Team Profile

PLANNING for the SEASON. 2- Preparing the Team Profile - Ian Snook

Before the season commences  you should have a ‘Team Profile’ and ‘Game Plan’ penciled in. This will need to be a flexible document depending on who is in your squad at season kick off. However, by watching and analysing televised games, drawing your own conclusions from the new interpretations of the law, having evaluated the previous season, and knowing who your team leaders are going to be, you can start planning and strategizing. The better prepared you are prior to pre-season training commencing, the more ‘buy in’ you will get from the players and management.  Working with other coaches, management, and leading players is a ‘must’.

Keep the following thought in mind:  “No one can force anyone to do something successfully. All persons need belief in the organization and belief in themselves before they really want success.”

The first person to create and ‘live’ these concepts is you.  Keep these in mind as you head towards next season.

You can develop your Team Profile based on known Strengths and Weaknesses. When this is in place you should make a plan based on the strengths to develop and any new strategies based on the new law interpretations. Focus on these so that your squad has a positive feel about themselves heading in to the season.

Start with individual positional requirements.  These can be located in “The Coaching Toolbox” if required.  You should also be making a list based on the televised games you are viewing.  Players should all receive ‘work-ons’ for their position as soon as possible.

Make a summary of each of the following mini-units  which will give you an indicator on how you want to play and the expected outcomes.

•    Front 5:  Strength and techniques in scrum.  
Technical ability, explosiveness, strength,  and height for lineouts.
The physical nature and general mobility of each player.
Mental toughness and Fitness

•    Backrow:  Explosiveness and speed
Physical nature and fitness. Work rate
Ability to ‘read the game’.
Specialised skills: linking, ball gathering, lineout ability, defensive ability.

•    9 & 10:  Leadership and communication.
Being a threat. Scanning and reading the game
Speed and agility. Speed of passing. Kicking skills.
Operating under pressure
Defensive ability.

•    Midfield:  Passing, running, threatening ability.
Speed, agility, fitness, size. (Type: big / small / physical …)
Work rate. Continuity & support ability
Defensive abilities.
Kicking skills.
Reading the game.

•    Back Three:  Speed. Fitness. Agility. Explosiveness. Strength.
Ability to score. Ability in 1 v 1 situations. Ability to keep the ball.
Work rate.  Game involvements.
Defensive ability. Fitting in to the plan. 1 v 1 tackling.
Operating under pressure.

These are only a few ideas. You should be making up your own requirements based on what you already know and anything you are learning .   
Once you have a good ‘feel’ for what you have in your squad, you should begin planning your strategies.  Good luck.