Super Rugby coaches working with top minds from other sports to hit new season running

Australia’s top rugby coaches have been home schooled with wisdom from cricket’s Justin Langer and Broncos boss Anthony Seibold so they hit the revamped season with a bang.

Justin Langer’s skills aren't limited to cricket. Picture: AAP Images

Australia’s top rugby coaches have been home schooled with wisdom from cricket’s Justin Langer and Broncos boss Anthony Seibold so they hit the revamped season with a bang.

Seven weeks without a game of Super Rugby has not been wasted because it has given coaches a rare chance at some mid-season personal development to tune their styles.

Langer, Seibold, trophy-winning women’s cricket coach Matthew Mott, AFL’s Michael Voss and former Ireland coach Joe Schmidt have all been part of a shrewd initiative from Rugby Australia’s director of rugby Scott Johnson.

Zoom video conferencing has been adapted to good use for them as Tuesday guest speakers.

Talking through their coaching philosophies, experiences and skill acquisition methods with Brad Thorn (Reds), Dan McKellar (Brumbies), Dave Wessels (Rebels) and Rob Penney (Waratahs) has been a hit.

“The sessions have been really positive and an opportunity to get on with it by making improvements even at a time when rugby has paused,” Brumbies boss McKellar said.

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Justin Langer’s skills aren't limited to cricket. Picture: AAP Images

“Langer, for example, was very good in speaking strongly on being yourself as a coach, honesty, being humble, always wanting to learn and a simple approach working.”

Australia’s four Super Rugby clubs often operate in silos but Johnson was upbeat about the chat back-end-forward between a coaching group willing to “learn off each other.”

“There’s been some good give-and-get for all the coaches to benefit,” Johnson said.

“The extra is more understanding between our Super Rugby coaches and (new Wallabies boss) Dave Rennie and the other national team coaches (Matt Taylor and Scott Wisemantel).”

Johnson did throw a curve ball when one day asking for all four Super Rugby coaches to present game plans and tactics for a mystery game he unveiled as a Wales v Italy throwback Test.

It meant mock halftime team talks from Thorn and co and a halftime panel to take each coach out of their comfort zone in front of their peers.

“It’s easy to see this as a dark period but we want to come out better,” Johnson said.

Rennie plans to hit the ground running when he lands in late June if travel from his Glasgow base with his Warriors team is allowed by then.

On the home front, flanker Fraser McReight is itchy-footed to get out of his backyard gym and into proper Reds training for a potential reboot of domestic rugby on July 4.

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“I’ve used the time away to mentally re-evaluate some areas and get physically stronger because you can push the body more knowing there’s no contact training tomorrow,” McReight said.

“All the boys are wanting rugby because we do feel the Reds are trending in the right direction (after the big last-start 41-17 win over the Bulls on March 14).”

McReight was unsure if the domestic competition for the Reds and club rugby were both racing for the same July 4 restart date.

“I’m not sure how the return to play will roll out but if there is the chance of club rugby I’d love to play for Brothers again in a Back-to-Crosby Park day,” McReight said.