New contact training approach: “A bit of common sense. Only question - why wait until 2023?”
This article is written by Progressive Rugby
Some big names in the game have had their say over new contract training guidelines that have been published by World Rugby and International Rugby Players (IRP).
The guidelines set out advised weekly limits for full contact training (15 minutes), controlled contact (40 minutes) and live set piece (30 minutes) training.
World Rugby say the guidance is aimed at reducing injury risk and supporting short and long-term player welfare.
They have followed global consultation, including feedback from almost 600 players across elite men’s and women’s competitions, and input from leading strength and conditioning, medical and performance experts.
World Rugby say the guidance is being supported by national players’ associations, national unions, international and domestic competitions, top coaches and clubs.
What former players have said:
John Barclay (Glasgow Warriors/Scarlets and Scotland, 76 caps)
“A bit of common sense. World Rugby Limiting contact training by 2023 to 15 minutes a week. 2 hrs 20mins was the worst “offending” team. Remember that session in 2019….on the schedule as a ‘light session’. Great times. Only question - why wait until 2023?”
Ryan Lamb (Gloucester/London Irish/Northampton Saints/Worcester Warriors)
“The issue has always been in the not regulated contact training. Remember at a club, we had to make 100 tackles on a Tuesday, and I was called an energy sapper for saying that’s insane. "Prepare your nervous system was the excuse” - what for, a car crash?”
David Flatman (Saracens/Bath and England, 8 caps)
Answering a question whether 15 mins contact was enough contact training.
“Fair question mate, but many pros would probably be fine with none tbh…”
Conrad Smith (Wellington/Hurricanes/Pau and All Blacks, 94 caps)
Smith, who is Head of Player welfare for IRP, said:
“I never had a training injury in all my 15 years of playing – I don’t know if I was a bad trainer. I never exceeded these (newly proposed) limits. 15 minutes (contact training) would have been the absolute maximum for me.”
Dave Rennie (Wellington and Cook Islands XV, 1 cap)
Rennie, now the Australia coach said:
"Thirty-five to 40 per cent of injuries happen at training, which means 60 to 65 happen at games.
"And you have to make sure from a training point of view you're getting the conditioning and contact load into them so that that they can deal with it on game day and have the technique required.
"There's focus around reducing injuries but the most important thing is ensuring our athletes have the skills and knowledge to deal with the contact."
Alix Popham (Newport/Leeds Tykes/Llanelli Scarlets/Brive and Wales, 33 caps)
"It's definitely a step in the right direction, but I think it needs to be mandatory, like the NFL did 11 years ago.
"I think guidelines, they won't be stuck to if a team is under pressure and they missed a load of tackles on the weekend. That's where the pressure comes on the coaches and things will go over that 15 minutes.
"I think there have been teams in the NFL who were in that situation and did the extra contact sessions to try to get up to speed and were fined because of that.
"I think it needs to be mandatory across the board from all levels from grassroots up to professional teams."
And one current player did speak up during the debate.
Aaron Wainwright (Newport Dragons and Wales 29 caps)
“Obviously it (contact training) has its pros and its cons. You want to be ready going onto the weekend and making sure you get a bit of contact in before you play a game on the weekend
“Making sure your body is ready for it is great but at the same time you want to be looking after your body and making sure the sessions are limited and you are not getting through too much work and too much contact.”
He added that he considered Dragons’ approach to contact training was managed well with ‘short sharp sessions.”
Progressive Rugby welcome the new guidelines but would like to see them become mandatory as soon as possible, a spokesperson saying:
“Progressive Rugby welcome the news of new weekly guidelines for contact training and encourage coaching teams to grasp the opportunity to increase player welfare and availability and enhance performance as demonstrated by Harlequins last season in the Gallagher Premiership.
“However, while we applaud this positive move, we also encourage World Rugby to accelerate the proposed timescales for assessing this approach and adopt a mandated approach that has player welfare at its heart as soon as possible.
“While many sides have taken a more sensible approach to contract training, it’s fair to acknowledge that other coaching teams may not embrace the guidelines as wished.”
Alix Popham