+- +-

+-Newcomers Start Here

+-Harlequins/Rugby Links


+-Articles


Author Topic: Fair weather football  (Read 614 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

danielson23uk

  • Amateur Player
  • *
  • Posts: 4
Fair weather football
« on: Monday 17-Feb-2020, 13:11* »
Inclement weather is a necessary evil for a sport that runs from September to June. England and Scotland both equally struggled with dire weather conditions and yet we still have our training camps in Mediterranean luxury. Saturday’s performance against LI evidenced that we don’t do well in bad weather.

Modern training regimens all focus on HIIT training before skills drills to create fatigue in order to replicate game conditions but little is done to replicate environmental challenges. I wonder if there is room to at least consider its real impact on performance.

With 3 consecutive lineouts spilled, missing touch or going out on the full because of wind, spilling route 1 ball on multiple occasions, surely there’s a case for trying to recreate inclement conditions in training. If you can catch a wet slippery ball in a gale you can catch the dry ones.

The SAS don't train in the Brecon Becons because they fear a Welsh invasion. They train for the worst conditions for battle. That is an elite methodology. Better than crossing fingers and hoping the ball sticks.
Agree Agree x 1 View List

never sleep

  • Lions Captain
  • ******
  • Posts: 2997
Re: Fair weather football
« Reply #1 on: Monday 17-Feb-2020, 13:37* »
I must confess, I was a little surprised that Herron didn't start at 10. 
My perception is that with his background (Bath/Ulster/Jersey), he would have been better in those conditions.
In my opinion, the one huge difference between the teams was the way that they managed their kicking game in those conditions (basically Stephen Myler did a very good job).  Their kicks tended to be a lower trajectory and skidded on the pitch - whereas ours were a higher trajectory and more affected by the breeze. 
Only one of our kickoffs was sensible in my optionion when we kicked low to the corner in front of the Media box. The ball skidded and the LI player (#12 I think?) struggled to gather the ball and then did a poor kick to touch.

AJQuin

  • Captain
  • *****
  • Posts: 123
Re: Fair weather football
« Reply #2 on: Monday 17-Feb-2020, 15:10* »
England did a load of videos during the RWC and one of them showed Ford and Daly (I think) prepping before the typhoon by putting the ball and their hands in water and trying to catch and pass with wet hands and a wet ball.

Not sure how we would recreate the wind but I agree we should train for these conditions or at least not avoid bad weather training for a gym or classroom session which I fear may happen (I have no proof one way or the other).

Brown Bottle

  • Lions Captain
  • ******
  • Posts: 3244
Re: Fair weather football
« Reply #3 on: Monday 17-Feb-2020, 16:58* »
If only our coaches had thought of this.

danielson23uk

  • Amateur Player
  • *
  • Posts: 4
Re: Fair weather football
« Reply #4 on: Monday 17-Feb-2020, 17:54* »
Not sure how we would recreate the wind but I agree we should train for these conditions or at least not avoid bad weather training for a gym or classroom session which I fear may happen (I have no proof one way or the other).
Ant n Dec make a good job of Cyclone ie. a few big fans and a fire hose.
I’m not suggesting it should be every session but certainly needs consideration. It’s harder to run soft++ conditions. You could hear a permanent sludge of footfall on fan radio. The ball doesn't bounce properly in the wet. Tracking your position to catch under a high ball in the wind cannot be replicated with a soft Mediterranean breeze (England camp).

InsertQuinsPunHere

  • A Team Bench
  • *
  • Posts: 364
Re: Fair weather football
« Reply #5 on: Monday 17-Feb-2020, 18:43* »
Is Portugal on the Mediterranean now?

Other than that, I agree!

danielson23uk

  • Amateur Player
  • *
  • Posts: 4
Re: Fair weather football
« Reply #6 on: Monday 17-Feb-2020, 20:19* »
Is Portugal on the Mediterranean now?

Other than that, I agree!
Vilamoura, is on the southern aspect of the Algarve and although technically the Med stops at the Strait of Gibraltar and therefore Vilamoura is on the Atlantic, it’s fair to say that Vilamoura enjoys a more Mediterranean climate than a classic Atlantic coastline... Everyone else got my drift.

AJQuin

  • Captain
  • *****
  • Posts: 123
Re: Fair weather football
« Reply #7 on: Tuesday 18-Feb-2020, 19:58* »
Not sure we can afford to hire Ant and Dec and stay within the Cap!

Also insert joke about their mums being their two big fans blah blah haha

 

+-User

Welcome, Guest.
Please login or register.
 
 
 

Login with your social network

Forgot your password?

+-Site Statistics

Members
Total Members: 1162
Latest: Marsi1e
New This Month: 2
New This Week: 1
New Today: 0
Stats
Total Posts: 119453
Total Topics: 6383
Most Online Today: 365
Most Online Ever: 4089
(Sunday 10-Oct-2021, 12:56*)
Users Online
Members: 31
Guests: 262
Total: 293