World Rugby conducts ‘Level 1, 2 and 3’ Coaching in Colombo

The 'Level 1' coaching course aggregated and endorsed by 'World Rugby' (http://coaching.worldrugby.org) was conducted from the 12^th to the 15^th March 2019 at the Sri Lanka Rugby premises in Colombo.

The 'Level 1' coaching course - introducing Rugby, targets an individual who is a 'Coach of a group of players working under the guidance of a head coach, coaching co-ordinator or Union scheme'.

On successful completion of the course, the coach will be able to identify playing positions, methods of scoring and attack and defence, apply the principles of rugby to the play of a team, identify skill faults, plan a session, deliver a session, apply risk management & ethics and demonstrate understanding of the laws of the game.

The coaching course is a minimum of 8 hours, and includes practical knowledge and class room lecturers with presentations.

The 'Level 2' coaching course - developing Rugby skills, is for a Coach of a group or team of players, e.g. club youth coach, club coach, teacher, representative coach or a talent development coach. The course also requires competency-based assessment using formal transcript.

On successful completion of the course, the coach will be able to:

• .         Identify technical and generic coaching skills

•          Self-reflect on own performance as a coach
•          Define the core values of Rugby Union
•         Develop a coaching and playing philosophy
•         Identify coaching methods/styles and apply to own practice
•        Use the principles of attack and defence to analyse the play of a team
•         Plan and review a cycle of 6 sessions.
•         Use key factors analysis as a tool for player improvement
•          Demonstrate safe coaching of individual and unit skills
•         Understand the concept of functional role analysis
•          Develop some criteria for selection
•          Discuss contemporary law issues

The coaching course requires a minimum of notional hours: 30 Pre-course work, 5 x 3 hour modules, 6 game diary and a live assessment visit. You have to be actively coaching a team, be over 18 years of age, complete self tests at: www.worldrugby.org/rugbyready and www.worldrugby.org/laws, and complete a 6 session diary.

This course is designed to provide coaches with the skills needed to coach teenage and adult players in the club or school environment (in major Unions), and to higher levels in less developed Unions. It aims to develop coaches who know 'how' to coach as well as 'what' to coach.

6 individuals undertook the coaching programs. Namely, Thanuja Weerakkody (female), Amila Chathuranga, Saliya Handapangoda, Harsha Fernando, Devinda Pathiranage, and Sunanda Fernando.

The Level 3 coaching course was conducted from the 14^th to 16^th March. Prominent rugby players Bilal Yusuf, Dushanth Lewke, Henry Terance, Lasintha De Costa and Riza Mubarak who previously had completed the level 2 course, attended the level 3 course in Sri Lanka this time.

The Level 3 coaching curse is based on - Analysis and Preparation for Coaches Plan, implement, analyse and revise annual coaching programmes.

The structure of the course involves the following subjects.

•        Develop a personal coach profile
•          Outline a vision for their team
•        Assess current players and apply a selection process (player profile)
•         Develop a team profile (strengths & weaknesses of their team)
•        Develop a game profile (identifying and practising for the long-term)
•        Identify and practice specific tactics (patterns of play)
•         Develop a game plan based on observation and analysis of specific opponents
•          Apply functional role analysis
•        Coach the following elements safely: Restarts; Continuity; Defense; Counter Attack
•         Identify Critical Incidents in a game
•        Plan and review a season
•          Manage other coaching and ancillary staff

The course was conducted by Mr. Lee Smith, high profile Rugby coach from New Zealand.  Lee has a Master of Arts in economic geography and a Post Graduate Diploma in Teaching and is also and IRB Licensed Trainer.

Lee has worked successfully with a number of high profile, performance driven teams, including the All Blacks, Hurricanes in the Super 15 competition, National teams at all levels in the Pacific Islands, especially Fiji, Samoa and Tonga and a number of provinces in the New Zealand Domestic Provincial competition.