Rugby Squad Go From Strength To Strength

 

by James Skitt - 05.10.09

With less than a year to go before hosting the World Cup on home soil, the England Women’s Rugby team are in better shape than ever according to English Institute of Sport (EIS) Strength and Conditioning Coach Daniel Howells.

And although the team comprehensively lifted the Nations Cup last month, Howells, who oversees the EIS Strength and Conditioning support to the squad, believes those results in Canada suggest they can get even better in the crucial months ahead, which also include three tests against World Champions New Zealand in November.

“The performance of the team in the Nations Cup was a great achievement in more ways than one” he told eis2win.co.uk.

“The team bonded and played well in a variety of different situations, however it was the period leading up to the tournament which highlighted to me the drastic improvements in conditioning that can be achieved in a relatively short period of time before competition and it is this which will be vital in the next year” he said.

Howells manages the Strength and Conditioning service delivered to all 44 players on the England elite programme, provided by eight regional coaches across a network of EIS sites, whilst also taking direct responsibility for the training programmes of a dozen London based players, ensuring they develop their fitness qualities for the game.

“Strength and Conditioning plays a fundamental part in the training schedules of all the players in the elite squad” he adds. “With the needs of the game being both physical in terms of exposure to contact, and high intensity with respect to the energy demands of the game, strength and conditioning is vital in ensuring that players are as prepared as possible for the high number of games they have within the season.”

With players scattered across the country and the majority also committed to full time jobs, the benefits of a nationwide network of sites is crucial to the EIS service delivery.

“Managing the players week in terms of club training, games, EIS based speed/strength sessions and personal fitness sessions is a real challenge” Howells admits. “However we are lucky to have eight regional coaches working with the players and what they do is paramount to the development of strength and power qualities, monitoring the training of these players throughout the year.”

“Being a sport with such a high level of contact in it injuries can never be fully avoided, however that is where the strength and conditioning coaches work with the EIS Physiotherapists throughout the network really makes a difference in ensuring full recovery from injuries and in ensuring the players are robust enough to perform repeatedly at the top level.”

As well as working alongside the physiotherapists, Howells work also aligns with that of the team’s nutritionist and, crucially, the squads Head and Assistant coaches.

“I personally work quite closely alongside EIS Nutritionist Gavin Clearkin on setting nutritional strategies as these are vital in maximising the physical gains we’re aiming for, whilst I also work very closely with the teams Head and Assistant coaches, Gary Street and Graham Smith, most specifically on aspects of the game that can relate back to strength and conditioning such as change of direction mechanics, footwork in contact situations, jumping techniques for line outs and low body positions for contact situations. These are all areas of the game where I can work alongside the coaches to positively influence performance” Howells says.

It certainly seemed to have a positive influence at the Nations Cup, as England won all four of their matches by comfortable margins and without conceding a point in their final two games, with Howells supporting the squad throughout their final preparations and at the tournament itself.

And despite the Nations Cup results already illustrating the performance gains within the squad, Howells remains optimistic that can keep improving further still over the next 12 months.

“These players have demonstrated that they have improved well during the last 12months which provides me with the incentive to push them to ensure that we are the most physically prepared team at the World Cup next year” he says.

“We have spent the last 12months focusing on anaerobic fitness development so this season is about maintaining that level and surpassing it thereafter in preparation for the World Cup.”

England Head Coach Gary Street said: “Last season was a tremendous one for women’s Rugby in both the 7 and 15 a side versions.”

“This would not be possible without a strong team on and off the field and the EIS are a vital component in everything we do. The integrated approach and commitment shown to our sport from our partners is paying dividends and could be the extra factor we need to be World Champions. In our sport we do not have to worry about agreements or ‘buy in’. We have one team.”

England’s Women play World Champions New Zealand in three tests on November 14th and 17th (England A) at Esher RFC and on November 21st at Twickenham Stadium in the Investec Challenge Double Header. Kick-off is at 4:45pm, and entry to Twickenham is free at 4:15pm following the conclusion of the England men’s match against New Zealand.

The IRB Women’s Rugby World Cup takes place in London in July and August 2010.

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Photography courtesy of the RFU