Super Rugby

(Kick-offs are GMT)

FINAL:

Saturday, July 9:
Reds v Crusaders (09.40)

PREMIERSHIP FIXTURES

CELTIC FIXTURES

EUROPEAN CUP FIXTURES

LIVE COVERAGE

more Fixtures

Super Rugby

Semifinals

Saturday, July 2:
Reds 30-13 Blues
Stormers 10-29 Crusaders

Play-off qualifiers

Friday, June 24:
Blues 26-13 Waratahs

Saturday, June 25:
Crusaders 36-8 Sharks

PREMIERSHIP RESULTS

CELTIC RESULTS

EUROPEAN CUP RESULTS

LIVE COVERAGE

more Fixtures

Newsletter

Coaching Blog - by Gary Gold

Are we set for more change?

Greetings RugbyIQ fans; I trust this finds you well. It's been a busy start to the 2011 rugby season, with the Six Nations already nearing its end and the all-new Super Rugby season well underway as we find ourselves in the midst of Round Four at present.

The effect scrum refereeing styles have on the game

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a wonderful - if belated - 2011. It's a rugby season that promises so much for everyone; from the new and expanded Super Rugby season, to all the Tests and pre-World Cup build-up, not to mention the World Cup, itself, in New Zealand.

The value of video analysis

rugbyIQ.com coach Gary Gold is about to share one of the biggest secrets in modern-day rugby coaching. In our new Video Analysis section he will give powerful and insightful examples of rugby video analysis.

Conditioning Blog - by Greg Commins & Steve McIntyre

Improving your rugby nutrition IQ

Optimal performance in matches and training sessions requires the correct balance of energy sources, nutrients and fluids. An individual player’s dietary intake affects their endurance, strength, power, speed, body composition, recovery, concentration and general health. [...]

Building strong hamstrings for rugby

It is very important to spend time training your hamstrings, lower back, and glutes as a functional unit with complex free weight and body weight exercises. Also remember your legs are the largest group of muscles in your body so by training your legs hard, you will be setting yourself up to gain the most progress compared to every other muscle group especially when it comes to your athletic performance on the rugby pitch.

Four-week conditioning plan: Juniors (U14/15)

Conditioning guru Stephen McIntyre has put together a simple, yet effective four-week training programme for aspiring junior rugby players.

Mental Toughness - by Tim Goodenough

How to create a team vision or purpose

In a team session, I will ask the group to break up into four or so smaller groups and for them to come up with a movie that they are going to share with the rest of the group about something this team can achieve together. The movie may be for the current season or season to come, there are only two rules [...]

Body tips for the mind

People routinely treat the body as if it has no direct impact on the mind and vice versa. However the two are different sides of the same coin. The ancient Greeks were amongst the first to starting talking about the link between the two, they emphasised the importance of bodily exercise for developing the mind. More recently in western literature Joseph Pilates (of Pilates fame) was the first to emphasise this point, "A strong body improves the mind. And, the improved mind was believed in turn to improve the physical body".

The mental side of rugby taught in two days

Mental Specialist Tim Goodenough was asked to work out what he would focus on if he had only two days to teach all of the important 'mental stuff' to coaches. Here a list of the crucial points to equip coaches with deeper mental skills and understanding.

DRILL OF THE WEEK

One-on-one ruck contesting

View the video.

Description:
Lie two tackle bags down next to each other with a small space in between them. Place a ball in the middle of the space between the bags. Two players lie down next to the bags and on the whistle get up quickly and try to steal the ball. The player who does not get the ball must drive the player in possession back and try and wrestle the ball away from him for 5 seconds. Ball is reset in the middle of the bags and drill is repeated.

Coaching Tips:
- Emphasise speed off the deck and maintaining a low body position while trying to steal the ball.
- Encourage maximum intensity when wrestling for the ball.