RUGBY Athletic Coach's Circular To All Black Nominees

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 29051, 13 November 1959, Page 15

RUGBY Athletic Coach's Circular To All Black Nominees

<A«W Zeaiana Press Association)

NEW PLYMOUTH, Nov. 12. Speed is the most important consideration for the 75 prospective All Blacks for the South African tour, according to the chairman of the selection panel (Mr J. L. Sullivan). Speed, he says in a circular to the players, is not only important to get into the team, but in building endurance that enables a player to last the full distance running not only further but faster than anyone else. Mr Sullivan’s circular has been sent together with three foolscap pages of notes on summer training for Rugby players. These were prepared, by one of New Zealand’s top athletic coaches, Mr Frank Sharpley They give ( the players detailed advice on the training schedule they should follow from November through to February. Mr Sullivan advises the chosen players to incorporate as many as possible of Mr Sharpley’s suggestions with the general conditioning work that'they usually do. "In many cases it will be possible for you to join an athletic club. Where that is not possible, an individual effort will be necessary.” “The selectors require speed and still more speed— speed to the ball, speed with the ball speed to exploit the breakthrough, speed to cover, speed to back-up, speed to react—in fact speed in all its aspects.” Commenting on his training schedule, Mr Sharpley says: “It may seem strenuous, it is actually not particularly heavy. “By following the schedule you will also have built a good deal of endurance. In the old days, endurance in athletics was an ability to jog for miles. “Now it is the ability to run the distance faster than anyone else. Endurance to a football player must similarly be the ability to last the full game while running not only farther than, but faster than anyone else.” '

The forwards, he says, would wish to do summer weight training to build their strength. Three weight sessions a week

schedule" 0 ' interfere With this

Mr Sharpley says that unfortunately -few summer sports assist a footballer to gain speed. Cneket, softball and swimming anr O lnSt ? nce ’ were of no distance. Several branches of ath*e«cs > however, demanded- speed and this was the logical sport to

After detailing the importance °i s P r ‘ ntlng and running methods, Mr Sharpley warns that to stop running for a fortnight in Janu®ry,, w ° uld m ean a month to budd bacK up again. With the training schedule and circular from Mr Sullivan, the players have each received R,.L e h tter TT from the New Zealand tfugby Union to present to the club etary ° f their local athletic

The letter says that the union would be most grateful if the athletic clubs could assist the footballers.