The Rugby Institute Coaching Podcast

The Rugby Institute
  • 0.0 (0)
  • Rugby
  • Updated Weekly

Podcast from our YouTube channel for Coaches:https://www.youtube.com/@therugbyinstituteThe Rugby Coaching Podcast is your ultimate resource for all things rugby coaching. Whether you're an experienced coach, a player aspiring to mentor, or someone passionate about the game's strategy and development, this podcast delivers expert insights, practical tips, and inspiring stories. Each episode features seasoned coaches, players, and rugby professionals who dive deep into tactics, training techniques, player development, and team management. From grassroots to elite levels, we tackle the challenges and celebrate the triumphs of coaching the world's most dynamic sport. 

  1. 47m ago

    Why Most Rugby Coaches Train the Wrong Things | Kyle McLean

    Are your training sessions actually preparing players for what happens on Saturday?In this episode of The Rugby Institute Podcast, coach developer Kyle McLean explains why many rugby coaches spend too much time training only a small part of the game. Drawing on research, coach development work, and real-world examples, Kyle shares how game-based training can improve player learning, increase engagement, and create better transfer from training to performance.We discuss:🏉 Why training should replicate the demands of the game🏉 The balance between technical coaching and game-based learning🏉 How to coach unstructured play and transition attack🏉 Practical ways to increase player involvement and reduce queues🏉 Using peer coaching and video feedback to accelerate learning🏉 Why engagement and enjoyment are critical for player development🏉 The Coaching Gig app and its mission to support coachesWhether you're coaching minis, youth, school, club, or representative rugby, this conversation is packed with practical ideas that you can take straight into your next session.👇 What percentage of your training is spent on activities that truly look and feel like the game?#RugbyCoaching #CoachDevelopment #GameBasedTraining #RugbyTraining #PlayerDevelopment #RugbyCoach #CoachingSkills #YouthRugby #CommunityRugby #TheRugbyInstitute===========================Connect with us! =============================Tik Tok: ➡︎ @rugbyinstituteInstagram: ➡︎ @rugbyinstituteX: ➡︎ @RugbyInst===========================#therugbyinstitute #rugbycoaching #defencedrills #pasingdrillsOur mission at The Rugby Institute is to support rugby coaches in developing their skills, growing the game, and making a lasting impact on their teams and communities.

  2. Sep 11

    What Rugby Coaches Can Learn from Football's Best Coach Developers - Paul Barry

    What can rugby coaches learn from one of football's leading coach developers?In this episode of The Rugby Institute Podcast, I sit down with Paul Barry, former Head of Coaching at Crystal Palace FC and coach developer with experience at Arsenal, Watford, The FA and Football DNA.We explore how coaches learn, how players learn, and why great coaching is often less about giving answers and more about asking better questions.Topics include:🏉 Creating thinkers, not followers🧠 The 3P Learning Model: Provoke, Prompt, Praise📈 Developing better decision-makers🎯 Practice design and game-realistic learning🤝 The importance of relationships in coaching👨‍🏫 What separates great coaches from average coaches📚 Why simplicity is the key to effective learning🔍 Lessons from observing hundreds of coaches over a 25-year careerWhether you coach rugby, football, or any other sport, this conversation is packed with practical ideas to help you develop better players, create more engaging learning environments, and improve your own coaching.#RugbyCoaching #CoachDevelopment #PlayerDevelopment #SportsCoaching #Leadership #Learning #FootballDNA #PaulBarry ===========================Connect with us! =============================Tik Tok: ➡︎ @rugbyinstituteInstagram: ➡︎ @rugbyinstituteX: ➡︎ @RugbyInst===========================#therugbyinstitute #rugbycoaching #defencedrills #pasingdrillsOur mission at The Rugby Institute is to support rugby coaches in developing their skills, growing the game, and making a lasting impact on their teams and communities.

  3. Sep 4

    Are You Maximising the Coaches Around You? The Art of Co-Coaching with Coach Developer Harry Jones

    How do great coaching teams work together?Most coaches spend hours planning sessions, analysing games, and developing players. But how often do we think about developing the coaches around us?In this episode of The Rugby Institute Podcast, Gloucester Rugby Coach Development Manager Harry Jones delivers a masterclass on co-coaching. We explore how coaching teams can improve communication, stay aligned, challenge ideas effectively, and create better learning environments for players.Harry shares practical insights on coaching roles, session design, coach development, feedback, disagreement, alignment, reflection, and maximising the value of every coach at training.Whether you're coaching at a school, club, academy, pathway, or performance level, this conversation will help you get more from your coaching team and improve the quality of your training sessions.Topics covered:🏉 Co-coaching principles🏉 Building better coaching teams🏉 Coach development🏉 Session design and planning🏉 Communication and alignment🏉 Constructive disagreement🏉 Developing assistant coaches🏉 Training session effectiveness🏉 Reflection and continuous improvementIf you enjoy conversations that help coaches get better, subscribe to The Rugby Institute for more interviews with leading coaches from around the world.#RugbyCoaching #CoachDevelopment #Coaching #RugbyUnion #Leadership #CoachEducation===========================Connect with us! =============================Tik Tok: ➡︎ @rugbyinstituteInstagram: ➡︎ @rugbyinstituteX: ➡︎ @RugbyInst===========================#therugbyinstitute #rugbycoaching #defencedrills #pasingdrillsOur mission at The Rugby Institute is to support rugby coaches in developing their skills, growing the game, and making a lasting impact on their teams and communities.

  4. Aug 28

    How a Mafia Theme Created a Winning Team - Todd Dammers on Rugby Coaching, Defence and Theming

    In this episode, Chicago Hounds Forwards & Defence Coach Todd Dammers shares one of the most creative examples of team theming I've ever come across. From "The Chicago Way" and "Made Men" to building a season-long culture that players genuinely bought into, Todd explains how great theming can create clarity, connection and performance.We also dive into:🏉 Coaching modern players🏉 Building defensive systems that fit your team🏉 Tackle development and defensive connection🏉 Role clarity and player ownership🏉 Why Todd stopped giving players answers🏉 Communication, feedback and honesty🏉 Coaching in Australia, Spain, Japan and the USA🏉 Creating environments where players can learn and thriveThis is packed with practical ideas for rugby coaches at every level.🎙️ Guest: Todd DammersForwards & Defence Coach, Chicago HoundsIf you enjoyed the episode, please like, subscribe and share it with another coach.===========================Connect with us! =============================Tik Tok: ➡︎ @rugbyinstituteInstagram: ➡︎ @rugbyinstituteX: ➡︎ @RugbyInst===========================#therugbyinstitute #rugbycoaching #defencedrills #pasingdrillsOur mission at The Rugby Institute is to support rugby coaches in developing their skills, growing the game, and making a lasting impact on their teams and communities.

  5. Aug 21

    What the Springboks, Fiji & the NFL Learnt from Richie Gray About Contact

    What can coaching the Springboks, Fiji Rugby, the Miami Dolphins, and some of Europe's biggest clubs teach us about contact and collision?In this episode of The Rugby Institute Podcast, I sit down with Richie Gray, founder of GSI Performance and one of the world's leading contact and collision coaches.Over the last 25 years, Richie has helped shape how players and coaches approach tackling, breakdowns, ruck contests, and collision skills. We discuss his Five Fights framework, the evolution of contact coaching, player development, coaching methodology, and the lessons he's learned from working across rugby union, rugby sevens, and the NFL.Whether you're a coach looking to improve your contact training or a player wanting to better understand what happens in the collision area, there's plenty to take away from this conversation.Topics discussed:* The Five Fights framework* Tackle technique and contact coaching* Breakdown and jackal skills* Coaching methodology and player development* Working with the Springboks, Fiji Rugby, Toulon, and the Miami Dolphins* Building better collision athletes* The future of contact coachingIf you enjoyed the episode, subscribe for more conversations with coaches, players, and performance experts from around the world.#Rugby #RugbyCoaching #TackleTechnique #ContactSkills #Breakdown #Jackal #Coaching #PlayerDevelopment #TheRugbyInstitute===========================Connect with us! =============================Tik Tok: ➡︎ @rugbyinstituteInstagram: ➡︎ @rugbyinstituteX: ➡︎ @RugbyInst===========================#therugbyinstitute #rugbycoaching #defencedrills #pasingdrillsOur mission at The Rugby Institute is to support rugby coaches in developing their skills, growing the game, and making a lasting impact on their teams and communities.

  6. Aug 14

    England International Mike Brown: What Makes a Great Fullback? With tips and skills on how to do it

    In this episode of The Rugby Institute, I sit down with former England fullback Mike Brown to explore what it really takes to excel in the number 15 jersey.Mike earned 72 caps for England, became England's most-capped fullback, won a Grand Slam, and built a professional career spanning more than 20 years. Drawing on that experience, he shares his insights into positioning, game awareness, leading the back three, dominating the high ball, and the qualities that separate good fullbacks from great ones.We also dive into leadership, player-led versus coach-led environments, high performance, talent development, and the habits that allowed Mike to perform at the highest level for over two decades.Topics covered:🏉 The role of the modern fullback🏉 Reading the game and positioning🏉 Leading the back three🏉 Winning aerial contests🏉 Player-led vs coach-led environments🏉 Leadership and accountability🏉 High performance habits🏉 Longevity in professional rugby🏉 Talent identification and developmentIf you're a rugby player, coach, or fan looking to better understand elite performance and the fullback position, this episode is packed with practical insights.#Rugby #MikeBrown #EnglandRugby #Fullback #RugbyCoaching #HighPerformance #Leadership #TheRugbyInstitute #RugbyPodcast #PlayerDevelopment #TalentID #BackThree #RugbyAnalysis #ProfessionalRugby #SportsLeadership===========================Connect with us! =============================Tik Tok: ➡︎ @rugbyinstituteInstagram: ➡︎ @rugbyinstituteX: ➡︎ @RugbyInst===========================#therugbyinstitute #rugbycoaching #defencedrills #pasingdrillsOur mission at The Rugby Institute is to support rugby coaches in developing their skills, growing the game, and making a lasting impact on their teams and communities.

  7. Aug 7

    Why Ireland Produces World Class Coaches - IRFU's National Training & Education Manager Colin Moran

    Ireland punches well above its weight in producing elite coaches — and Colin Moran is a big part of why. As the IRFU's National Training and Education Manager for nearly 30 years, he's the architect behind the entire system that develops rugby coaches across Ireland, from mini rugby to the professional game.In this episode we get into what actually makes a good coach, why the old model of the coach as the expert in the middle is broken, and what a genuinely player-centred environment looks like in practice.What we cover:What makes a good coach (and why it's got nothing to do with credentials)The shift from giving answers to asking questionsWhy your job as a coach is to set puzzles, not run drillsHow to know when to intervene — and when to shut upBuilding a coaching culture inside your clubWhy enjoyment is the most underrated concept in rugby coachingAI and what it means for coach developmentHow Ireland's coaching system actually works🎙️ Guest: Colin Moran — IRFU National Training & Education Manager | World Rugby Master Trainer📺 Watch my jackling video here: https://youtu.be/aVp671N_Ptg===========================Connect with us! =============================Tik Tok: ➡︎ @rugbyinstituteInstagram: ➡︎ @rugbyinstituteX: ➡︎ @RugbyInst===========================#therugbyinstitute #rugbycoaching #defencedrills #pasingdrillsOur mission at The Rugby Institute is to support rugby coaches in developing their skills, growing the game, and making a lasting impact on their teams and communities.

  8. Jul 31

    Why Great Rugby Players See More Than Everyone Else - Dylan Parsons on Scanning and Decision Making

    What separates great rugby players from the rest?According to Dylan Parsons, it’s not just skill execution — it’s what they see, when they see it, and where they place their attention.In this conversation, Dylan breaks down his "Head on a 45°" concept, explaining how elite players use their vision and peripheral awareness to make better decisions under pressure. We explore how top teams create space, identify defensive weaknesses, and consistently make the right front-door and back-door decisions in attack.We also dive into:• The Head on a 45° principle• Scanning and decision-making in attack• Training peripheral vision as a skill• Why players miss obvious opportunities• Vision, breathing, and performance under pressure• Creating better decision-makers in rugby• Practical coaching drills you can use immediately• Connecting players through shared pictures and languageWhether you're a player, coach, or rugby enthusiast, this episode offers practical insights into developing game awareness and improving on-field decision-making.Subscribe for more conversations with leading coaches, players, and performance experts from around the world.#Rugby #RugbyCoaching #SkillAcquisition #DecisionMaking #Scanning #GameAwareness #RugbySkills #PlayerDevelopment #CoachDevelopment #RugbyUnion #HighPerformance #VisionTraining #TheRugbyInstitute===========================Connect with us! Tik Tok: ➡︎ @rugbyinstituteInstagram: ➡︎ @rugbyinstituteX: ➡︎ @RugbyInst===========================Our mission at The Rugby Institute is to support rugby coaches in developing their skills, growing the game, and making a lasting impact on their teams and communities.

See All (33)

About

Podcast from our YouTube channel for Coaches:https://www.youtube.com/@therugbyinstituteThe Rugby Coaching Podcast is your ultimate resource for all things rugby coaching. Whether you're an experienced coach, a player aspiring to mentor, or someone passionate about the game's strategy and development, this podcast delivers expert insights, practical tips, and inspiring stories. Each episode features seasoned coaches, players, and rugby professionals who dive deep into tactics, training techniques, player development, and team management. From grassroots to elite levels, we tackle the challenges and celebrate the triumphs of coaching the world's most dynamic sport. 

Information