The Ultimate Guide to getting started in Ireland Womens Rugby

Posted on August 31, 2021 at 3:44 pm.

Rugby in Ireland is riding a crest of a wave right now and Ireland Womens Rugby is no different.

Interest nationally is growing exponentially and the sport is attracting more and more players, and media interest, as the weeks go by.

In this blog we’re going to talk all things regarding Ireland Womens Rugby, be it signing up to play to the first time, the current national team, along with some top tips from some current stars.

Fortunately we’ve got Connacht Women’s Rugby stars Ursula Sammon, Nicole Fowley and Megan Walsh to talk us through how they started their careers.

They’ve also shared their tips on getting started in women’s rugby.

If you’re already a rugby player, you might enjoy our kicking tutorial by Connacht Rugby star Jack Carty.

How do I join an Irish Womens Rugby Team?

The first step, whether you’re an adult or a child looking to join a rugby club, is to hunt for one in your area.

A lot of major towns will have a rugby club, and if you’re not sure where to start, check the following link about finding your local club.

Many rugby clubs also hold trial days where you go along, meet the coaches, and decide whether rugby is the sport for you.

Others will invite you to attend a training session to meet the coaches and players before deciding whether or not you want to join for the season. From there, you can begin by training with the team on a weekly basis, learning the rules and key skills, and then putting them into practice in a game when you and your coaches believe you are ready.

Rugby clubs all across the world welcome anyone who wants to play, coach, support, or volunteer and Ireland Womens Rugby is no different.

And don’t worry if you don’t fully understand the game, check out our Ultimate Guide to Explaining Rugby Positions.

Our Journey with Connacht Womens Rugby

Ursula Sammon (pictured)

“I got involved in playing rugby through school. Other girls were trying to get us down to the pitch to get a team going.

“I was only 17 at the time and playing other sports so I decided to give it a go and haven’t looked back since. I really enjoy the physical side of it and I love every minute of playing.

“Rugby was popular in my school and it was encouraged to play so it made it a lot easier, but I have to say when I got the call up to the Connacht team, it really was a highlight for my career.”

Nicole Fowley (pictured)

“I was introduced to the game at a later stage when I was about 19 years-old.

“I started playing tag rugby at my local club, Sligo, and they then set up a senior womens team and that’s where I got my first involvement before moving to Galwegians and Connacht.

“I also played a lot of other sports, Gaelic, soccer, and only for my friend dragged me along to a training session, I might not be here, but I’ve loved it every since that day.”

Megan Walsh

“My Dad was a big rugby man all his life and I started through him after he brought me along to training one day.

“From then on I was hooked. I started my career with my local club Connemara and then when I moved in to the City started playing with Galwegians, before getting to represent Connacht, which I love.”

Top Tips on Getting Started in Womens Rugby

Ursula Sammon

“I would encourage all girls to get involved in rugby, no matter your age.

“I was encouraged by another girl to start the game and without her, I don’t think I would be where I am today. So encourage all girls to join, even if it’s only tag rugby at first.

“Tag is a great way of seeing if you enjoy the sport and then if we want to go into contact – do. It’s not as scary as you think it is.”

Nicole Fowley

“My advice for anyone who is considering starting rugby, be it parents and their kids, teenagers or adults, just jump into training and see how you get on.

“It can seem scary from the outside looking in but when you are there, with your teammates and in that environment, it is one of the best places you can be.

“The camaraderie of a team, with everyone working towards the same goal and having fun on the pitch, is something I would definitely recommend. So take the leap.”

Megan Walsh (pictured)

“One of the best things about playing rugby is just meeting new people and making new friends.

“It can be terrifying coming into a new team or joining a new club, but from my experience, all the girls have been nothing but lovely and really welcoming.

“You build great relationships, experience new things, which will help you go on and do so much more in the long run. I’m so glad I picked up the rugby ball for the first time and have no regrets about it.”

The Ireland Womens Rugby Team

Ireland’s national women’s Rugby Union team competes in a number of major international women’s rugby union tournaments.

These include the Women’s Six Nations Championship and the Women’s Rugby World Cup. They’ve also competed in the FIRA Women’s European Championship.

Ireland won the Women’s Six Nations Championships in 2013 and 2015. They also won the Triple Crown and the Grand Slam in 2013. After defeating New Zealand in the pool stages, they finished fourth in the 2014 Women’s Rugby World Cup.

The 2017 Women’s Rugby World Cup was held in Ireland and proved a massive success, getting national tv coverage and set a number of attendance records for the Women’s World Cup, with New Zealand coming out on top.

So, as Ursula, Nicole and Megan said, why not take the leap into the world of rugby and see how it goes?

They’ve said it was the best decision they ever made, and it might be the same for you.

And remember, Intersport Elverys, Official Retail Sports Partner of the IRFU, is here to make that journey much easier for you with all the best products from the leading rugby brands, right HERE

Love Football? Here’s how to get into coaching!

Posted on August 25, 2021 at 3:28 pm.

Written by Ger Flanagan

Do you dream of becoming the next Stephen Kenny or Sir Alex Ferguson? Or do you just want to help coach and nurture the future of football?

Or are you a former player whose career is now over and you’re looking to stay involved, spread some wisdom and have a desire to help others reach their full potential?

Sounds like you?

If yes, then maybe football coaching is for you.

In this blog, we’ll tell you all you need to know about coaching and how you can embark on a new passion.

What does a football coach do?

Being a football coach involves devotion to your team, assisting them in reaching their maximum potential, and developing the players in all areas.

Whether you’re coaching children, amateurs, or professional football players, you’ll need to give it your best to ensure the team’s success.

You’re the motivator.

You could work in a variety of settings, including schools, universities, leisure clubs, and football clubs, and with people of various ages and skill levels.

How far you can advance in your coaching profession is determined by your level of experience and qualifications.

You might begin your coaching career as an assistant before learning the ropes and eventually assuming the reins.

While studying and working towards your qualifications, consider volunteering as a coach in a sports club. This will help you gain experience so that when you’re ready to apply for jobs, you’ll have a wonderful reference.

Doing an apprenticeship is another option you could consider. This will allow you to learn on the job while earning all of the necessary credentials.

Still fancy it?

What does it take?

The number of hours you work will be determined by the level of football you are coaching.

Evening and weekend work are required at lower levels of football, but the greater the quality of the football club, the more hours you will be required to put in.

Your commitment to your career is likely to consume some of your free time, particularly if you need to travel for football matches across the UK and abroad, which may involve overnight stays.

How do I become a football coach?

If you are starting out in grassroots football, the first thing required to become a football coach is to make sure you are Garda Vetted and have completed the FAI Safeguarding One Workshop.

Then, you can look to enter the FAI Coach Education Pathway – check it out here.

Before interacting with an organization or service, all individuals working with children and vulnerable people, whether volunteers or paid, must obtain Garda Vetting clearance.

Garda Vetting is an FAI requirement for anyone who works with children or vulnerable people (in a paid or voluntary capacity). Relevant training is also an important element of the Safe recruitment process; all coaches must attend the Safeguarding 1 course.

Steps to becoming a football coach

The FAI PDP 1 course is the first step in the Coach Education Pathway and is designed for coaches who work with children in the U-6 to U-9 age groups.

It is designed for coaches of all levels and It is an 8-hour one-day training with a combination of academic and practical content.

The only condition for this course is that all participants have been vetted by the Garda and have completed the Safeguarding 1 course.

The courses are accessible all year and are geographically dispersed around the country. If you have a minimum of 10 coaches interested in attending, the training can even be held and given at your club.

Already coaching at senior level but new to coaching courses?

No worries.

The FAI has recently revamped and updated their senior game-specific course. The Adult Amateur Licence is the name of the new course, which covers all aspects of adult amateur football.

The only condition for this course is that all participants have been vetted by the Garda and have completed the Safeguarding 1 course.

The 16-hour course will include both theoretical and practical content. The training will cover the framework of the game, football actions, and coaching practice demonstrations pertaining to the adult game, to name a few topics.

Responsibilities of a football coach

So, what will your primary responsibilities be?

They include:

Organizing coaching sessions
Providing input and evaluating performance
Inventing new strategies and ways
Assisting the team’s physical and emotional development
Working with additional health care providers such as physiotherapists and nutritionists
Keeping track of things
Sponsorship applications
Organizing your team’s transportation

Vital Football Coach Skills

The following are the skills you’ll need for the job:

Communication skills
Leadership
Teaching
Positivity and patience
Ability to motivate
Organisational skills
Physical fitness
Ability to build relationships
Determination and trustworthiness

Conclusion

We hope this blog helps in you deciding whether or not you want to take the plunge into the world of coaching.
We know you won’t regret it if you do.

Make sure to check out our football ranges below to make that start easier.

How to Kick a Rugby Ball: with Jack Carty

Posted on August 24, 2021 at 3:07 pm.

Written by Ger Flanagan

Ever wondered how to place a rugby ball on a kicking tee properly and kick successfully under pressure like a professional rugby player?

Fortunately, Connacht Rugby’s Jack Carty will bring you inside his kicking routine and show you how he performs under the highest pressure.

The Irish International out-half has performed on some of the biggest stages across Europe, so who better to show us what it takes.

Before you begin, you might be interested in our List of the Most Famous Irish Rugby Players in history?

If not, take it away, Jack.

How to place a rugby ball on a tee

“Once the opportunity to kick comes, I like to take a sip of water, take my gumshield out and line up the ball.

“The initial part setting up your tee is making sure the middle of tee is directed toward the direct. I also usually face the valve of the ball towards the target, where I want the ball to go.

“After lining up the ball towards a target behind the sticks, probably the most important part for me is ensuring you draw a 45 degree line from the kicking tee to the target and back. I’ll align my left foot to the Rhino sign on the ball, or in the Pro 14 it will be a Guinness sign, so I align on the ‘G’, before taking 4 steps back.”

How to Kick a Rugby Ball

“When I’m away from the ball, I’ll take a couple of moments to compose myself, ensuring I’m at the 45 degree angle to the ball and take 2 or 3 breaths to make sure I’m in the right mental space to take the kick.

“Obviously a situation you don’t want to be in is when you miss a few kicks, but that happens in games. And if it does, I like to go back to my process of what I’ve done during the week; you’ve kicked a lot of balls from that position in training, so I like to bring myself back to that moment and visualise that.

“When striking the ball at that 45 degree angle we’ve talked about, the two most important things is to strike low on the ball and kick through, which will bring your body through the ball and you’ll end up with your body naturally swinging to face the target. I have played GAA in the past and I’ve had issues where I’ve kicked and finished with my body facing outside the target. So I really try and work on bringing my body through to face the target after the kick.”

Key points in taking the kick

“The main thing for me is about consistency of the approach. I sometimes might lead with my left foot first and take a large first step which affects my footing coming in and results in me wrapping my foot around the ball and getting too tight.

“So once I’m at the 45 angle, I ensure that first step is consistent, nice and small, almost a half step. I also like to mark the ground just in front of me which subconsciously teaches me to take that first small step on approach.

“When I’m about to take the kick, I always tell myself to ‘trust and commit’. I have done all the work in the lead up during the week and I like to think my process is in a good place, my alignment, my marking with my left foot, and if there is a strong breeze blowing, to really commit to striking the ball, and believe that if I follow those key things, it will lead to a successful kick.”

Jack Carty’s Top Tips

“My tips for young kids is : I know sometimes it can feel that there is a lot of pressure on kickers, but it really helps if you can get to that place where you enjoy taking kicks during the week, as it is a privilege to do it for your team. And also to ensure you are practicing as much as you can and make sure you enjoy it.”

How to practice kicking a rugby ball off a tee

“When I practice, my week to week routine doesn’t change in terms of goal kicking.

“Monday is light, but one of the most importance days in terms of ironing out issues that might have arose from the weekend’s game. Tuesday to Friday is about getting reps and volume in. On Wednesday and Thursday, I like to try and put myself under a bit of mental fatigue, put your skills under pressure, run out 20 metres, run back and then try and compose yourself for a kick.

“We have a kicking competition we like to do with Andy Friend [Connacht Head Coach] – he gives us odds of 10/1 and we like to put a bit of wager on it. We will take ten kicks based across the pitch and see what we can score, and that’s what the 10s like to do every couple of weeks with him.”

We hope you enjoyed Jack Carty taking you Inside the Kick and describing how to place a rugby ball on a kicking tee properly before kicking under pressure.

So before you go out and start practicing, why not check out our Rugby ranges.

Or, check out our other rugby related blog – the ultimate guide to rugby positions explained.

What Is A Tempo Run?

Posted on August 6, 2021 at 11:24 am.

Written by Ger Flanagan

So, you know what it feels like to run at a leisurely pace and probably at full throttle too, but are you still confused as to what is a tempo run?

Basically, a tempo run is the middle ground of the aforementioned paces and is excellent for building endurance and speed, while not being as tough on the body.

Sounds good, right?

What are the benefits to Tempo Runs?

Tempo runs should be a part of your weekly workout schedule.

Just like trail running, which we covered a in a previous blog, tempo runs are a great way to freshen up your training.

These workouts will help you learn how different paces feel and will help you become more aware of your own talents (and limits).

They also improve mental toughness, which is beneficial when trying to go further or quicker and they also develop capillary beds (which supply oxygen to active muscles) more effectively than simple exercises.

By routinely doing tempo runs during your training, your body (and mind!) will know that it is a task that can be accomplished on race day. You’ll know what speed works best for you and how long you can push yourself–also known as your threshold pace.

While also establishing capillary beds (which supply oxygen to exercising muscles) faster than easy or hard runs.

How do I do a Tempo Run?

Okay, so you’re sold on the advantages of a tempo run. But how do you go about doing a tempo run?

Tempo runs are best done once you’ve established a running base. That is, don’t make this your first run after a 6-month break! This workout is best done on your middle distance run (typically in the middle of the week).

Baby steps.

Establish a Start with a dynamic warm-up and some gentler kilometres to loosen yourself. Finding the correct tempo pace may take some trial and error, and it also depends on the distance you’re training for.

Keep in mind that we’re looking for a 6-8 out of 10 effort. You can maintain closer to a 6 out of 10 if you’re training for a marathon, whereas a 5k or 10k runner might push closer to an 8.

Tempo Run Workouts For You To Try?

Spruce up your workout this week with one of the following workout routines.

Lactate-Threshold Run

What exactly is it? A workout at a speed that produces and removes lactate (a metabolic by-product of exercise) at a nearly equal rate.

When it builds up in the blood quicker than your body can eliminate it, you begin to slow down. This workout teaches your body to maintain the fastest speed where the blood lactate levels remain constant for extended periods of time.

Confused? Don’t be.

The Workout: Warm up for 20 minutes with easy running, then run for 20 minutes at a pace you think you could maintain for an hour. You should only be able to speak in short bursts. Cool down by running for 10 minutes at a slow pace.

Race-Pace Run

What exactly is it? A workout in which you practice running at the pace you want to run in a marathon or half marathon. You’re basically educating your body how to efficiently utilize lipids and carbohydrates on race day.

The Workout: Every three weeks, replace your typical long run with one that includes a race-pace portion every three weeks.

Warm up for 3km, then run at race pace for 9 to 12km (depending on where you are in your training), then cool down for a 1.5k if you’re preparing for a half marathon.

Warm up for 3km if you’re training for a marathon, then work a race-pace block of 9 to 23km into a long run.

And don’t forget to warm up!

Some simple exercises can include:

20 arm circles, each direction
20 arm swings
20 leg swings, each leg
10 hip circles, each leg clockwise and counter-clockwise
10 active pigeon stretches, each leg
10 bootstrappers
10 burpees
10 air squats
4 rounds of squat walks

So get out there and freshen up your workout with a few tempo runs and see can it benefit you in the long run (no pun intended!).

Let us know your feedback.

And, for all things Running, visit our website right here: