Author: Mike Penistone
Mike Penistone
From his time coaching Rugby League as Head Coach for Great Britain students to Head Coach at Nottingham RUFC and Leicester Tigers Academy, where he was Head of Elite Player Development; to U21's Coach at the NSW Waratahs and Director of Coaching at Eastern Suburbs Sydney, Mike has coached at all levels of the game, from under-7's through to elite international players at the highest level, in both the northern and southern hemispheres.
I watched the Waratahs v. Sharks match live and then the Aviva premiership Leicester Tigers v. Northampton Saints game within 24 hours. I was looking for any indicators as to how Michael Cheika’s style of coaching – Cheikaball – would compare with the Northern hemisphere’s slower more forward constructed approach. Here are a few notes. The first observation was the commitment to a more varied attack around the breakdown by teams up north; ‘probing’ as Ben Kay aptly described it. The Waratahs play very lateral with the ball getting out into the 13 channels and have big runners in mid-field,…
Anything new in the latest England versus Australia test? Well, maybe. History is history and it worked again for England! As for Australia, as ever they remain the more creative team. England’s scrum will be the subject of much coach analysis worldwide after their performance against Australia. The loose-head and 7 will be the focus. Pressure will be heaped on the IRB and referees to police the front rows in accordance with the laws. McCaw started it with his ability to slide forward, but at one point on Saturday Robshaw was almost scrumming in the opposite direction, so far had he come…
There is no psychology involved in England versus the Wallabies this weekend; it has no bearing on the outcome of the World Cup final in 2015. It is merely a “position of play” at this moment in time. However the tactics employed by both teams can best be summed up by the use, not of psychology, but of words. #458962938 / gettyimages.com For the Wallabies the key words are, speed, agility, quickness, accuracy, acceleration, reaction time, vigour and tempo. For England the key words are, strength, power, possession, denial, field position and togetherness. Both groupings represent this moment in time!…
Mike Penistone, author of The Global Rugby Coach, analyses the Wallabies loss against Ireland 2014