SCD Southwest - The Latest News from SCD Southwest http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php World Cup rugby union winner and Great Britain rugby league legend Jason Robinson OBE, who has thrilled crowds in both codes all over the world, is once more to demonstrate his extraordinary abilities - this time for Fylde RFC in the 2010/11 season. He is coming out of retirement to play and help the club with community activities off the field. 'Great' is a vastly overused word in sport but Jason Robinson wears the label with ease. Following retirement in the 2007/8 season, he's keen to return to playing the game that he loves so much and feels that at 35 he can still make an important contribution, on and off the pitch. He is looking forward to working once more with Head Coach Mark Nelson, Sale's backs coach in their Premiership winning 2005/6 season, and former England Head Coach Brian Ashton. Mark Nelson said: "I am absolutely delighted that we have signed Jason for next season. Given his record in both codes of the game, it's not an exaggeration to say that he is the best ever rugby player. It's a fantastic opportunity for our players to play alongside such an experienced and mercurial talent and I expect a number of players will express an interest in joining the Club to have a similar opportunity." Brian Ashton said: “It is a remarkably fortunate coincidence for me to be returning to help out my old club Fylde as Jason arrives to play. I have had the privilege of working with Jason and know that his stature, ability and qualities as a player and a person will benefit all who come into contact with him, both on and off the field.” http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=23 http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=23 BRIAN Ashton MBE, England Head Coach as recently as 2008, has agreed to return to his old club Fylde RFC as Coaching Consultant. One of the most visionary coaches in the global game, he has recently moved back to the Lytham area and will now help Head Coach Mark Nelson in the development of Fylde's senior squad. Ashton played scrum-half at the Woodlands from 1966-1973 before moving to Orrell and then having a spell overseas at Montferrand, Roma and Milan. He then switched to coaching and had a brief spell back at the Woodlands in 1980/81 whilst teaching at Stonyhurst College before an appointment at Kings School Bruton, near Bath. He became Head Coach at Bath RFC before moving to the international scene as Head Coach of Ireland (1996-8) and then England in 2006. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2008 New Year Honours. Mark Nelson said: "We are all delighted that Brian has agreed to assist us. He has one of the most astute brains in rugby and we hope to use him to inspire and enthuse our players. We will be using Brian's arrival as a catalyst to change the way we play the game. "I was coached by him as a young winger at the Woodlands in 1980 and I can't wait to work with him again." Brian Ashton said: "I'm pleased to be able to offer my coaching help in a supportive role to Mark and more generally to my old club." http://www.matchdaychat.com/ezines/archive/41609.html http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=22 http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=22 Dear Brian Thank you so much for coming to speak to our students on Wednesday. It was very clear that the students were highly engaged in your talk and their informal feedback was very positive. Indeed they have been able to make very good links between your talk and later parts of the course. I hope very much you can come to speak to our MBAs on another occasion. Thanks again and kind regards. Nick Nick Kinney Bath University School of Management http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=21 http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=21 Hi Ian; Just thought I would drop you a note to say what a great event it was yesterday. I thoroughly enjoyed the whole day. All the key speakers were excellent, with Brian Ashton being absolutely inspirational. To be involved in a sport where world class coaches take the time and effort to speak at a grass roots level is wonderful and encourages a sense of belonging I will certainly be going back to the club and not only putting into practice the ideas and techniques I absorbed from the day, but encouraging the other coaches to attend future events Regards Garry Potts IS Programme Manager / PMP® Integrated Technology Delivery / Infrastructure Services Hi Brian A belated thanks for your presentation at the North Midlands Coaching Conference. The feedback speaks for itself and it was (unsurprisingly) very well received by the coaches. It was great for me to hear also as the messages are consistent with our own and to have such a high profile, respected and talented coach giving those same messages is an exceptional promotional tool. It was a real pleasure working alongside you (although a tad daunting) and I thank you for your patience and good humour. It would have been great to have stayed for the afternoon session, which I hear was fantastic I look forward to seeing you again soon Regards and all the best for a good weekend Gary What is right is more important than who is right Gary Townsend l Player Development Manager l Rugby Football Union I Rugby House I Twickenham Stadium I 200 Whitton Road ITwickenham I TW2 7BA I Mobile: 07738029111 I garytownsend@rfu.com I www.rfu.com Rugby Football Development LTD I Rugby House, Twickenham StadiumI 200 Whitton RoadI Twickenham I TW2 7BA Delivering the programmes of the Rugby Football Foundation and the Rugby Football Union http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=20 http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=20 Hi Brian I am aware that you can't make it for the US course in 2010. It is unfortunate that it conflicts with some of your other coaching commitments, however, we are familiar to thinking on our feet and we are confident that we will be able to secure a suitable replacement. I have received excellent feedback from coaches and players that you have worked with on IRANZ programmes over the past year. Your expertise and vast experience is highly valued by IRANZ and Murray and I appreciate your input. We are hopeful that you can continue to be involved with our courses in the future when time allows. Have a wonderful festive season. Cheers Steve Steve McHardy General Manager International Rugby Academy PO Box 12420 Wellington New Zealand http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=19 http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=19 Dear Mr Ashton, Thank you for taking the time earlier this month to visit the School of Management and to address our MBA students. We have received excellent feedback on the day from staff and students alike who found what you said both thought-provoking and enjoyable. We home that you found visiting the School a rewarding experience and look forward to further visits from you in the future. Professor Richard Elliott Dean of the School of Management http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=18 http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=18 Dear Helen Brian, I just wanted to drop you a line to thank you for the effort that Brian put into the past three weeks. I can't speak for the other schools, but I know that the staff and students at King's Ely had a wonderful time and this was down to your professional committed approach to our week there. It must have been tiring for you at times but your passion, enthusiasm and knowledge shone through at all times. The lads certainly loved your approach and we have taken an enormous amount back with us to school. It was nice to hear your values sitting alongside those we've been working on for the past few years. We would be delighted to welcome you to Ely if you do find yourself in and around East Anglia at some time. I have attached our fixture list, if you can make it over it would be lovely to meet up for dinner again. I hope you have an enjoyable time in all that you do, and I look forward to meeting you again in the future. All the very best to you, Kind regards, Kevin Shaw The King's School, Barton Road, Ely, CB74DB http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=16 http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=16 Helen, Many thanks for these photos, I have included a couple in my report to the Head regards Pre Season. Brian asked me to let him know our fixture list as he might try to get up and have a look one Saturday hence the attachment. Just to let him know we went to Reigate Grammar school on Saturday to play some 30 min friendlies and the seniors won all their matches and the U16's won 2/3 but the most encouraging aspect was that I could hear them talking about space and where to attack as the game was unfolding. If he does want to pop up let me know when as I am sure our Head will want to meet him and I might even get Lionel Weston, Brians old adversary, to pop along as well. Cheers for now Alan Hughes, Stowe School. 01280818347 tel 01280818181 fax http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=17 http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=17 Dear Brian, Following our very productive 5 days at the Chateau I thought I would drop you a short note of appreciation. There are several reasons why the 5 days have been particularly successful for us as a squad with ambitions of making a mark on a national level this season. The first being the attention paid to the objectives Caleb and I had put together prior to arriving and we felt that every session was highly relevant to these objectives and delivered in manageable chunks to enable understanding and retention by the players. In particular, the simplification of concepts such as attacking space relayed in the classroom were valuable and this style of part theory, part practical is a method we will employ to a larger degree in future. As a coaching team we learnt as much, if not more than the players and this has given us a renewed enthusiasm. The support we received from Jonathan and the Chateau staff in terms of arranging the logistics made our time much easier as coaches and also allowed the players more time to focus in the planned sessions. Having the opportunity to step away from the coal-face and observe players while you took on the coaching mantle has allowed Caleb and I the time to discover plenty more about the individual strengths and weaknesses within our squad and get to work on the important areas with more focus. As a squad we have realised the benefits of a structured approach and can make improvements to our existing arrangements. Finally I would like to add that we would highly recommend a week at the Chateau or anywhere under your valuable guidance and wish you every success with this project in the future. As mentioned you would be made extremely welcome at a future Henley fixture when we can display the progression your effort has helped us make. Yours Sincerely Andrew Owen Jones Head Coach Henley RFC U17 http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=15 http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=15 The Brian Ashton Rugby Academy Everybody involved in English Rugby knows that Brian is one of the top and most innovative coaches we have ever had. "As a coach my main aim is to create an environment in which players improve in all areas of the game and challenge and enjoy themselves. I like to integrate the different techniques and skills of the game so that not only do players improve in these areas but also have a much clearer understanding of how the game should be played". Brian calls it integrated rugby - bring a new dimension to team play. Edwin Doran Sports Travel have contracted for the exclusive use of a 250 year old Normandy chateau with a brand new 150,000 euro rugby pitch for the Brian Ashton Academy this summer. When you book with us , Brian will discuss with you what you want to do before you travel. He will be with us for the two weeks (subject to obtaining sufficient bookings) spending at least two half days coaching your squad whilst you are at the Chateau. Before you leave you will agree with Brian what you want to achieve for the rest of your season. Brian will also visit your for a further session during your regular season. For more information please click on the link www.edwindoran.com/assets/chateau.pdf or to see the Chateau and all its facilities please click on the link below: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=weQldYkp1N8 feature=channel_page http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=6 http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=6 Football Association Brian is booked in to give keynote lectures on behalf of the Football Association to the pro UEFA coaching licence coaches and also to speak at the meeting of all the professional club academy directors. John Peacock, FA Head of Coaching wrote: 'I write to thank you for your excellent presentation at the recently held UEFA Professional Licence course at The University of Warwick. The content and the professional manner of your delivery were very well received and much appreciated by all who attended the course. The positive feedback is testimony to the quality of your time spent with all of us and I thank you once again for your professional excellence' http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=3 http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=3 Irish Rugby Football Union Brian as a former National Coach of Ireland is booked in July to present at the IRFU annual Coaching conference on the topic of Attacking back play. http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=8 http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=8 Not being a green fingered person by any stretch of the imagination I have always had problems motivating myself to keep the garden up to speed. I finally gave up the ghost when we moved just over a year ago to our new house. Firstly the grass did not remotely resemble a lawn and secondly we acquired a black Labrador. The dog tore around the garden and tore up what grass was left. I cannot claim the responsibility for the SCD thought for solving this problem. That honour goes to Helen, my wife. She googled artificial grass and found a company that relaid lawns with this product – As Good As Grass from Wrea Green, near Kirkham in Lancashire. I have to admit that I was very sceptical about this expecting the outcome to be a garden looking like an astro turf football / hockey pitch. How wrong can one be? The turf looks great and the garden appears to have grown larger and is now much more easily manageable. At a glance the turf is very grass like especially when wet. The dog flies around the garden causing no damage at all. I can only compliment the company and the men who actually fitted the turf. They were incredibly efficient. So, if like me , you have a similar situation , think SCD and do not dismiss As Good As Grass from your mind ! http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=13 http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=13 I am very much looking forward to attending Christ's Hospital School in Sussex on Friday 19th June. My contact with the school goes back almost 20 years from my days as a school master at Kings School Bruton. My present contact there is Sean Davey a premiership referee and the master in charge of Rugby at the school. The school is embarking on a very ambitious tour of Australia this summer. I have been invited to coach the touring squad on Friday afternoon and be the guest speaker at the tour fundraising dinner in the evening at the school. Having been to the school previously I know what a excellent welcome there will be - I just hope my overnight accommodation is not in the old school mortuary as it was the last time I stayed there! Talk about scary moments in life! For more information on this event please go to: www.christs-hospital.org.uk http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=14 http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=14 The Italian Rugby Federation have invited Brian to lecture to their top level coaches on Transition Rugby in May/June this year. Brian played and coached in Italy from 1976-79 and has been a frequent visitor to the country as a coach educator. He is fluent in the language and presents in Italian! Visti Brians Blog for the full story! http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=2 http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=2 Having someone of Brian’s ability and experience immediately seeing the benefits that the Milokit® can bring to sport, is invaluable. Brian saw the Whole Body Stability® (shoulder, knee, ankle as well as core) and functional strength the Milokit® gives an athlete, the moment he saw it in use. The Milokit® is now being used by International Rugby players, Athletes, Footballers, Tennis players, Swimmers, Archers, World Champion Cyclist and more. Brian’s vision to look outside the box and see things others do not, is a skill a lot of coaches never get and we are very proud and privileged to have Brian linked in with us on the Milokit®. http://www.milokit.com http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=11 http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=11 Brian will be contributing to the Access Sports online website working with Tim Ayres and David Coppin to give their clients the best access to sports possible. Access Sports Online Limited was born as a result of our personal experience of the difficulties and expense of finding suitable clubs to play for when wanting to test ourselves abroad and also when relocating within the UK. We also know how hard it is for clubs to find new members and individual players, and that even at the lower levels of sport competition is tough. As a result we looked at how we could develop a low-cost way to take the stress out of your search and provide you with results tailored to your specific requirements. You no longer need to enter the unknown when finding a club, or have to pay sports agent's fees. We believe that www.accesssportsonline.com can give you greater control over your decision and therefore greater success. We thought it was a great idea to offer a simple and unique method for Clubs, Players and Sports Science Professionals of all levels to find each other and connect directly both locally and internationally. The stronger and more successful club will always try to continuously maintain or raise their profile to attract new members. Subscribe today and we can help you achieve this too. We wish you, and your clubs every success for the forthcoming season. 'Access your sporting potential!' Click on the link to visit the Access Sports Online website http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=10 http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=10 Brian met with Gary Bowyer and Tony Faulkner from the Blackburn Rovers Premiership academy just before Christmas 2008. This was a 2 day meeting and the discussions covered a wide variety of topics concerned with approaches to coaching and developing young players. Brian demonstrated his practical coaching philosophy to Gary and Tony with the Bath University Rugby Squad. http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=9 http://www.scdsouthwest.co.uk/newsandevents.php?articleId=9