Dan talks to two key people from the Crusaders Coaching Leadership Programme™: Crusaders International Academy Manager Grant Keenan, and Kaila Colbin, CEO of Crusaders leadership training partner Boma.
They share their experience of working with the 13-time Super Rugby winners from New Zealand, and how the team has built their culture and environment.
They draw on leadership lessons from Scott “Razor” Robertson, Wayne Smith, Robbie Deans, Kieran Reid and Sam Whitelock.
Here are some of the themes they covered:
· Would you think that the Crusaders might be a bit scared if you’re sharing all the secrets, given that they’ve been so successful?
How do you elevate the game?
If all the teams in a league have a high-performance culture, what happens when you find yourself in the bottom half of the table?
From a coach’s point of view, how do you help people understand their roles?
How can you authentically care about your players?
Should a coach be worried about their authority if they also show they care?
Will the players slack if they know there’s always a soft landing from a caring coach?
Knowing players is important, but can it also become too intrusive?
What is meant by accountability and vulnerability?
Dan Cottrell speaks to Inside Running Academy boss, Mike Rogers. Mike, who's just finished a season in the US MLR with the New England Free Jacks talks openly about his experience coaching in both his homeland of New Zealand and the States.
There is a very moving passage where we discuss vulnerability and authenticity. Mike's message about his relationship with rugby and his family will strike many chords with coaches. MORE
Dan is joined by Gary Townsend, the Bristol Bears Junior Academy Manager to chat about Mark Poole's question about his colts team.
They are struggling to implement their backs moves and shape in matches, despite training going well and skills levels remaining high. MORE
Dan Cottrell chats to Owen Woods, Community Rugby Coach for Gosport & Fareham RFC.
Owen was previously in the Air Force for 4½ years and then the police for 17 years. In June 2021 he started up his full-time role to promote rugby and its core values, the vision being to put the club and values at the heart of the community.
He has coached his son's rugby team for the last six years. He is a level 2 coach, a qualified referee working in schools in the local community delivering rugby sessions to children from 7 to 13. MORE
Dan chats with former Fiji captain Deacon Manu, who's now coaching in Singapore.
Deacon has traveled the rugby world, representing Fiji and the Maori All Blacks, as well as playing for Waikato Chiefs and the Blues in Super Rugby and then for the Scarlets in Wales.
They chat about the coaches he's experienced and now coaching with developing players and new players to the game. MORE
Dan chats to Jacob Ford about his remarkable journey to becoming Bury St Edmonds RFC and Ipswich School's director of rugby at the age of just 23.
The topics covered included:
The best way to speak to players to allow them to grow
What makes the players respect a coach
What efficiency in training and a game looks like
Being mentored by your dad (Mike Ford, former England and Bath coach)
The differences and similarities between coaching professional players and school players
Should bench players get paid the same as the starters
Working with players who are older than you
Developing a style of play that suits your team
Can a coach make excuses for a poor performance MORE
