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Dan Cottrell and guests discuss all the hot topics in grass roots rugby coaching from managing concussion to dealing with parents.
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Send us Fan Mail How much talking is too much? In this episode, Dan Cottrell and Stuart James explore how coaches can make every word count. From the power of the short, purposeful chat to the art of explaining the how, what, and why in under a minute, they share practical ways to sharpen communication and boost player engagement. Discover why the best sessions often start with fewer words, clearer intent, and more playing time — and how taking the “temperature” of your group can help you ada...
Send a text In this episode of The 50:22 Podcast, Dan Cottrell and Stu James explore why focusing on perfect technique can hold players back. Instead of trying to tick off isolated skills, they discuss how layering, context, and repetition help players understand what to do and when to do it. The aim is to move from drills to decisions, from repetition to recognition. Learn how to guide players toward real game sense and long-term progress in every session. To find out more ...
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the 50:22 Podcast, Dan Cottrell and Stuart James explore how to use stress as a coaching tool, not through shouting but through smart, purposeful challenge. Discover how the right kind of pressure helps players build resilience, sharpen decision-making, and raise their own standards. Learn simple ways to add competition, intensity, and mindset training into your sessions without losing calm, connection, or control. To find out more about this podcast and ma...
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the 50:22 Podcast, Dan Cottrell and Stu James explore why great coaching starts with preparing yourself, not just your session plan. Stu leads the discussion, drawing on his expertise in different workplace environments to inform his thinking on training day scenarios. From setting the right mindset to creating simple reset tools when things go off track, learn how to arrive confident, stay adaptable, and lead with intention. To find out more about th...
Send a text What if your most impactful assistant coach is already on the sideline, holding a coffee and watching their child? In this episode, Dan Cottrell and Stu James reframe how coaches can engage parents with purpose. From team emails to ‘parent wranglers’, discover how to create connection, reduce friction and build a shared culture that goes beyond the touchline. To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly To find out more about our Partner Club...
Send a text Small-sided games aren’t just chaos—they’re your sharpest coaching tool. In this episode, Dan Cottrell and Stu James explore how to make games more purposeful by designing clear objectives, coaching one behaviour at a time, and helping players make better decisions under pressure. Clear rules. Smart design. Intentional outcomes. To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly To find out more about our Partner Club offer CLICK HERE Also, tap into the...
Send a text How You Start Changes Everything In this 8-minute episode, Dan Cottrell and Stu James dive into the power of the first five minutes of a session. From early wins to playful warm-ups without a ball, discover how to boost energy, build connection and benchmark your plan. Quick, practical and purposeful: start better, coach smarter. To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly To find out more about our Partner Club offer CLICK HERE Also, tap int...
Send us Fan Mail What really wins rugby matches — instinct or insight? In this episode, Dan Cottrell sits down with rugby analyst, journalist, and coach Sam Larner to unpack the growing influence of data in the modern game — and what it actually means for coaches on the pitch. From Six Nations trends to grassroots realities, Sam brings clarity to the numbers behind performance. Together, they explore why territory often matters more than possession, how 22 entries shape outcomes, and why some...
Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Rugby Coach Weekly podcast, Dan Cottrell speaks to coach and former professional player Sam Mace about the journey from playing to coaching and the lessons that shaped his philosophy. Sam played professionally in Major League Rugby with the Toronto Arrows, before concussion injuries forced him to retire early. That experience changed the direction of his career and sparked a passion for coaching that is now reaching thousands of players and coaches onli...
Send us Fan Mail What does sustainable performance actually look like in elite sport and leadership? In this episode of the Rugby Coach Weekly podcast, Dan speaks with Lúcás Ó’Ceallacháin, a high-performance coach and leadership specialist who has worked across rugby, wrestling, artistic swimming, ballet and Olympic systems worldwide. Lúcás helps leaders build performance “one brick at a time” through social learning, psychological safety and deliberate coaching design. From coaching in...
Send a text What does it really mean to be the adult in the room? In this powerful and honest conversation, I sit down with Tara Lynn, transformational coach and trusted adviser to high performers who have reached the edge of what got them here. We explore how leaders and coaches can regulate themselves under pressure, avoid slipping into “parent” or “child” reactions, and communicate with clarity instead of ego. Tara shares her A.D.U.L.T framework, breaks down the difference between training...
Send a text In this episode, Dan Cottrell is joined once again by skill acquisition specialist Job Fransen, Associate Professor at Charles Sturt University and Managing Director of SkillACQ. Together they explore what really matters in coaching practice design, feedback, and player development. Job shares why elite coaches rarely need “disrupting,” why most coaches intervene too quickly, and why sometimes the best coaching decision is to step back and let players solve the problem. They dig i...
Send a text What actually happens on a Saturday night when the final whistle blows and rugby stories still need to be told? In this episode of the Rugby Coach Weekly podcast, Dan is joined by Ben Jaycock, assistant editor at The Rugby Paper, to explore how parts of a national rugby newspaper are produced under extreme time pressure. While much of The Rugby Paper is planned days in advance, Ben explains how key match reports, ratings, and analysis are written live as games unfold and filed wit...
Send a text In this episode of the Rugby Coach Weekly podcast, Dan Cottrell sits down with Steve Grainger, Executive Director of Rugby Development at England Rugby, for an open and thoughtful conversation about the state of the community game. They explore how rugby is changing at grassroots level, from schools and clubs to coach education, workforce models, and the rise of T1 Rugby. Steve shares what has stayed stubbornly the same over decades, what has genuinely evolved since 2011, and wher...
Send a text What does it really take to align dozens of volunteer coaches, hundreds of players, and a whole club around one clear development pathway? In this episode of the Rugby Coach Weekly podcast, Dan Cottrell is joined by Charlie Farrell, Age Grade Rugby Director at Banbridge RFC, to unpack the thinking behind the club’s new Coaches Playbook. Designed to guide player development from first contact to First XV, the Playbook goes far beyond drills and session plans. Charlie explains why B...
Send a text In this episode of the Rugby Coach Weekly podcast, Dan Cottrell is joined by performance coach Nash Cohen to explore what it really means to coach with conviction. From defining winning beyond the scoreboard to building trust under pressure, the conversation digs into principles, skill detail, and creating environments where players think, adapt, and grow. Nash is the Head of Player & Performance Development Jamaica UK and Programme Director Elite Rugby Academy. You can ...
Send a text What does real toughness look like in rugby? In this episode of the Rugby Coach Weekly podcast, Dan Cottrell is joined by Jack Heald, Director of Rugby at Barnes RFC and rugby professional at Felsted School, to unpack what toughness truly means in modern coaching environments. Drawing on over 15 years of experience across school, club, and national league rugby, Jack challenges the idea that toughness is about bravado or confrontation. Instead, he reframes it as consistency, resil...
Send a text What do you stabilise first when you inherit a team at the bottom of the table? In this episode of the Rugby Coach Weekly podcast, Dan Cottrell speaks with Ross Bundy, Head Coach of Leicester Tigers Women, about leading a rebuild in a high-pressure, semi-professional environment. Ross shares an unfiltered account of what really matters when results are hard to come by. Rather than chasing quick fixes, he explains why values, defensive standards, contact dominance, discipline, and ...
Send a text In this episode, Dan Cottrell is joined by Phil Kearney, Associate Professor at the University of Limerick and co-founder of an organisation focused on developing a positive community of practice in skill acquisition Together, they challenge one of coaching’s most ingrained habits: starting session design with drills, outcomes, and end goals rather than with how players actually learn. Drawing on skill acquisition research, coach education, and applied examples from grassroots to ...
Send a text In this Rugby Coach Weekly podcast, Dan Cottrell sits down with Darren Rea, John Peel, and Gareth Lewis to explore how inclusive SEND rugby has grown from a few Sunday sessions into a powerful community movement known as KatieFest. Together, they share how simple, values-led coaching has created safe, joyful, and challenging rugby environments for players with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, while also bringing parents, carers, coaches, and clubs closer together. The c...
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