Rugby Strength Training

Hi,

I have noticed that a lot of you guys out there are from the States and play Rugby.
I am currently finishing my degree in Sports Science and i am looking for work in the near future in S&C particularly for Rugby.

I am origanaly from New Zealand (ALL Blacks) and now live in Australia, as you could appreciate there isnt a shortage of S&C coaches here for Rugby, just wanted to know what the standard was like there and if there are possibilities of employment as a pro.
Rugby is in my blood ive been playing since i was 5yrs and have played to a reasonably high level which gives me a fair idea on what is needed, considering the AB’s are the best side in the world.
Let me know what you guys think or if you have any ideas i would love to hear them.

Brad

Not to take anything away from the U.S. rugby scene, but personally I think you would have a better chance in Canada. The emphasis here on hockey(ice hockey to much of the world) is so great that a Kiwi with a lot of Rugby experience wouldn’t have quite as much competition as in the states. And considering our population and climate we are pretty good. I recently watched us get trounced by France though. But every year rugby is growing in Canada, especially in the west. Of course if you are moving to the U.S. then maybe its not relevant. A lot of Aussies living here now though I noticed. Just my 2 cents. Rugby rules.

Unfortunately, I don’t know if I’ve ever heard of a paid S&C rugby coach in the US. There are not even really any true pro players! Lots of good club rugby, don’t know if any of the Super League teams pay their coaches. BTW, England is the best side!

Brad
Whilst I wish you all the best in your career I must take you to task on one typo error you made.

“Considering the ABS are the best side in the world”

Sorry old chap but that honour falls to us English we are the best Rugby playing nation in the World.Hence the reason we won the World Cup.

[quote]BradS wrote:
I recently watched us get trounced by France though.[/quote]

I was at the USA v. France game. We got trounced by France’s B or C side. In the world cup France fielded its 15 worst players against us and still won.

Anyway, if this is any indication of Rugby in the US, the USA v. France match was held in a stadium with capacity of 60,000 persons, and the attendence hovered around 6,000. Pretty embarassing if you ask me.

I would say that if you want a paid Rugby S&C position you would probably have to be hired to the US Eagle support squad.

RIT Jared

First of all the All blacks are the best in the world, the as we kicked the English’s ass. :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:
But anyway i digress. I think the main problem rugby has in establishing it self within the United states, is the dominance of Grid iron. If you consider the physical similarities between the two sports, all the best athletes ‘built’ for rugby will naturally go into football, since the pay scale and general opportunities for playing grid iron in the states is far higher than for rugby. This is why soccer has been able to grow rapidly over the years, in America, all the big guys play grid iron, all the tall guys play basketball, all the medium guys that can skate play hockey. This leaves a good percentage of light-medium built fast guys to play soccer. Unfortunately this leaves a very small base of athletes to play rugby, which in turns means less interest in the sport, and of course less funding.

Beni, come on now mate, did you happen to forget England’s more than slightly embaressing tour to the southern hemisphere??

Thanks for the replys, i thought that may be the case in the US.

Didnt we just thrash the Poms about a month ago? and thrash the Aussies 5 days ago? Who incedently beat England as well.

Any way thanks for the info, not positive on where to go yet, im open to suggestions.

Brad

No probs, just out of interest how many Kiwis frequent this site?
I’m from Auckland by the way.

I’m from Wellington.

At the risk of being repetitive, the US has virtually no professional players. No team that I have ever played for or against can afford a coach. Most all the College teams are club teams, not sponsored monetarily by the Universities themselves. And the men’s sides are filled primarily with 20-50 year old men with families and jobs. Most only practice two days a week. The superleague teams still haven’t caught on. If you’re looking to work with rugby players I’d suggest Europe, there’s much more money in rugby there. If you’re willing to learn a new sport that is more popular here then you may have a chance. Good luck though.

I get paid to coach rugby (and am in charge of the team’s S+C) in Japan. It’s only at high school level but the money is much better than I was getting as a teacher in NZ. I think here, or England, is where the opportunities are for jobs in rugby.

As an aside, the ABs are clearly the best side in the world at the moment. England timed it right last year but they are back to their traditional level of woeful. Great stuff.

get lots of experience and look at nz, aust and europe. Professional players from all nations in the north hemisphere play in britan because that is the only real place with money (and japan). Incidently Italy may be a good bet, they have a pro u19 league!

Bottom line you need a few years of experience before you can really expect the dosh. The QLD reds are after a s&c coach and want 5 years of elite contact sport experience. Even though that is the very upper level of s&c in rugby, its an indication that there must be coaches with that experience out there.

England are in the process of rebuliding for the next world cup.Remember friendly fixtures mean nothing we won the big one.

Lets face it guys sport in the UK is so bad that we pick Americans to run for us in the Olympics.So allow us our one moment of glory :slight_smile:

Until of course the Lions next year triumph in New Zealand!!!

The ABs are the best team in the world right now. As an Englishman who lived in NZ for 12 yrs I am just pleased that they are peaking at the right time!

The England team who recently toured downunder played to form. They were much depleted due to the retirements, injuries and rest allowed to key players.

Ehgland played to their strengths and consequently bullied everybody at the World Cup due to superior S&C. In contrast the ABs forwards were the most powder puff I have seen in my 36 yrs.

Anybody could see that NZ were only a forward pack away from being the champions of the world. Unfortunately rugby matches at the top level are won UP FRONT.

[quote] Max wrote:
I’m from Wellington.[/quote]

Cool, Aucklander here.
Anyway, yes yes, alright England timed it right and the ABs won everygame, losing only the one that mattered most to the Aussies. And it seems that we are once again peaking a little too early this year.

Brad, I think any country that does not prefer grid iron over rugby would be a good place to go coach. Keep away from the countries that are grid iron dominant. Japan and many of the south east asian countries sounds like a good suggestion, otherwise, europe, but not germany nor sweden as they have a heavier focus on grid iron.
Then there’s south america, apart from soccer, i don’t think they play much else? leaving a wide base of non soccer player shaped athletes to play another game such as rugby. e.g argentina.

Ireland speaking up here, and I’d like to point out that the FEBs fell to us soon after their World Cup dominance. I believe we were the first country to shut them up.

Regarding countries to try coaching, I’d recommend Scotland/Wales/Ireland. They have a long history of rugby but I still think the general standard does not match that of the Southern Hemisphere. Aussies & Kiwis have always enjoyed a lot of success both playing and coaching, and the social life is a tad more “normal”.

[quote]flynniec6 wrote:
Ireland speaking up here, and I’d like to point out that the FEBs fell to us soon after their World Cup dominance. I believe we were the first country to shut them up.

Regarding countries to try coaching, I’d recommend Scotland/Wales/Ireland. They have a long history of rugby but I still think the general standard does not match that of the Southern Hemisphere. Aussies & Kiwis have always enjoyed a lot of success both playing and coaching, and the social life is a tad more “normal”.[/quote]

Damn right we did… and in their own back yard too!!!

No better feeling either than beating those FEB’s either!!

[quote]RIT Jared wrote:
Anyway, if this is any indication of Rugby in the US, the USA v. France match was held in a stadium with capacity of 60,000 persons, and the attendence hovered around 6,000. Pretty embarassing if you ask me.
[/quote]

I feel your pain, Jared; Americans just don’t appreciate sports that aren’t traditionally “American.” I watched Liverpool beat Celtic last night in East Hartford; they sold 24,000 out of a possible 44,000 seats. UCONN’s football team will sell the place out several times this fall. It’s a shame people can’t appreciate great athletes for what they are, regardless of the sport.