Master and pupil: Leicester prop Marcos Ayerza scrums down with Kettering hooker Steve Fraher at Oval Park. Ayerza took part in the session alongside Tigers team-mates Matt Cornwell and George Chuter
By Alan Pearey
FIVE LEAGUE games to go and there are signs that the performance makeover being applied to Kettering RFC is taking effect. An heroic 19-14 win over high-flying Peterborough Lions brought relief for our Save Your Season winners, who are lying in tenth place in Midlands One East.
The victory follows a skills session at Leicester Tigers that will be long remembered by the amateur Blues players. Test forwards George Chuter and Marcos Ayerza were on hand to give advice on scrummaging and throwing, ex-England Saxons lock Richard Blaze took charge of the lineout and breakdown, and Tigers utility back Mark Cornwell passed on some kicking tips to the boys with the tee.
Overseeing the session was ex-Ireland fly-half Paul Burke, who was impressed by the visitors. “Your attitude was excellent,” he told them. “At Leicester we spend a shed-load of time working on core skills because if they’re not up to scratch you won’t improve. Catch and pass, breakdown, presenting the ball – do these things well and you’ll enjoy your rugby and start winning. Hopefully you’ll take something out of this session that will save your season.”
A full report on Kettering’s trip to Oval Park, plus some guidance on protein needs for rugby from the Gatorade Sports Science Institute, features in the April issue of Rugby World.
Hot on its heels is an equally instructive session with the performance department at Northampton, whose advanced practices leave most other clubs standing.
Blues players were put to the test in the gym during an exacting afternoon with four Saints stars and performance director Nick Johnston. It culminated in a ten-activity muscular endurance circuit that will make you wince!
Find out more about that, and why Samu Manoa had everyone cracking up when using the leg-drive machine, in the May issue of Rugby World.
For training videos and expert advice that can help you develop your own game, see saveyourseason.co.uk