Ruck and Learn

In the latest in our series of coaching features, former England skipper Martin Corry unpacks the role played by a good captain.

In the latest in our series of coaching features, former England skipper Martin Corry unpacks the role played by a good captain.

As a World Cup-winner, Martin Corry's CV makes for impressive reading: 64 caps for England, including 16 as captain and three World Cup campaigns. He played for the British and Irish Lions on seven occasions and 10 seasons for Leicester Tigers saw him win five Premiership titles and two European Cups.

Planet Rugby and RuckingBall.com bring you this technical piece in collaboration. For more coaching articles or to talk to Martin Corry, Jamie Roberts and our other experts, please visit RuckingBall.com Those signing up using the using referral code PRC, will automatically enter a draw to win £200 of Samurai training kit.

The Captain's Role
By Martin Corry

I was fortunate enough to captain three of the biggest sides in the world: Tigers, England and the British and Irish Lions. All have their differing demands – the close-knit community of Leicester, the upstanding tradition of the Lions, and the close scrutiny of England.

However, I set my stall out to skipper in a simple way, honesty and integrity being the cornerstones of my approach. I would never demand respect just because I was the captain. That will never ever work. I would look to earn it through my example and, to coin a clich̩, I'd never ever ask others to do something that I myself was not prepared to do. (I did tend to delegate the goal kicking, though Рgood decisioning is an important part of captaincy!)

Honesty

The Dressing Room is a merciless place: the fraud will be sniffed out at an instant. There is no hiding when you are under intense scrutiny from all of your stakeholders – the media, fans, selectors and team-mates. Being upfront with all is the ONLY way, even if it means making some very tough calls, whether they be selectorial, tactics or even socially. Treat everyone equally, but at the same time understand that different players need different methods of motivation and support.

Man-management

During my time, I had personalities that, under a bluff exterior, had deep rooted insecurities. It's part of my job to support them overcoming those insecurities – maybe by re-enforcing their success to them. On the other side of the coin, there are those that I'd need to rein in, get them focused and professional, instead of over-aggressive and, potentially, liable to transgress in some way early on in the game. Each player has different motivators, and, whilst I'm not there to wet-nurse, I am cognisant of the need to adapt my management style to suit the personality of the individual and to facilitate the best out of the collective team.

Tactics

Clarity is everything when it comes to game management and tactics. It's down to me to convey that on the pitch, and clearly outline what the plan is. By saying that, you also need to know when to back off and to delegate – there's little point in a prop forward skipper calling backline moves when you have the likes of Will greenwood and Toby Flood in the team. Know who your resources are and use them effectively is key. Equally, as both a team and a player, know your limitations. If you're honest about those then you can focus on what you do do well and remove from your game that which you do not do well.

Reaction to changing conditions is also vital – a pivotal moment in English rugby was our Grand Slam defeat at Murrayfield in 2000. We went there playing running open rugby, the heavens opened, and we failed to adapt to that as well as Scotland did. We knew this was a failing and we made sure that it never happened again (another key point – learn from your mistakes!)

The bridge between players and coaches

As a skipper, you need to be loyal to both the coaches, by transmitting their wishes openly and clearly, and also the players. There are times to support the players and there are times when you have to make difficult calls and support a contentious issue back down to the players. Having honesty and integrity in both directions is essential and showing balance and good judgment is key.

Switching on, switching off

Rugby is a fun sport with a great social tradition. As a captain, there are times when you need to switch off, switch your players off and HAVE FUN!! Knowing when to let your hair down is vital, and teamship is built in both social and playing environments. A good captain knows when to join in, to allow others to take the mickey out of him and not to take himself too seriously. Try this and you'll be amazed at how close your team will become! The British Lions have a great approach to this – the team sets the rules and we all abide – from Head coach to baggage man, and the fun environment we created in past tours have been a highlight of my playing career.

Cheers for now,

Cozza