at ERC new comers Connacht, they have lost their last 8 games in all competitions and desperately need to get a win, not just their European hope but to get their whole season back on track. So they will be quite happy to be playing their first game against Gloucester at home in Galway.

Now the visiting side themselves are in no great shape either, having lost their last four games, so this is turning out to be a pivotal game for both sides.

In what could be described as one of the games of the weekend Munster travel away to the inform Scarlets on Saturday. Yes they are both undefeated but you would have to say that the home sides play has been the more impressive, with Munster needing two last minutes efforts from ROG to see them through. Especially with the season ending injury to Doug Howlett, Munster will be looking at this to get some points out of this fixture and get the full allocation next week therefore winning the back to backs.

As these games can be a nightmare for some it can also be a boon for others, look at Ulster. They stand having won one and lost one are now playing Aironi in a group that will probably see two teams qualify. So if they can get 2 wins and if possible max points it could be enough with a couple of added points from the others games, to virtually see them through!

Leinster travel to Bath for their game this weekend, a place they have played quite a bit in the ERC and have a good record there. I still feel that with the blues this game, as with the rest of their season in truth, is in their own hands. They have shown that they still have the team that can get the results and if they stay hungry the results should go their way. Bath are struggling, standing 3^rd last in the premiership and will find this one tough.

Shane

“One hour of hard training is worth a hundred hours of loafing” – Frank Bruno (Former Heavyweight Boxer)

The Lesson

Have you ever finished a long training session and felt that you hadn’t achieved anything. You lack that feeling of healthy exhaustion that tells you it was worthwhile. What you have done is put in twice the time for half the results. A session that is low energy can be lazy and we kid only ourselves if we think otherwise. A session that is fired up, where we give 100% is not only of more value, it is more satisfying.

Don’t fall into the habit of being satisfied with clocking up training time. “Quality is king”.

The Action

Training is most effective when I give my best effort. If I can’t do that I am wasting my time.

This week we will look at attacking against another defence which operates under a different philosophy. That defence is often referred to as the “Blitz Defence”. It is the complete opposite philosophy to the Drift Defence as it allows the attack the least amount of time and space possible, on the ball to execute an attack.

The Blitz Defence knows the space that exists is exactly the same space that the drift defence allows, but unlike the Drift Defence they make no effort to get to that space to defend it. Instead the Blitz defence believes it can stop the ball from getting to the space by cutting off the attack before it reaches the space.

They achieve this by bringing up the defensive line as quickly as possible, allowing the attack little or no time on the ball and preventing the attack from getting the ball into the space outside the defense. This is the complete opposite defensive philosophy to the Drift Defence. For that reason it is necessary for the attacking team to react accordingly.

It is possible to get the ball into the space outside the Blitz defence but to do so it requires the attacking line to lie deep and throw long passes which are in danger of being intercepted by the aggressive defenders. Also, if the attack succeeds in getting the ball into space, by keeping the attacking line deep, the ball carrier is so far behind the gain line when they receive the ball that the cover defence (sweeping behind the Blitz defense) can get to the ball carrier before or as they reach the gain-line.

The most effective strategy against a Blitz defence is to allign the attackers further apart, which means there is more space than normal between each attacker. This automatically spreads the defensive line which means more space between each individual defender. This creates attacking space between defenders rather than on the outside of the defence. Then using short passes attack the space between the defenders rather than trying to go around the defence. Because the defenders in a Blitz defence advance to defend the gain-line very aggressively it is difficult for them to adjust laterally to defend the space on either side of  them. Especially a space that is larger than normal because the attackers have created that extra space by aligning further apart.

Strike runners appearing in the spaces, at the last moment, on either side of the defenders makes defending very difficult for a Blitz Defence. If the attack succeeds in penetrating a Blitz defense it is extremely damaging to the defence, as the speed at which the defensive line advances makes it almost impossible for the defenders to recover. The attack strategy against the Blitz defence must be able to cope with the aggressive nature of the Blitz defence. To achieve this attackers must consistently attack the spaces between defenders while keeping the defence spread out and at the same time coping with the pressure the defenders exert by advancing very quickly to make tackles.

Getting the strike runners into those spaces between the defenders is best achieved with short strike passes. Long passes to strike runners against a Blitz defence can lead to interceptions by the defenders or at best players receiving the ball at the same moment they are being tackled.

If the Blitz Defence is breached it is often very difficult to recover as the defensive line has advanced so quickly that they are unable to scramble back and help the backfield defenders. Also the defensive line is breached by penetrating (going through) the defence, which immediately puts a lot of defenders on the wrong side of the football.

Whereas, the Drift Defence is usually breached out wide which gives the cover defence an opportunity to cutoff the line break and also has the advantage of using the touch line to help corner the ball carrier. Also, if the Drift defence is penetrated the other defenders in the defensive line are less committed up field because their line speed is slower and for that reason have a better chance of tracking back to to help the backfield defenders.

In other words the Blitz Defence is an “all or nothing deal” as it either stops the attack completely or is likely to be split wide open by the attack.

The Blitz defence was more in vogue as recently as 3 – 7 years ago and is still used by certain teams. But as teams became more aware of how to unhinge the Blitz defence it became less popular, although it is still very effective if an attack uses the incorect strategy against it.

Next week we will look at the “Hard Drift” defence. This is the defensive system that attacking teams are most likely to encounter nowdays. It is more difficult that the Drift or Blitz Defences to break down, which is the reason for it’s popularity. But like the Drift and Blitz Defenses it can be unhinged by the correct strategy.

Eddie

“No matter how long you have played, you always get butterflies before the big games” – David James (England Soccer Player)

The Lesson

We all experience nervousness at some point, especially before a big game. The secret is to use these emotional feelings in a positive way to enhance performance rather than let them overwhelm us in a negative way. We can to this by focusing on the specifics of our performance and being positive in our self talk and visualization.

The Action

The best players get nervous every once in a while. I will use this extra energy to improve my performance.

With Jonny Wilkinson out of the Squad injured the main focus was Toby Flood and Charlie Hodgson as principle kickers and the back three players in including Ben Foden, Delon Armatage and Mark Cueto. Al the players responded magnificently to a completely different way of developing kicking skills. Principally all the learning was on the move – i.e. no static kicking at all (other than restarts) and a massive emphasis on ‘repair sessions’ which meant they were kicking kicks that they wouldn’t during a game but were used as means to an end – not an end in themselves.

Constantly working on the repair has resulted in all the players making massive improvements on their non preferred foot, the back three players out of hand and the principle kickers out of hand and drop goals. I hope they will be able to continue what was really a small beginning – so they will be able to take England’s kicking game to another level.

Unfortunately I was in Australia for the last test against South Africa, because of a prior commitment with the West Coast Eagles (Australian Rules) and England’s Performance Squad (Cricket). Two fantastic opportunities for me to get better.

Dave Alred

“If you ask a fifty goal a season scorer what the goalie looks like, he’ll say he’s just a small blur. But if you ask a five goal a season player, he’ll say the goalie is a huge mountain of pads. He can even tell you the brand name on the pads. I see the net” – Wayne Gretzky (Ice Hockey All Time Great)

The Lesson

It’s all too easy to see the obstacles that stand in our way to training hard – time, family commitments, work. But we need to look at these obstacles objectively and assess how big they really are. Can we not lose sight of our ultimate goals. or are the obstacles blocking them from view, Can we do something to remove the obstacle or at least make it smaller.

Is the obstacle in fact in our head? Are we just looking for an excuse? Ultimately the obstacles are as big or small as we choose to make them.

The Action

I will shift the focus from the obstacles to my goals.

“Perhaps the greatest satisfaction I get from competing is knowing there are few things I can’t do if I really apply myself”- Greg LeMond (Former Champion Cyclist)

The Lesson

Sometimes our limitations are in our heads. The great sportsman refuse to accept these limitations. They set out to achieve the impossible. They use goal setting as a a major weapon in breaking down the task in hand to smaller achievable parts. They then commit the time and energy to achieving these smaller goals, the outcome further down the line is the achieving of what was thought to be not possible.

The Action

If I make the time, I can achieve my goals.

“There’s only so much energy and resilience in the body. If you go beyond a certain point, you’re in trouble”- Patrick Viera (French Soccer Player)

The Lesson

“No pain, no gain”. While there are a handful of players and coaches who still follow that maxim, most thankfully now understand the importance of not over training and how important rest and recovery is. Your body has limits, and while we all want to push and improve those limits we need to understand that to go beyond them does risk exhaustion, potential injury or illness and then a resulting poor performance.

The Action

While improving is important to me, so is a strong healthy body. I will be aware of my limits and work within them.

“When I’m in this state everything is pure, vividly clear. I’m in a cocoon of concentration. When I’m in that cocoon I am invincible” – Tony Jacklin (Former English Golfer)

The Lesson

Many athletes talk about being in the “Zone” or as Tony Jacklin puts it a cocoon of concentration. It’s a place where it appears we can do no wrong and a great performance is effortless. This doesn’t just happen, it’s the result of disciplined physical and mental preparation. Specifically more than anything it is about concentration and focus. Concentration that blocks out all possible distractions and focus on the task at hand. The result of getting this right is supreme confidence in your ability to perform, or as Jacklin puts it “I’m invincible”.

The Action

I can reach my peak performance by focusing on the task at hand.

Born to Alexander and Nellie Busby in a two-roomed pitman’s cottage in the mining village of Orbiston, Bellshill, North Lanarkshire, Busby was raised a practising Roman Catholic of Lithuanian ancestry. Busby’s father – a miner – was killed by a German sniper during the First World War at the Battle of the Somme, while three of his uncles were killed in France with the Cameron Highlanders.

Busby would often accompany his father down into the coal pits, but his true aspiration was to become a professional footballer. In his 1973 autobiography Busby described himself as being as football mad as any other boy in Bellshill citing in particular the impression made on him by Alex James and Hughie Gallacher.

His mother might have quashed those dreams when she applied to emigrate with Matt to the United States, but he was granted a reprieve by the nine-month processing time. In the meantime, Busby got a full-time job as a collier and played football part-time for Stirlingshire side Denny Hibs. He had only played a few matches for Denny Hibs, but it was not long before he was signed up by a Manchester City side that was a couple of games away from regaining promotion to the First Division.

Aged 17, Busby signed for Manchester City on a one-year contract worth £5 per week on 11 February 1928, with the provision for him to leave at the end of the deal if he still wished to emigrate to the United States with his mother. He decided to stay and made his debut for City on 2 November 1929, more than 18 months after first signing for the Blues, when he played at inside left in a 3–1 win at home to Middlesbrough in the First Division. He made 11 more appearances for City that season, all at inside forward, scoring five goals in the process.

During the 1930–31 season, City manager Peter Hodge decided that Busby’s talents could be better exploited from the half-back line,^[3]with Busby playing the right-half role. In his new position, Busby built up a reputation as an intelligent player and a finer passer of the ball. In 1930, Manchester United made an enquiry about signing Busby from their cross-town rivals, but they were unable to afford the £150 fee that City demanded. By the 1931–32 season, Busby was firmly established in the first team, missing just one match that season. Indeed, Busby and Jackie Bray became such fixtures at wing-half that club captain Jimmy McMullan had to move to forward to keep his place in the team. In the 1930s Manchester City performed strongly in the FA Cup. They reached the semi-finals in 1932, and the final in 1933 before finally winning the tournament in 1934. However, from the second half of the 1934–35 season, Busby’s number 4 jersey was worn by Jack Percival with increasing regularity, and Busby was sold to Liverpool for £8,000 on 12 March 1936, having made more than 200 appearances for Manchester City.

He made his debut for the Reds just two days later, on 14 March, away to Huddersfield Town; the match ended in a 1-0 Liverpool defeat. Busby opened his goalscoring account a month later – his 47th minute strike helped his team to a 2–2 draw with Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park. Busby soon made the number 4 shirt his own, ousting Ted Savage in the process. He rarely missed a game over the following three seasons. This consistency earned Busby the Liverpool captaincy and he led the club with great distinction.

Busby made only one “official” international appearance for Scotland; he played in a 3-2 British Home Championship defeat to Wales at Ninian Park, Cardiff, on 4 October 1933. He also made seven appearances for Scotland against England during the Second World War, winning just one of them, but these are considered unofficial.

During the Second World War, Busby served as a football coach in the Army Physical Training Corps, and the experience resulted in Liverpool offering him the job of assistant to their then-manager George Kay. However, the experience also forged Busby’s opinions about how football should be played and governed, and when it became clear that they differed from those of the Liverpool board, their chairman Billy McConnell allowed Busby to pursue alternate employment.

After Manchester United had tried to sign Busby from Manchester City in 1930, he became good friends with United’s fixer, Louis Rocca; their relationship was helped in part by the fact that both were members of the Manchester Catholic Sportsman’s Club. United were in desperate need of a manager to take over from club secretary Walter Crickmer after the war and a board meeting was called in December 1944 so as to ascertain who that new manager might be. Knowing that Liverpool had already offered Busby a job, Rocca convinced the United board to “leave it to [him]” and immediately wrote a letter to Busby, addressed to his army regiment. The letter was vague, referring only to “a job”, just in case it fell into the wrong hands, namely the Liverpool officials.

In February 1945, still in uniform, Busby turned up at Cornbrook Cold Storage, one of the United chairman James W. Gibson’s businesses at Trafford Park to discuss the contents of Rocca’s letter with the chairman. Busby requested that he be directly involved in training, pick the team on matchdays and even choose the players to be bought and sold without interference from the club directors, who, he believed, did not know the game as well as he did. Such a level of control over the team was unprecedented in the English game, but the United chairman was in no position to argue. Busby was originally offered a three-year contract, but managed to secure himself a five-year deal after explaining that it would take at least that long for his revolution to have a tangible effect.

The contract was signed that day – 19 February 1945 – but it was not until 1 October that Busby officially took over the reins at Manchester United. In the interim, he returned to the Army Physical Training Corps, whose football team he took to Bari, Italy, in the spring of 1945. There, he took in a training session for a football team made up of non-commissioned officers led by West Bromwich Albion’s former half-back Jimmy Murphy. Impressed by the Welshman’s oratory skills, Busby engaged him in conversation and offered him the job of assistant manager at Manchester United, which Murphy accepted there and then.

The two men immediately put their mark on the side, leading them to the runners-up spot in the league, behind Busby’s former employers Liverpool, by the end of the 1946-47 season. Manchester United were runners-up in the league in 1947, 1948, 1949 and 1951, and won the FA Cup in 1948, before winning the league championship in 1952. By this stage, the side, captained by Johnny Carey, was beginning to show its age, and a new set of players had to be found. Busby, who had achieved a great deal of success in spite of his lack of previous managerial experience, was expected to spend large sums of money on high profile players. Instead, he gradually replaced the older players with players as young as 16 and 17. These included right-back Bill Foulkes, centre-halves Mark Jones and Jackie Blanchflower, wingers Albert Scanlon and David Pegg and forward Liam Whelan. Among them was Duncan Edwards, judged by many to be England’s finest player of his era, and capped by England at 18 – setting a record for the youngest-ever full international that remained unbroken for more than 40 years.

Busby managed the Great Britain team at the 1948 Summer Olympics. The team reached the semi-finals, but lost 3–1 to the eventual runners-up, Yugoslavia.

During this period, the team picked up the affectionate nickname the Busby Babes, because of the youthfulness of many of the players he fielded. They won the league in both 1956 and 1957, and were runners-up to Aston Villa in the 1957 FA Cup Final. The young side was so successful that centre-forward Tommy Taylor and goalkeeper Harry Gregg were United’s only major signings over a spell of four years.

Busby and his team began the 1957-58 season full of ambition for an assault on the Football League title, FA Cup and European Cup. On the way home from a European Cup tie against Red Star Belgrade on 6 February 1958, their plane crashed on the runway at Munich Airport. Seven players and three club officials were among the 23 people who were killed at the scene; Duncan Edwards died from his injuries two weeks later, while two other players were injured to such an extent that they never played football again. Busby suffered multiple injuries and twice received the Last Rites, but he recovered from his injuries and left hospital after nine weeks.

He was not aware of the extent of the Munich tragedy until some weeks after the crash, as doctors felt he was not strong enough to know the truth until then. He reportedly told his wife Jean that he felt like quitting the manager’s job, as he had feelings of guilt over the disaster (he had gone against Football League officials wishes by pressing for Manchester United’s participation in the European Cup, and had not felt able to challenge the aircraft’s pilot about taking off in heavy snow), but his wife urged him to carry on with his duties in honour of the players who had died.

After the crash, Busby built a new side around Munich survivors including Harry Gregg, Bobby Charlton and Bill Foulkes. He also brought in players from other clubs – these included David Herd, Albert Quixall and Denis Law. Northern Irish forward George Best was scouted for Man Utd by Bob Bishop and signed to the club’s playing staff by chief scout Joe Armstrong.

In 1963, Busby had successfully rebuilt United as he guided them to a 3-1 victory over Leicester City in the FA Cup final. They were league champions in 1965 and again in 1967, with only a defeat on the final day of the 1967-68 season stopping them from recording a rare championship hat-trick.

The biggest success of his career came on 29 May 1968 when the team won the European Cup. He retired as manager a year later but remained at the club as a director, handing over managerial duties to trainer and former player Wilf McGuinness. When McGuinness was sacked in December 1970, Busby briefly returned to his managerial duties, but there was never any question of his returning as manager permanently. He carried on as a club director for 11 more years, before being made president in 1982.

Busby was awarded the CBE in 1958 and was knighted following the European Cup victory in 1968, before being made a Knight Commander of St Gregory by the Pope in 1972.

He died of cancer, aged 84, in January 1994 at The Alexandra Hospital in Cheadle, Manchester. Busby was made an inaugural inductee of the English Football Hall of Fame in 2002 in recognition of his impact on the English game.

Sir Matt Busby a true legend of football.

“Most players never really push themselves, they never reach their potential and that’s to bad. Great players who reach their potential constantly push themselves, and that’s good news” – Jock Stein (Former Scotland Football Manager)

The Lesson

Sometimes we can only live up to our potential when we are pushed from the outside. Unfortunately, if we always rely on that push from someone else, we will never be as demanding of our own performance as we should be. If we challenge ourselves in all situations at training or in a game, we will become more familiar with and expand our limits and expertise. Knowing what we are capable of will allow us to adapt and be ready for any situation as it occurs. We will know that we can dig in and get the required result – we will reach our full potential.

The Action

I will be sure to always play up to my potential.

Sometimes a growth spurt can be so significant that the growth plate can become a little inflamed and sore.  The most common age for these growth spurts is 10-12 years in girls and 12-14 in boys.  It is at this adolescent phase that the growth rate can double and growth is only officially complete when all the growth plates are completely converted to bone.  This is approximately 18 in girls and as late as 21 in boys, although from 15 in girls and 17 in boys there will be little further increase in height gain.

The muscle that attaches near the plate may also become inflamed or so tight that it pulls on the bone and causes more inflammation.  These points are commonly the back of the heel and the boney point at the top of the shin bone just below the knee.  The achillies tendon attaches the calf muscle (Gastrocnemius) from above the knee onto the heel.  The patella tendon does the same for the front thigh muscles (Quadriceps) from the top of the thigh and over the hip to below the knee.  The knee cap sits in this tendon and can also be a source of pain.  Pain in the boney point below the knee is known as Osgood-Schlatters disease and unfortunately this and the heel pain do need rest.  You may need a week or two out of rugby training.  It can be a problem for about 4-6 weeks and there may be more than one episode of it.  Ice and anti-inflammatory drugs are effective during the acute phase and once this has settled it is really important that the calf and quads muscles are stretched regularly to minimise any further episodes.      

Stretching is best done when the muscles are warm.  This can be immediately after a warm bath or shower, or straight after rugby training or a rugby game.  At this time you will hold the stretch for at least 30 seconds to try and lengthen the muscle.  You should feel the stretch but it should NOT be painful.  Stretching before training or a game should be just to move your muscles through their normal range and often these are “dynamic”.  When you are trying to lengthen muscles I always ask that you hold onto something stable to minimise the risk of pulling the muscle if you wobble.

Calf Stretch in Standing

Aim

• To maintain good lower limb biomechanics
• To have enough ankle movement for good propulsion during starts and turns

Method

• Standing with both hands supported on the wall or suitable fixed surface
• Start with both feet shoulder width apart, toes forward and arch lifted up
• Keep both knees straight and the heels down
• Lean forward, toward the wall from the ankle
• This stretch may be felt in the calf

Repetition

• 10 seconds to loosen up before exercise, 2-3 repetitions on each leg
• 30 seconds when warm or after exercise, 2-3 repetitions on each leg

Watch Points

• The feet may turn out
• The arch may flatten
• The heel may lift up
• The knee may flex
• Progression
• If the stretch sensation in the two-legged position is mild the stretch may be progressed to step-standing, with the watch points above

Quadriceps Stretch in Standing

Aim

• To allow full extension of the hips during leg kick, without pulling on the lumbar spine and pelvis

Method

• Hold onto a wall or suitable fixed point
• Transfer body weight onto one leg and flex the knee fully
• Take hold of this ankle and regain an upright posture in the upper body.
• Engage the lower abdominals and set neutral pelvis and spine
• Bring the thigh in then start to move the knee back to meet the other
• The buttock should be engaged as the leg is moved back
• The abdominals should maintain the spine and pelvis in neutral

Repetition

• 10 seconds to loosen up before exercise, 2-3 repetitions on each leg
• 30 seconds when warm or after exercise, 2-3 repetitions on each leg

Watch Points

• The lumbar spine may hollow and pelvis tilt anteriorly 
• Leg may move outward into abduction

Variation

• As well as adducting the hips, or bringing the thigh in before trying to engage the buttock and extend the hip, the hip may be left in 10-20 abduction, if the Ilio-Tibial Band (ITB) is tight.

Lisa 

(Reproduced with kind permission from PP4P Ltd)

“Durability is part of what makes a great player” – Bill Shankly (Former Football Manager)

The Lesson

Not everyone can be a Roger Federer or Tiger Woods. Not everyone is blessed with god given talent. Most of us have got to work exceptionally hard to produce quality performance. There is something special about any sportsman that can produce consist high performances over a long period of time. A Ryan Giggs in Soccer or a Brian O’Driscoll in rugby spring to mind.

Sportsman who are consistent in training and practice, who are professional with their standards off the pitch and who look after themselves. People who can shrug off injury and still perform at their best. The value of these players in a team sport is such that they are cornerstones of the teams they play in. But they only reach those levels of performance by unyielding commitment, day in and day out.

The Action

I will look after myself on and off the pitch, to lengthen my career.

The shape of the attacking game plan is determined by a number of factors such as the skills set of the attacking team and the weather which will definitely have an effect on the attacking tactics a team can employ. But the most  relevant factor in designing an attacking game plan must take into consideration the time and space that the defense is prepared to offer the attacking team.

If the attacking game plan is one which is not suited to cope with the time and space the defense affords the attack then the job of defending is made much easier for the defense. For that reason it is important for the attack to have various attacking game plans that can adapt to the defensive system they are facing.

Because the defense can offer different degrees of time and space to the attack and the Blue Zone is the core of any teams attacking game plan, we will look at three different attacking game plans or shapes that a team should consider developing.

Some defenses opt to give the attack plenty of time on the ball in the belief that they can identify the space the attack wishes to exploit during that time and then shut the space down before the attack can exploit it. This is usually the principle that guides the “Drift Defense”. When attacking against the drift defense the space is on the outside of the defense i.e. on the wings near the touchline. The defense believe they can allow the attack move the ball to that space but they will be there to defend it as the attack arrives there.

The mistake most attacks make against the drift defense is they easily identify the space out wide and immediately move the ball there. But unfortunately that is exactly what the defense would wish them to do and will have no difficulty in arriving there in time to defend the space. The challenge for the attack is to conserve the space out wide by preventing the defense from drifting to defend it and then move the attack there while the space still exists. The attack must also be prepared to attack inside or through the drift defense if the defenders drift prematurely to defend the space they have conceded out wide. Another possible strategy is to entice the defenders to drift prematurely and exploit the space inside or through the drift defense.

So in summary, the key to attacking a Drift Defense, is to fix the defense and exploit the space out wide or attack under or through the defense as it derits to defend the sapce out wide.

The “Drift” defense was more in vogue  7 – 10 years ago. But it became less popular as it afforded the attack a lot of time on the ball and allowed the attack make long passes and attack the defense on the outside without too much pressure on the ball. As a consequence it was very difficult to force the attack to kick or turn-over the ball due to the lack of pressure on the ball.

But should the defenders run a Drift Defense it is important that the attack can retain it’s shape through numerous phases of play. To retain the ball they need to attack the correct areas on the gain-line i.e where the space exists. That will create ‘Go Forward’, build pressure on the defense and lead to scoring opportunities.

Next week we will look at attacking against a defense that does the exact opposite to the Drift Defense i.e. it takes away as much time and space as possible as quickly as possible. It is commonly known as the “Blitz Defense”

Eddie

“Every man’s got to figure to get beat sometime”- Joe Loius (Former Heavyweight Boxing Champion)

The Lesson

In other words you can’t win them all. No matter how good you are, how hard you train,how well you are coached, there will come a time when you will get beaten. No amount of training really teaches you how to handle this. You need to feel the disappointment in order to learn how to deal with it. We don’t have to like losing, but if we are ready for that eventuality then we are likely to react in a way that we will not later be ashamed of.

The Action

Sometimes I win, sometimes I lose. I will handle both situations with grace and dignity.

That said I for one am a great advocate of mentoring. I have had a mentoring for twenty five years, though I never knew it, and certainly never called him a mentor. He was and is someone who I can go to and talk through any issues around my coaching, and use as a sounding board. Someone who I trust and someone who is always honest. It’s at this point I should perhaps give you the dictionary definition of a mentor, which is “a trusted friend or advisor”. Herein is the problem with most mentoring programmes that I have witnessed. Imposing a mentor or even trying to match one with a coach does not work. A successful mentoring relationship only exists when the mentor and mentee have a genuine affinity.

So in finding a mentor I would suggest that this is going to be someone you already know. It could be a more senior coach at your club if you are a new coach. If you are a more senior coach it could be someone you have worked with in the past. It must be someone you trust and respect.

The other thing that is crucial for a mentoring relationship to work is that it must have a purpose. That could be as simple as the coach just wanting to generally improve, or improve in a specific area. If there is no purpose then the relationship is doomed to fail. Lack of commitment from either party will also see the relationship doomed.

Next week I will look at the roles and responsibilities of a mentor and the pitfalls to the mentoring process.

Haydn

“One thing I know is that the world will not allow me to just play tennis. It will not allow me to be number 15 in the world. So I do it right or I don’t do it at all” – Boris Becker (German Tennis Champion)

The Lesson

It is very difficult to live with expectations, whether we have created them for ourselves or they or placed on us by others. High expectations can be debilitating and can end up making us worse, or give up entirely because of the pressure. However when used in a positive way, expectations should motivate us, not discourage us.

Expectations that are unrealistically high can take the fun out of of what we do. However setting realistic goals can have the opposite effect and make training and playing enjoyable.

The Action

I will be sure my expectations motivate me, not disgrace me.

Even off the pitch I often marvelled at how confident and mentally strong Drico was.  When he would give interviews or speeches after rugby dinners it was hard to believe he was only twenty-something! Only an individual as mentally strong as Drico could present such a cool exterior and portray an air of being so self assured.  It seemed to be infectious.  You never were never really on edge and didn’t panic when Drico had the ball or when he started to speak.  His demeanour seemed to put those around him at ease.

 Mikey

“Success is the player who year after year reaches the highest level in his sport” – Sparky Anderson (Baseball Coach)

The Lesson

We all have our own definition of success. But consistency is perhaps the greatest measure. Producing that great performance once is good, but doing it time after time is something entirely different. Consistency of performance will only come with consistency in commitment to prepare, consistency of effort on the training pitch. It will only come with consistency in critically analysing your performance and doing what is needed to improve. Being consistent is tough, but it is the mark of a true champion.

The Action

I will perform my best as often as possible.

“I truly believe I can win every race I enter. Of course I know in my mind I won’t win every one, but I believe  in my heart that it is not impossible”– Jule Parisien (Downhill Skying World Champion)

The Lesson

Our heart and mind sometimes seen to be in opposition. Logic sometimes tells us that a certain level of performance is impossible. Yet our heart tells us the opposite, and is often proved to be right. In sport this can be seen in the giant killing scenario. Belief is a very powerful weapon and we should not underestimate its power. We should hang on to it, we should listen to our heart and let it take us to levels of performance that defy logic.

The Action

I believe in my heart that anything is possible.

The content of the different sessions included intervals and steady state running for the non rugby ball session.  The session with the ball consisted of continuous 2 ‘v’ 1, broken play attacks, and 6 ‘v’ 3 ‘v’ 2 ‘v’ 1 attack from the half way line. As soon as the sessions where over the players had to rate how hard they thought the session was from 1-10 on the RPE.  Every one of the players rated the non rugby ball session on average 6-7.  The session which contained the ball was rated from a 4-6 by the players.  When I checked the GPS results the session with the ball showed faster running speeds.  Players heart rates where higher throughout this session which gives a better training response, and the recovery patterns mimicked what the players would experience in a game. The GPS results of the non rugby ball session showed classical interval training responses.  Heart rates spiked when the players where running, then dropped right back down during recovery to a regulated patter.  This was very unspecific for rugby.

The fact that players rated the training with the ball as easier (and all said more enjoyable), would indicate they CAN train hard, enjoy the session and hopefully gain some skill development along the way-a winning situation all round!
 
Mikey

“Even though circumstances may cause interruptions and delays, never lose sight of your goal” – Mario Andretti (Former Motor Racing World Champion)

The Lesson

We may not be able to physically work towards our goals every day, but if we can keep them in our mind and thoughts, it can help us get us what we want. For example when we get injured and are unable to train we can still keep our goals at the forefront of our thoughts and look to prepare ourselves mentally. Additionally we may be able to increase our knowledge by watching past performances or watching other players.

The Action

I will always keep my eyes on what I want to accomplish.

“There are no winners, only survivors” – Frank Gifford (American Football Hall of Fame)

The Lesson

Gifford was talking about pro American Football, but the same applies to rugby. We have all played in those games when I given every last effort and almost collapse at the end of the game. We have gone through the pain barrier and emerged victorious. Nothing matches the feeling we get when we pass the test in these encounters. But in order to do that we need to both physically and mentally tough. That doesn’t just happen it comes from years of commitment and pushing our limits. It starts in training and then manifests itself in how we play.

The Action

I will not quit. I will survive. I am a winner.

This leaves the attack with a decision to either take the risk of running with the ball inside their own half or making a difficult kick to gain territory. Most teams work on the basis of possibly achieving both objectives.

With defenders in the back-field to cover kicks the defence will have less defenders on the gain-line to defend against the attack running. This should allow the attackers the opportunity to attack the space given up by the defense. If the attackers are smart and get the ball into space, it is easy to advance the ball and create substantial “Go Forward”. As long as the attack can find and exploit that space it makes sense to continue to keep the ball in hand and run at the defense.

But as the ball is advanced the defence will usually react by sending more defenders onto the gain-line to defend the ball which will leave less defenders in the back-field to cover attacking kicks. This is when the attackers can seize the opportunity to kick the ball into space and gain substantial territory.

Remember with less defenders in the backfield and more defenders on the gain-line there will be less space available to attack on the gain-line and a higher risk of turning over the ball in contact.

This is why a good “White Zone” attacking strategy will attack the space on the gain line while there are defenders in the back-field and than having manipulated the back-field defenders to come and defend the gain line, will exploit the back-field space with a good attacking kick.

This is called the “Transition Game” where the attacking team change form running with the ball to kicking the ball and in essence giving up possession (if they fail to regather the kick). A Transition Game Plan is vital as the team changes from attack to defense once the opposition gain possession. The trade off for the attackers is the opposition only gain possession deep in their own half from the White Zone attacking kick.

The type of kick used from the White Zone can vary in type and be executed by almost any player. From a ruck near the touchline a box kick from the scrum-half can be used with the intention of contesting the kick on landing and regathering possession. The “Up & Under” or “Bomb” can be kicked by the fly-half or full-back to achieve the same outcome as the box kick. Or and angled kick into the corner, also called a “Wiper” can be used to  attack the space in the corner. (This is a common tactic and easiest to execute from a ruck in the mid-field) Having a players with good kicking skills on both feet make the wiper even easier to execute. The wiper kick must hit the grass and run towards the touchline. If caught on the full by the opposition it offers an excellent counter-attack opportunity. The chip kick just over the defense can also be executed by almost any player but it must be retrieved by the kicker or another attacker as again if fielded by the opposition it offers an excellent counter-attacking opportunity.

Should the defense fail to defend the gain line well enough and the attack advances the ball into the opposition half without having to kick away possession then the attack has advanced into the “Blue Zone”. Now the “Blue Zone Attack Strategy” comes into play.

Eddie

“Show me a guy who’s afraid to look bad, and I’ll show you a guy you can beat every time” – Nigel Benn (English Boxing World Champion)

The Lesson

Any player who’s concerned with anything other than playing and working to the best of his ability is wasting valuable energy that is better spent on the task at hand. Whatever your motivation if you are more concerned with how you look, then you are missing the point. Your only concern should be to focus your mind to executing what is needed for you to perform. No distractions, you need to be fully confident in your abilities, and realise that no matter what other people may think, it’s about what you do first and last.

The Action

I’m not concerned with what others think about how I play.

Big hits, cutting off passes, denying space and time – that’s how they’ve been defined for what seems like ages. 

Even when the style was in the minority, Wasps refused to waver. In many ways their approach acutely mirrored their nickname (sting) and, thus, a certain aura was created. 

Yet even the most assured and knowledgeable of rugby union coaches will tell you that the game is about adaptation as much as anything. 

Attacks are a lot smarter these days, players are aware of how to exploit different areas, more so than they were in the past.

Also players are getting bigger and stronger every year- 100kg centers in the past were freaks now they are the norm.

Wasps haven’t won a trophy or been near a final/playoffs now for 2 years and only just scrapped into the Heineken Cup this season. Is time for them to change or adapt their system?

I think so!

You’ve got to move with the times. If something’s not working as well as it once did, you’ve obviously got to change it.

But that’s easier said than done!

Coordinating and then adjusting a defensive system for the whole squad can prove intricate and difficult; to keep 15 moving players in symbiosis relies on several key factors, such as trust, awareness and communication.

In the early stages of evolving your defensive structure communication is vital in order to build the trust you need to be great a side.

Some coaches would view communication more important than technique, the way players talk and gesture to each other is a good indication to see if they are ‘on their game.’

A team can hide lapses if it talks; it’s everyone’s responsibility.

Defence just like all aspects of the game need to evolve- even if you think you are on the right track -If you stand still, you are sure to be run over!

Keep working hard to be one step ahead.

“What I loved most about the track was that it was me against everybody else” – Dave Wottle (US 800m Olympic Gold Medalist)

The Lesson

There is a certain excitement when we compete as an individual that is unique. We feel the anxiety of being completely responsible for the performance, while at the same time the thrill of being in total control of our own destiny. In rugby we don’t get to feel this often in a team game. However we do get to feel this during training, which is a much more personal thing. We are more likely to feel the satisfaction from achieving our training goals through our own efforts and commitment. The pleasure of completing that weights session is ours alone, while if we fail to complete we can blame no one else.

The Action

It’s a great feeling reaching my goals through my own effort and perseverance.

Lowe was coach of Otahuhu during the 1970s. He has also had experience coaching in the Brisbane club competition (now the Queensland Cup) in the 1970s with Norths Devils

From Norths Lowe moved to Britain where he was to coach the Wigan RLFC. Under Lowe’s coaching Wigan would continue to be a power in the RFL. It was while Lowe was coaching that Wigan were able to secure the signatures of Great Britain players Ellery Hanley and Andy Gregory. Lowe lead Wigan to the 1986–87 RFL Premiership and would go on to guide Wigan to their first ever World Club Challenge win when they defeated Manly-Warringah 8-2 in front of 36,895 fans at Central Park. He would also lead Wigan to success in both the 1987/88 and 1988/89 Challenge Cup finals.

He then moved back to Australia to coach the team he had beaten in the 1987 WCC, Manly-Warringah, coaching them between 1990 and 1992 and bringing the Sea Eagles back to the finals in 1990 and 1991.

In 1996, Lowe coached the North Queensland Cowboys on a one-year contract before stepping aside for Tim Sheens.

Lowe’s representative coaching began in 1983 when he was appointed coach of New Zealand. He would relinquish the role in 1985 but returned to coach the Kiwi’s in 1985 and 1986. Under Lowe’s coaching the Kiwi’s won two and lost 5 games, mostly losing to the powerful Wally Lewis led Australians (NZ lost all tree tests of the 1986 Trans-Tasman Tests).

During 1991 Lowe was appointed coach of the Queensland Maroons State of Origin team, becoming the first and so far only non-Australian to coach in the rugby league showpiece. After being appointed Maroons coach Lowe suffered from health problems when a blood clot in his leg threatened to end not only his coaching career but his life. He recovered in time to lead Queensland to a 2-1 victory over NSW in the 1991 State of Origin series. He was re-appointed for the 1992 series but Qld went down to the Phil Gould coached Blues two games to one.

Graham Lowe also coached the Western Samoan side for the 1995 Rugby League World Cup.

In the late 1990′s he was a part owner of the Auckland Warriors. In 2008 he coached the Bay of Plenty Stags in the National Provincial Competition.

On 25 November 2009, Lowe was appointed the Chief Executive Officer of Manly Sea Eagles.

“Of the mental hazards, being scared is the worst. When you get scared you get tense, and when tense you don’t perform” – Sam Snead (US Golfer)

The Lesson

Fear comes in different shapes and sizes: fear of winning, fear of losing, fear of looking foolish, fear of letting people down, fear of injury. The list is endless. No matter what we fear, it can paralyse us to the extent that we cannot perform. It can make us forget how good we are, or what to do at any given point in the game. We need therefore to overcome fear when we feel it coming on.

How we do this is simple, we regroup mentally. We slow down take a deep breath and refocus. We use positive self talk to remind ourselves of how good we are. We visualize the perfect performance. We seek reassurance from team mates and coaches.

The Action

I will have no fear.

colin-powells-leadership-presentation297

“I’ve swum for my country, I’ve swum for my coaches, my schools and my team. I decided this time I was going to swim for myself” – Janet Evans (US Olympic Swimming Gold Medalist)

The Lesson

All of us are at our best and most efficient when we are working for ourselves. Yes we can respond well to extrinsic motivating factors, but intrinsic motivation is certainly the most effective. It’s simply not enough to try and do something because someone else tells us. No coach in the world can make you do something you don’t want to do. The desire and motivation must come from within, you are your own greatest motivator.

When we do achieve as a result of our own inspiration the thrill of that success is even greater. We can and will take even greater pride in our achievements.

The Action

Whatever I choose to do, I will choose to do for myself.

Mussabini himself was a billiards player in his younger days, and by all accounts one of some ability. During his time as a billiards player he authored various technical and coaching manuals. He was also a professional sprinter for five years. His first professional coaching experience however was in cycling. In 1894 he coached Ben Harris to the first professional cycling championship.

He continued in cycling before moving into athletics. He coached South African sprinter, Reggie Walker, to a gold medal at the 1908 Olympic Games in London. He coached further gold medal winners at the 1912 Olympic Games in Stockholm. He was appointed as full time coach by Polytechnic Harriers from 1912 until 1927.

He brought a systematic approach to coaching, rather than just being a masseur. For example, he used the techniques of Eadweard Muybridge to photograph runners’ actions and techniques at the finish.

The 1920 Olympic Games at Antwerp he coached Albert Hill to two gold medals in the 800m and 1500m, and Harry Edward, third in the 100m. He coached Harold Abrahams to a gold medal in the 100m and silver in the 4x100m at the 1924 Olympic Games in Paris.

He was a man ahead of his time and he only truly began to gain recognition well after his death and following the film Chariots of Fire. In 1998, the Mussabini Medal was created, to celebrate the contribution of coaches of UK performers who have achieved outstanding success on the world stage. Amongst the winners of this have been Sir Bobby Robson and Sir Clive Woodward.

“You can learn little from victory, you can learn everything from defeat” – Brian Clough (English Soccer Manager)

The Lesson

It’s unfortunate but it is true, we do learn more when we are defeated. The euphoria of winning can sometimes mask flaws in our performance. Losing has a habit of focusing our minds on those flaws. We want to know what went wrong, and why.

That of course is the easy bit, working out how to put it right is far more difficult. This is what the great champions can do though – learn the lessons. Think through the solutions and apply them.

The Action

Disappointment from the feeling in defeat, will be examined, lessons learned and improvements made for next time.

These visits to other establishments proved very worthwhile from the point of view that it taught me the basic principles of what a conditioning session on a field should entail.  The skill was taking what I had observed, adapting the relevant components and applying it to the team I was working with. For example, one of the teams I visited was the Brisbane Broncos whose strength and conditioning programme is one of the best in the world. It was far from suitable though to apply to Workington Town (the team who I was working with at the time). It was during this particular visit that I learnt the value of doing all of the rugby conditioning with the ball.  Before this experience I would have made players do the classical interval style training. Upon my return from Australia I set out to actually measure the difference between training with and training without the ball.

Mikey

“It used to be I wanted everything to be perfect. Now I can take the good with the bad. I get to play again next week” – Glenn Hoddle (Former England Soccer Star)

The Lesson

We can’t always enjoy the perfect performance, nor should we expect to. Perfect performances rarely happen. Our performances are like the rest of our daily life, they have ups and downs. We have to accept that not every time we take the field will see us perform well. As long as we can learn from a below par performance we can look to improve next time we play.

Don’t torture yourself over under performing, embrace it and move on.

The Action

I always want to do my best, but if I have an off day I should remember I’ll always get another chance.

“Football success is desire, speed and intelligence – and desire is 85% of it” – Bud Wilkinson (Legendary American Football Coach)

The Lesson

Desire is so much a part of every successful sportsman. It’s what motivates them to go the extra mile to become a champion. You have got to really want it to make it to the top. Without that desire you can never achieve, you will always take the easy option. Desire is the ultimate motivator, greater then any coach or team mate.

Desire puts you in control of your performance. What desire is not is – desperation, fear or obsession. It is a positive energy that we find within ourselves.

The Action

Desire is my motivator. It’s what gets me to work hard and give my best effort everyday.

As the standard of the entrants every year gets better and better, you just never know what way results are going to go domestic form can mean nothing, just look at all three Welsh sides winning last weekend, I can’t remember the last time that happened!

From an Irish point of view it’s going to be an interesting couple of days, with the pick of the weekend going to the Connacht-Toulouse game in the Sports Ground in Galway.

This is the home sides 100^th game in Europe but only their 2^ndin the Heineken Cup and to be hosting one of the competitions heavyweights is making the sell-out game a great occasion. Connachts display against the English League leader Harlequins shows that they are not here to make up the numbers in this year but are going to be a thorn in many a side, especially at home were they haven’t lost a European game in a good few years.

Leinster have Glasgow at home and even if the Scots did have a good game last weekend, you can’t see them getting the better of the current Cup holders.

Munster are a bit of a suck it see team this year, with the jury out to weather they are still a team to be reckoned with or not. But I think that if they can get a bit of momentum going they will still be a difficult side to deal with. Added to that the fact that they want to expel the daemons of last year were for the first time they didn’t get through to the ¼ ‘s. They showed unbelievable resilience to beat Northampton at home with a last minute drop goal after an amazing 41 phases!! Getting any points on the road against a strong Castres, will be so important to their pool hopes.

Ulster travel to an out of sorts Leicester. It a strange situation to be in for the home side, yes they are one of the ERC main teams but they are yet to win a single game at home in the Premiership this year! Ulster on the other hand with the likes of Ferris and co all back from international duty, are showing some good from, especially with their win over a very talented Clermont team, could an upset be on the books?!!

Shane

“If you have confidence, you have patience. Confidence is everything” – Ilie Nastase (Romanian Tennis Legend)

The Lesson

Confidence can take you a long way. If you have confidence in your own ability nothing will phase you. It’s like wearing a suit of armour – you feel unbeatable. It won’t matter if our opponent is playing well or physically stronger than us, faith in yourself will help you overcome the toughest obstacle.

Of course confidence doesn’t come overnight, it needs to be worked on. It needs building one small step at a time, it means not trying to overstretch our developing abilities, rather making smaller successful steps to our ultimate goal.

The Action

I will work on increasing my confidence, because that is one of the building blocks to my performance.

The ligaments on the sides of the knee can be sprained if the foot stays on (or in) the ground but the rest of the body goes in the other direction.  It is more common for this to happen on the inside “medial ligaments” and can be very sore and painful to walk initially.  You will often find for the first couple of days that the knee is most comfortable in a slightly bent position, which takes the strain off the ligaments.  Following the PRICE regime that we have mentioned in the overview of common injuries can help with any immediate pain and swelling.  Then start to try and bend and straighten the knee as much as the pain allows.  A physiotherapy assessment is always beneficial to determine if this is all that is injured and to what extent. 

The cruciate ligaments are inside the knee and stabilise forward and backward knee movements.  Excessive push or pull on the lower leg can cause strain or rupture of these ligaments.  There is usually a lot more immediate swelling and often unable to weight-bear through the leg.  This needs urgent medical attention and an MRI scan will need to be arranged if a cruciate injury is suspected.

The meniscus is another vulnerable structure at risk of injury in the knee.  This is usually referred to as the cartilage and is the shock absorber in the knee, injured most easily in twisting movements.  Again there will probably be some swelling but the classic sign for “cartilage” problems is locking of the knee, where it gets stuck in a particular position.  There are tests medical staff can carry out to decide if this is the problem but ultimately an arthroscopy, where a tiny camera is used to explore the joint, will be required to trim and stabilise any tear.    

An “unhappy triad” is a very sorry combination of all three!

What would rehab involve?

Pain relief is important to help get the knee moving again and PRICE will help with controlling this and the swelling.  After the first few days it is really important to get full movement back as it will be limited by the swelling and pain.  The thigh muscles control the alignment of the knee cap and they become weak with this sort of injury so strengthening these is also important.  Often much of the emphasis is placed on getting back into running but not on balance. 

A player should not return to play if they cannot change direction, stop and start and accelerate and decelerate without hesitation.

Can any of these problems be avoided?

Obviously if the knee is in the wrong place at the wrong time there is little anyone can do to prevent an injury but if you are quick and light on your feet you have a fighting chance of getting your knee and the rest of you out of there!  Balance reactions also help so next time you are warming up, try passing the ball stood on one leg.  Try this again whilst hopping.

As I will say at the end of every article, if you are in any doubt go and seek qualified medical advice.

Next time, how does growth affect the legs?

 Lisa

“I enjoy winning, but there are benefits to losing, too. Before you can be a winner you have to learn to lose” – Isiah Thomas (NBA Hall of Famer)

The Lesson

No one really likes to lose, losing is uncomfortable, it can even be embarrassing. However there are always lessons to be learned from defeat. Mistakes or poor decisions can be rectified and improved upon. That can only however if you are honest with yourself in assessing a loss. Don’t look to blame look for reasons.

Learn to lose with good grace and humility, but make it a lesson that increases your determination to win next time around.

The Action

When I Lose, I will take a close look at the reasons why and work on them.

It is possible to run with the ball in the Red Zone but the risks are high and a turnover is almost a certain scoring opportunity to the opposition. For that reason most teams opt to kick to touch or at least kick out of the Red Zone.

If utilizing a kicking strategy in the Red Zone the goal must be to give the kicker the best possible platform or quality possession to kick from. That platform must take into account the angle the kicker is working with, the speed and length of the pass they receive (if there is a pass involved) and the protection they get from their own team from opposition pressure.

The speed and length of the pass is usually down to the scrum-half, if the ball has to be passed to the kicker. If the scrum-half is kicking there is usually no pass involved. Should the scrum-half  kick it is usually a box kick. The scrum-half needs protection from their teammates standing (in an onside position) beside the set-piece, ruck or maul they are kicking from. The angle of the kick is usually straight upfield with enough hang time to get the chasing players under the ball as it lands. The scrum-half may kick to touch but it is usually a difficult kick from which to substantially gain ground from. The box kick is usually used close to the touch line as it gives the opposition player fewer options if they wish to counter-attack. Whereas as box kick into the mid-field gives the receiver lots of space and hence attacking options to work with.

If the ball is passed to the fly-half or full-back (usually the best kickers in the back line) then the angle they kick from and the protection they receive while kicking is very important. It is often necessary to create a good angle for the kicker. For example, at a line-out or scrum close to the touch line, teams will often use the tactic of striking into the 10/12 channel from the set piece and from that ruck they will kick to touch. This gives the kicker a better angle from which to execute the kick. The players not in that ruck must align, in an onside position, between the ruck and the kicker to protect the kicker from opposition pressure or a charge-down.

If the scrum is in the middle of the field, the kicker will often kick directly from the set-piece because the angle is favourable enough without the need to create a better angle for the kick.

If the kick out of the Red Zone is designed not to find touch then the players chasing the kick have to be well organised in order to contest the kick when it lands or pressurize the opposition when they get possession. If the kick is designed to find touch it is still very important to implement a well organized ‘kick chase’ in case the kick does not find touch or to prevent the opposition taking a quick line-out.

A solid exit strategy from the Red Zone is an extremely important part of an attacking game plan. Every team will find itself in it’s Red Zone at some point during the game. If you don’t have possession you have to defend. But if you have possession, the more efficient you are at exiting your Red Zone, the less premium attacking opportunities you present to the opposition.

Eddie

“Fear is probably the thing that limit performance more than anything – the fear of not doing well, of what people may say. You’ve got to acknowledge those fears, then release them” – Mark Allen (US Triathlete)

The Lesson

We have all at some stage felt a little self-conscious before a game. Worried ourselves about how we might play, or who is watching. This is normal but these feelings will not help or motivate us, they will paralyse us. They will prevent us from rising to the challenge.

Only once we recognise these feels can we then start to work through them by realising they are irrational. Focusing on the positive and past success will help us to reach a frame of mind without fear.

The Action

Today I will acknowledge my fears and work through them.

“The games a roller-coaster, sometimes your at the top, sometimes the middle and sometimes the bottom. When your at the bottom that is when you have the most opportunities” – Jimmy Greaves (Former England Soccer player)

The Lesson

In any sport, in any walk of life there will be heights and lows. There are times when everything seems easy, and days when nothing goes right. We can sometimes find that when we are at our lowest that is when we have the biggest opportunity. When others may have written us off that is when if we stick at it and are persistent we find our luck changes. It’s important to always keep a positive mental attitude and a willingness to work, the bad times never last forever.

The Action

Rugby is filled with ups and downs, many of which I have no control over. The best I can do is stick at it and make the best of the situation.

“Once you establish an aggressive mental attitude, you can then start to turn your attention to correct technique” – Wayne Pearce (Former Australian Rugby League International)

The Lesson

Sometimes the best way to make progress when we train or play is to put to one side the technical and tactical aspects of the game and concentrate on our mental fitness. Sometimes all we need is an aggressive attitude – make that tackle no matter what. Ultimately the technical elements don’t matter, it’s all about getting the job done.

Rugby is about confrontation, skill can only get you so far, then it’s down to the “grunt”, the aggressive mental attitude.

The Action

Today at training I will concentrate on both aptitude and attitude.

“There will be days when I play badly and miss an open goal, it doesn’t make me a bad player or a bad person. I have learned to keep things in perspective, there is more to life than hitting the back of the net”- Jurgen Klinsman (German Soccer Player)

The Lesson

It’s not the end of the world if we have a poor game. The great thing about rugby is that there is always next week to put it right. No one is perfect and you cannot be at your best every time you play. Sometimes it can be helpful to just relax and remember the other things that are important in your life. This will help to clear your mind and help you to prepare for the next time.

The Action

Rugby is only a part of my well balanced life.

Playing Career

In 1951 Shula signed with the Cleveland Browns, but rarely got on the field. On March 26, 1953, he was traded to the Baltimore Colts in what was, at that time, the largest NFL player trade ever made, involving 15 players. The Colts traded T Mike McCormack, DT Don Colo, LB Tom Catlin, DB John Petitbon, and G Herschell Forester to the Browns for Shula, DB Bert Rechichar, DB Carl Taseff, LB Ed Sharkey, E Gern Nagler, QB Harry Agganis, T Dick Batten, T Stu Sheets, G Art Spinney, and G Elmer Willhoite. Shula and Taseff were teammates at John Carroll, with the Browns and with the Colts.

Shula played with Baltimore for four seasons before finishing his playing career with the Washington Redskins. In his seven NFL seasons, Shula played in 73 games, intercepted 21 passes and also recovered four fumbles.

Early Coaching Career

Shula’s first coaching position was as a defensive backs coach at the University of Virginia in 1958 where he coached under head coach Dick Voris. He stayed for one season before moving on to the same position at the University of Kentucky in 1959 where he coached under head coach Blanton Collier. In 1960, Shula entered the NFL as defensive coordinator of the Detroit Lions.

Shula played under both Paul Brown and Weeb Ewbank, a Brown disciple, who is also in the Hall of Fame. After Ewbank left the Baltimore Colts to coach the New York Jets in 1963, Shula was hired by Colts’ owner Carroll Rosenbloom to coach Baltimore. Shula’s hiring was controversial because he was thought to be too young at only age 33.

Shula took the controls and led the Colts to an 8–6 record in 1963. He was successful, compiling a 71–23–4 record in seven seasons with Baltimore, but he was just 2–3 in the postseason, including two losses in championship games in which the Colts were heavy favorites, the 1964 NFL championship game won by the Browns 27–0 and Super Bowl III, the game in which Joe Namath of the New York Jets guaranteed and delivered a victory.

The 1965 team lost a special tie-breaker playoff game in overtime against the Green Bay Packers while using running back Tom Matte at quarterback because of injuries to Johnny Unitas and his backups. The 1967 team failed to make the playoffs despite a regular season record of 11–1–2, losing the Coastal Division on a tiebreaker due to an 0–1–1 record vs. the Los Angeles Rams. The Colts’ only loss was a 34–10 setback to the Rams at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on the final Sunday of the season.

Head Coaching Career

After the 1969 season, Joe Robbie, owner of the Miami Dolphins, signed Shula to a contract to become Miami’s second head coach. As a result of Shula’s signing the team was charged with tampering by the NFL, which forced the Dolphins to give their first round pick to the Colts.[2] The decision was controversial because Shula and Robbie’s negotiations and signing were conducted before and after the official NFL/AFL merger, respectively. Had the negotiations been concluded before the merger, while the NFL and AFL were rivals, the NFL’s anti-tampering rules could not have been applied.

Shula’s Miami teams were known for great offensive lines (led by Larry Little, Jim Langer and Bob Kuechenberg), strong running games (featuring Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick, and Mercury Morris), solid quarterbacking (by Bob Griese and Earl Morrall), excellent receivers (in Paul Warfield, Howard Twilley and TE Jim Mandich) and a defense that worked well as a cohesive unit.

Pittsburgh was called “The Steel Curtain” and the L.A. Rams front line was known as “The Fearsome Foursome”) the Dolphins were known as “The No-Name Defense” even though they had a number of great players, including DT Manny Fernandez and MLB Nick Buoniconti.[citation needed]

In 1972 the Dolphins were unbeaten (14–0) in the regular season. They swept the playoffs and finished 17–0.

Shula changed his coaching strategy as his personnel changed. His Super Bowl teams in 1971, 1972, 1973 and 1982 were keyed by a run-first offensive strategy and a dominating defense. In 1983, shortly after losing Super Bowl XVII to the Washington Redskins, the Dolphins drafted quarterback Dan Marino out of the University of Pittsburgh. Marino won the starting job halfway through the 1983 regular season, and by 1984 the Dolphins were back in the Super Bowl thanks largely to Marino’s record 5,084 yards through the air and 48 touchdown passes.

For all his success, the Dolphins’ January, 1974 Super Bowl win over the Minnesota Vikings proved to be Shula’s last championship. Despite consistent success in the regular season, Shula was unable to win in the post-season, failing in 12 trips to the playoffs—including two more Super Bowl appearances—before retiring after the 1995 season.

His retirement following that regular season ended one of the greatest coaching legacies in NFL history. He set numerous records in his 33 seasons as a head coach. He is first in most games coached (526), most consecutive seasons coached (33), and Super Bowl Appearances—six, appearing once with the Baltimore Colts and five times with the Miami Dolphins. Shula had a 2-4 record in his six Super Bowl appearances.

Shula was the head coach of the 1972 Miami Dolphins, who finished a perfect 17-0 and won the Super Bowl VII 14-7 over the Washington Redskins. Shula’s 1973 team repeated as NFL champions, winning the 1974 Super Bowl over the Minnesota Vikings. The following season the Dolphins seemed destined to win a third title in three years, but the Dolphins fell to the Oakland Raiders 28-26, in an AFC divisional playoff game in one of the greatest games ever played. With 35 seconds remaining in the game, Kenny Stabler was in the process of being sacked by Vern Den Herder. Just before he was tackled, he threw a completed desperation forward pass to his running back Clarence Davis in the games final moments and in doing so ended Miami’s mini dynasty. The Dolphins team was decimated the following season by the creation of the now defunct World Football League and the loss of three of its star players – Larry Csonka, Jim Kiick, and Paul Warfield to the rival league. The Dolphin franchise has never been able to duplicate the success of those magical four years between 1971-74.

Shula set numerous records in his 33 seasons as a head coach. He is the All-Time leader in Victories with 347. He is first in most games coached (526), most consecutive seasons coached (33), and Super Bowl losses (4, tied with Bud Grant, Dan Reeves and Marv Levy). His teams won seven NFL conference titles: 1964, 1968, 1971–73, 1982 and 1984. Shula’s teams were consistently among the least penalized in the NFL, and Shula served on the Rules Committee, to help change the game to a more pass oriented league. He had a winning record against every coach he ever faced except Levy, against whom he was 5–14 during the regular season and 0–3 in the playoffs. He is honored at the Don Shula Stadium at John Carroll University, and the Don Shula Expressway in Miami. An annual college football game between South Florida schools Florida Atlantic University and Florida International University is named the Shula Bowl in his honor. The game’s winner receives a traveling trophy named t

“What’s the worst thing that can happen to a quarterback? He loses his confidence” – Terry Bradshaw (NFL Hall of Fame)

The Lesson

Losing confidence is the worst thing that can happen to any player. When we lose confidence we lose the very foundation to our performance. It’s therefore crucial that we maintain our self belief and faith in ourselves even when things are going badly.

We need to recognise the signs that undermine our confidence and remind ourselves through positive self talk of our past performances that have been special. We should also look to the support of others such as coaches and family to support us and help rebuild our confidence.

The Action

Confidence is my constant companion while I train or play.