By Prof
January 4 2007

The next Quinssa event will be on Thursday 25th January in the Members’ Clubhouse at The Twickenham Stoop at 7.30pm and will be a Video Analysis Evening with Tony Diprose, Andy Friend and Ed Spokes. Ed Spokes will explain the system they use and how he does it, Tony Diprose will cover the forwards/team usage and also what they look to do for the Academy. Andy Friend puts together a lot of the plans based on analysis and presents it most weeks so he will talk about this, especially from a backs/team perspective. In order to give us an indication of numbers for this event, please email Emma (rugbybird@quinssa.org.uk) to confirm your planned attendance.

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Ed Spokes: Technical Analyst

Ed Spokes joined NEC Harlequins in 2003 as a fitness assistant and has since progressed to technical analyst via a job as kit manager. His main duties for the side include performance (both team and individual) and opposition analysis.

Prior to joining Quins, he played for the Alhambra Union club in Dunedin, New Zealand where he was selected for the Otago Under 19 squad. Ed also gained his NZRFU level 1 and 2 coaching certificates whist coaching at Otago School.

On returning to the UK, he gained a degree in Sport and Exercise Science (Physiology) from Nottingham Trent University where he also coached and captained the rugby team.

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Tony Diprose: Academy Assistant Manager

Tony Diprose retired from professional rugby at the end of season 2005/06 after having played for 15 years at the top level. Career highlights include 10 caps for England (including one as captain) as a back row forward. He also toured with the British Lions to South Africa in 1997.

Having developed his coaching skills whilst still playing, Tony assumed the role of Assistant Academy Manager in July 2006.

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Andy Friend: Head Coach

Andy Friend joined NEC Harlequins as Head Coach in the summer of 2005.

He has been coaching professionally for 11 years having worked in Japan for three seasons, taking the Suntory team to National Champions in his last two years at the club. More recently, Andy was involved with the Australian Under 21 team that lost out to South Africa in the final of the IRB Under 21 World Championships in Argentina in June 2005.

Prior to this and he was Assistant Coach with Super 12 side the Waratahs for two and a half years. During this period, Andy was Technical Advisor for the Wallabies during their 2003 Rugby World Cup campaign and during the 2002 Tri-Nations series.

He has also had coaching stints with the Brumbies and the Australian Institute of Sport rugby programme.

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