YOU WILL only have the ball in your hands for a tiny fraction of the game. What you do in the vast majority of the rest of the game will determine how a good you are as player and ultimately as a team. If you are all in the right place at the right time, with good technique and skills, and an awareness of both the opposition and your own team, you will find the game very easy.

Good technique will prevent injury and raise our abilities individually and as a team

Very simply, the forwards need to be as close to the ball as possible at all times, win/keep possession at every opportunity and use the possession wisely.

Very simply, the backs must be adjusting their field positions and assessing the options constantly to maximise any opportunities to score points or gain territory and keep a watertight defence.

If you are out of position, unsure of your responsibilities, unaware of your own players objectives, with poor technique and skill levels your game will fall apart, both team and individual.

A well-organised team with highly skilled players who can think and adapt, will tailor their game to the presenting conditions. This gives you a major advantage. The players with the most influence on the tactics and the games direction are the No.s 8,9 and 10. These players are the playmakers and decision makers so support them to the hilt. They are the team’s hinge and they will often call the shots. Responsibility and communication are essential through this “hinge”.

On an individual level all players are decision makers and can be match winners if the correct options are taken. Take a pride in doing the right thing at the right time from 1 to 15

Learn from your mistakes individually and as a team. Nobody is perfect, we all make errors. Acknowledge, learn from it and move on! Never lose focus!!

Any player losing focus in any way will damage the team.

Never criticise/abuse the ref. We can only suffer. Take his decision and move on. He won’t change his mind but he may start to dislike you. Listen to what he wants and react positively and politely. It helps if he likes us more than them! You may even get the same ref again later in the season.

Never criticise your own players. Build the team spirit and build confidence, no error was intentional, offer support and move on.

Don’t be too self critical Be positive and responsible. Apologise for any dropped passes or missed tackles and do your best to make up. Solve the problem, don’t let the head drop it won’t help us win the game. If you are having a bad day, turn it around. Simplify your game and go back to basics. Your team mates will be there for you unless you lose focus.

Don’t stop playing if the ref is playing advantage to either them or us. It will only help the opposition. Play to the whistle.