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<blockquote data-quote="ranger" data-source="post: 321883" data-attributes="member: 40555"><p>The key difference seems to be NZ academies look for skill and a rugby brain first and foremost, then try and make them bigger while still keeping the main focus on skill. Where as the NH seem to select athletes and try and mould them into rugby players, with the focus on gymwork. Its not necessarily about size so i take that back, but there seems to be a focus on raw, tangible attributes as opposed to skill, things like how much a kid can lift or how fast they can run in a straight line.</p><p></p><p>The reason i say this is that my dad does a bit of coaching here and there, a few years ago he went to the U.K on a trip around different academies and what not to see how they do business and that's where the focus seemed to be. </p><p>They would try and impress the visiting NZ coaching by saying "Look how much this kid can benchpress, and hes only 17!!" or "We have got a kid here who is 15 and can run sub 12 seconds!". Without caring too much about their scrummaging technique or ability to spot a gap and other less tangible skills.</p><p></p><p>Before i get yelled at i want to say that i'm 100% sure that they are capable of producing skilled players, there are probably loads of Conrad Smiths that dont get a look in over there because they arent super fast or super strong.</p><p>I just think that England especially have things backwards, dont get an athlete and teach them how to play. Get a natural rugby player and make them bigger and faster.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="ranger, post: 321883, member: 40555"] The key difference seems to be NZ academies look for skill and a rugby brain first and foremost, then try and make them bigger while still keeping the main focus on skill. Where as the NH seem to select athletes and try and mould them into rugby players, with the focus on gymwork. Its not necessarily about size so i take that back, but there seems to be a focus on raw, tangible attributes as opposed to skill, things like how much a kid can lift or how fast they can run in a straight line. The reason i say this is that my dad does a bit of coaching here and there, a few years ago he went to the U.K on a trip around different academies and what not to see how they do business and that's where the focus seemed to be. They would try and impress the visiting NZ coaching by saying "Look how much this kid can benchpress, and hes only 17!!" or "We have got a kid here who is 15 and can run sub 12 seconds!". Without caring too much about their scrummaging technique or ability to spot a gap and other less tangible skills. Before i get yelled at i want to say that i'm 100% sure that they are capable of producing skilled players, there are probably loads of Conrad Smiths that dont get a look in over there because they arent super fast or super strong. I just think that England especially have things backwards, dont get an athlete and teach them how to play. Get a natural rugby player and make them bigger and faster. [/QUOTE]
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