Rugby World UK – August 2019

TYPICAL PLAYER SCHEDULE

Time Activity

7.30

Breakfast and

monitoring

Strapping and

training prep

8.00

8.30

9.00

9.30

10.00

Mobility

and skills

Weights

and units Cryo

10.30

11.00

11.30

12.00

12.30

Lunch Media

13.00

13.30

14.00

14.30 Meeting

followed by

rugby

15.00 Cryo

15.30

16.00

Snacks

16.30

should speak to the coaches if they
need to take time away from camp.
“I always say to the squad how lucky
we all are to be doing what we’re doing,
but the most important thing is family,”
Gatland tells us later. “If there are issues
at home or something has come up, a
grandparent is ill for example, then they
can come and see us. That’s really
important. If things are right at home,
we get a better product at training.”
He cites Jones missing a session to
accept an invite to Wimbledon’s Royal
Box as an example. “Not many get that
opportunity.” For now, though, his
skipper is hard at work on the pitch.
There is a marquee to the side to get
changed – an impromptu sing-a-long
is sparked when Stereophonics’ A
Thousand Trees comes out over the
speakers – then it’s into the warm-up.
McBryde has his whistle tucked into the
back of the bucket hat protecting him
from the afternoon sunshine and is soon
blowing on it as the forwards do live
scrummaging. With a law amendment
due to come in around the gap before

the bind at the World Cup, they try a few

different set-ups to get to grips with it,

players feeding back constantly. Then

it’s six versus six and trying to hold the

scrum for as long as possible, music

providing a rhythm for the players.

After a few more sets on the scrum

machine, it’s into the first conditioning

game, 30:15. It involves running back

and forth to cones around halfway –

players have different distances but all

are within a few metres of each other –

with minimal rest time. Then they break

into three groups to work on specific

drills: McBryde is looking at getting off

the ground and clearing breakdowns,

Howley is focusing on support play and

for Edwards it’s defensive set-ups.

Players rotate between the coaches

once they have done another 30:15 or

a Bronco (running to and from various

pitch markings). Jones leads by example

as he sprints over to his next skills

assignment, showing no sign of feeling

the effects of the energy exerted just

moments before. Again, feedback is

coming in from coaches and players

with communication key, and the

session is rounded off with a huddle.

Players stick around to do the ‘extras’

so often mentioned. Rhys Patchell works

on his goalkicking with Neil Jenkins;

Josh Adams and Owen Lane pass to

each other while moving just their upper

body; Owens and Evans are back on the

scrum machine, with the latter pulled

forward via a rope around his waist by

McBryde – part of his return from a

shoulder injury and resulting in a few

comments about being on a leash!

In ones and twos the players depart

the pitch to shower and change, maybe

picking up a snack from the team room

• build-your-own paninis anyone? It’s
  another day done on the road to Japan.
  As we leave the Vale, it’s fitting that
  the taxi driver says Jones is the player
  he’s most chuffed for, the oldest in the
  group still going strong. Having watched
  the captain, who turns 34 in September,
  set the standard in training, he’ll be
  going for a while longer yet. n

Going the distance

No respite during

the 30:15 drill

Listen up

Players at the

pre-training meeting

Tracking device The Wales squad’s GPS units