Coaches and referees enjoy Tandy's 'Tackle

More than 30 people attended the recent seminar held by the Ospreys Coach Development team at Llandarcy Academy of Sport, which focused on the tackle contest.

Over 20 coaches from across the region were joined at the event by 11 local referees who attended with the aim of not only gaining a greater understanding of the coaching mindset around a particularly contentious area of the game, but also to be able to provide their own invaluable input that will no doubt prove helpful to the coaches present on the evening.

Ospreys centurion Steve Tandy, now Head Coach at Bridgend and Player Development Officer for the Bridgend District, led the clinic fresh from his recent LV= Cup experience as Forwards Coach, bringing his specialist knowledge as a vastly experienced openside flanker to an enthusiastic audience.

Coach Development Officer, Dan Owens, said

"The Tackle Contest in today's game can be a minefield for coaches and players who are unsure as to their role when engaging the tackler and subsequent supporting players. With the IRB law directives and the roll out of the WRU Player Pathway: Minis to Millennium, we are seeing a lot of changes and a variety of reactions to these changes, from players, coaches and referees.

“We were privileged to have a mixed group of coaches and referees at the Tackle Contest seminar, which allowed the discussion to grow from technical points of execution to the interpretation of the laws surrounding the tackle area to see what players could realistically "get away with". This type of interaction between coaches and referees is something we are keen to continue in the future.

“Steve's presentation engaged the attendees in such a way that they were able to understand the Ospreys philosophy on the tackle contest, and at the same time tailor that information to suit their own needs. As a number seven, this is an area that Steve is passionate about and when he spoke, it was obvious that he was coming from a position of strength, exhibiting knowledge and understanding.

“With this being the last of our "Central" CPD events, the Ospreys Coach Development team will now travel on the road to identified clubs locally to work on a closer basis to the needs of the community game. It is a new venture for us, and an exciting opportunity to really spread the Ospreys message to the community and develop coaches from within the region.”