Sir Ian McGeechan

 An innovative partnership between RFU and Global Sports Coaching and its website www.rugbycoachingdrills.com

The academy has been established in partnership with Global Sports Coaching (GSC) and its www.rugbycoachingdrills.com website.  Established in 2010, GSC has accessed the talents and experience of leading coaches in this country and abroad, including Sir Ian McGeechan and Dick Best, to create on online coaching and club management resource that features a range of coaching exercises including interactive drills in 3D, a coaching toolkit and personal development programmes for players of all ages. 

As the National Governing Body for rugby in England, the RFU aims to be regarded as a role model for coach development and coaching excellence and has responsibility for ensuring the quantity and quality of coaches, from grassroots to representative level, is constantly growing and improving. It has a series of well-developed coaching development programmes and support services that ensures rugby happens around the country in a safe and fun environment.

“This is the first time the RFU has entered into a partnership with an external provider for the delivery of essential coaching services,” said Gary Henderson, Head of Player and Coach Development at the RFU.  “Our objective is to improve the expertise of our coaches at all levels nationally by complementing our face to face programmes with value added content and advice via the internet.   

“All our research has shown that coaches play a significant role in providing the quality of experience we want to give our players so working in partnership with GSC and its www.rugbycoachingdrills.com website, we believe we can provide our coaches with access to resources that will greatly improve their performance.

“We’re starting with a pilot scheme before moving onto regional trials in September. Depending on the outcome of the trials, we plan to launch the academy nationally next January.”

Sir Ian McGeechan, Director of GSC, said: “We’re pleased to be working in partnership with the RFU on the delivery of this crucial aspect of the Union’s services.

“It is apparent that the rapid development of the interactive web technology and related communications infrastructures provide an appropriate resource with which to manage and develop coaching expertise in this country.  We’ve invested heavily in the development of our website and are very excited about the potential of the RFU’s coaching academy.”