More than 60 coaches from across the east of Scotland attended the first of Scottish Rugby’s four regional coaching conferences at Edinburgh Napier University last week (Friday 13 April) to pick up tips on nurturing talent and playing attacking rugby from some of the country’s top coaches.

Scotland Head Coach Gregor Townsend and Edinburgh Rugby Attack Coach Duncan Hodge joined keynote speaker Richard Shuttleworth at the conference to pass on their expertise to coaches of all levels.

The conference featured presentations on nutrition, skill acquisition and attacking principles as well as a practical session delivered by Shuttleworth.

Duncan Hodge opened the conference with coaching tips and an open Q&A.

He said: “We’ve had a really good turn-out with lots of coaches of all levels and we’ve had some good discussion which has been fantastic.

“It doesn’t matter the level of coach, the more information and opinion you get can get gives you a better basis to make decisions and pass on your expertise.

If you look at the calibre of speakers in Gregor and Richard it’s going to be invaluable for everyone here today.”

Richard Shuttleworth, who has been involved in elite coaching for more than two decades with organisations including the RFU and Super Rugby, spoke before leading the practical training and will deliver another session at the Caledonia conference.

Scotland Head Coach Gregor Townsend then concluded the conference with his presentation on attacking principles.

Former England Head Coach Brian Ashton MBE is confirmed as keynote speaker at the Borders & East Lothian and Glasgow & the West conferences.

Ashton coached England to the 2007 Rugby World Cup Final and was instrumental in establishing England’s Junior and Senior National Academies.

These events will be delivered in partnership with the BT Sport Scottish Rugby Academy regions and will involve both practical and indoor sessions.

More speakers are to be confirmed for each conference but this year will continue the focus on Scottish Rugby’s Technical Blueprint, ‘The Scottish Way’, which aims to develop a quality game through a core set of principles based around rugby speed.

Tickets are still available for the three remaining regional coaching conferences for Caledonia (Sunday 27 May), Borders & East Lothian (Saturday 2 June) and Glasgow & the West (Saturday 2 June).

2018 Regional Coaching Conferences