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In this episode, Dan Cottrell speaks to Mark Williams, head coach of North Division U18s, lead rugby coach at Birkenhead School, a forward's coach with Lymm in National Two, and Liverpool John Moores University director of rugby,

The conversation starts with the value of coaching relationships, especially the importance of having trusted people around you who will challenge lazy planning, sharpen your thinking, and keep you honest. Mark reflects on working with Sarah Jones, a highly respected Level 3 coach, and how her calm, detailed approach has influenced the way he prepares and delivers sessions.

The discussion then moves deep into the scrum, from the difference between loosehead and tighthead roles to how coaches can introduce scrummaging safely with younger players. Mark explains why safety, body position, foot placement, and stability matter before anything more tactical is added.

The second half explores Mark’s key coaching qualities: honesty, respect, detail, clarity, and organisation. He explains how honest feedback changes depending on the environment, from Year 7 rugby to National Two selection conversations, and why players need to trust that feedback is given to help them improve.

You can find more of Mark's insights on his TikTok page: @MWRugbyCoaching.

And his Instagram page: @mwrugbycoaching

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Pads, tackle shields and crash mats can be some of the most useful kit in a rugby session, but only when coaches know exactly why they are using them.

In this 50:22 episode, Dan Cottrell and Stu James discuss the role of contact equipment in training. They explore how pads can reduce impact, build confidence, develop body shape and allow players to enjoy physicality, while also warning against the false habits they can create if players hit them in ways they would never use in a game.

The key message is simple: Equipment is a tool, not a solution. Coaches need to know when pads help learning, when they simply create activity, and when it is time to take them away.

For any coach working on tackle, ruck or contact confidence, this episode offers a practical reminder: It does not have to be perfect, but it does have to be intentional.

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One in five players may be neurodivergent, and rugby is often a sport that attracts players who think, learn and experience the world differently. The good news? The coaching adjustments that help neurodivergent players often make coaching better for everyone.

In this episode, Dan Cottrell and Stuart James explore practical ways coaches can create more inclusive environments without overcomplicating their sessions. The discussion covers the importance of language, understanding individual needs, and recognising that most neurodivergent players simply want to be treated like everyone else while having the right support available when needed.

A key theme is clarity. Clear instructions, predictable structures, and simple explanations reduce uncertainty and help all players engage more effectively. The pair also discuss the importance of managing transitions between activities, often the most challenging moments in a session, and how giving players clear roles and responsibilities can maintain focus and engagement.

The episode highlights an important principle: design your coaching with inclusion in mind, and everybody benefits. Just as accessible design improves everyday life for everyone, inclusive coaching creates better learning environments for all players, not just those who are neurodivergent.

Finally, Dan and Stu reflect on the need to coach the group in front of you rather than the session plan in your pocket. Understanding your players, managing group energy, and being prepared to adapt remain at the heart of effective coaching.

Key takeaway: Better coaching for neurodivergent players is usually just better coaching. Be clear, be consistent, be intentional, and focus on creating an environment where every player can thrive.

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Fault correction sits at the heart of coaching, but done poorly it kills flow, confidence and learning. In this episode, Dan Cottrell and Stu James break down how to intervene with purpose, so players improve without feeling overwhelmed or criticised.

They explore how coaches often chase a “perfect” technical model that doesn’t match the player in front of them, and why understanding stage of development is critical before stepping in. From knowing when to leave players to self-organise, to using “hot feedback” at the right moment, this conversation is about timing, judgement and intent.

You will hear practical ways to correct faults without defaulting to constant instruction. That includes using demonstration, questioning, peer learning and even handing responsibility to assistant coaches or parents. There is also a powerful idea around asking permission to be critical, helping players receive feedback in a more constructive way.

This episode challenges the idea that fault correction is simply telling players what to do. Instead, it reframes it as helping players feel, understand and own the solution.

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What if the biggest thing holding your players back is not skill but belief?

In this episode, Dan Cottrell, head coach at Rugby Coach Weekly and Stuart James, coach developer at Guildford RFC, unpack one of the most overlooked areas in coaching. While most sessions are built around skills and rules, belief is often left untouched, yet it may be the very thing that unlocks performance.

They explore why belief is not just mindset or empty praise, but a player’s identity, built around three powerful statements. I can do this. I belong here. I make a difference. When these are in place, everything else changes.

The conversation dives into how coaches can actively build belief through session design, challenge, and, most importantly, noticing players. From small, intentional moments before a game to reinforcing effort over outcome, this episode shows how belief is grown over time, not delivered in a single speech.

💡 Key insight: The players who struggle most often do not lack ability, they lack belief. And that is something you can coach.

If you want players who take ownership, step forward, and perform under pressure, this episode gives you practical ways to start.

👉 Because great coaching is not just about what players do, it is about what they believe they can do.

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What really wins rugby matches — instinct or insight?

In this episode, Dan Cottrell sits down with rugby analyst, journalist, and coach Sam Larner to unpack the growing influence of data in the modern game — and what it actually means for coaches on the pitch.

From Six Nations trends to grassroots realities, Sam brings clarity to the numbers behind performance. Together, they explore why territory often matters more than possession, how 22 entries shape outcomes, and why some of rugby’s most quoted stats might be misleading.

The conversation goes beyond the spreadsheets. Sam challenges the idea that the game can be “solved” by data alone, arguing for a balance between analysis and feel — and offering practical ways coaches can use simple metrics to improve decision-making without overcomplicating their sessions.

You’ll also hear:

• Why kicking is often the right decision — even when it frustrates fans
• The truth about penalties and discipline
• How to use data effectively at grassroots level
• Which stats actually matter — and which ones to ignore

Click here to buy the book.

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In this episode of the Rugby Coach Weekly podcast, Dan Cottrell speaks to coach and former professional player Sam Mace about the journey from playing to coaching and the lessons that shaped his philosophy.

Sam played professionally in Major League Rugby with the Toronto Arrows, before concussion injuries forced him to retire early. That experience changed the direction of his career and sparked a passion for coaching that is now reaching thousands of players and coaches online through his SMPerformance platform.

In this conversation, Sam explains what truly energises him about coaching. For him, the biggest influence was the feeling of being supported by great coaches and the opposite experience of feeling small or unwanted. That contrast shaped his commitment to creating environments where players feel belief, ownership and agency over their own development.

Dan and Sam explore how honest conversations build trust, why players improve more when they understand why they are not selected, and how coaches can balance challenge with care.

They also dive into coaching contact skills, discussing the technical side of tackling, the importance of control rather than aggression, and why the best defenders focus on precision and positioning rather than simply hitting harder.

Along the way, Sam reflects on social media coaching, the limits of short-form content, and why great coaching is always about the human connection behind the technique.

Key themes

• Building belief and agency in players
• Honest feedback and player ownership
• Coaching confidence after mistakes
• Teaching tackling through precision and technique
• The difference between social media coaching and real coaching

If you want to connect with Sam, you can find his coaching content at SMPerformance on Instagram.

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What does sustainable performance actually look like in elite sport and leadership?

In this episode of the Rugby Coach Weekly podcast, Dan speaks with Lúcás Ó’Ceallacháin, a high-performance coach and leadership specialist who has worked across rugby, wrestling, artistic swimming, ballet and Olympic systems worldwide.

Lúcás helps leaders build performance “one brick at a time” through social learning, psychological safety and deliberate coaching design.

From coaching in Russia and Kazakhstan to supporting Olympic programmes and even ballet companies, he shares powerful lessons about:

• Why psychological safety is misunderstood
• The balance between accountability and freedom
• How culture shapes coaching effectiveness
• Why framing matters more than motivation
• How small check-in rituals can transform team dynamics

This conversation goes beyond theory. It explores what it really means to be the adult in the room — to create clarity, set standards and invite contribution without losing performance edge.

To find out more about this podcast and many others, go to Rugby Coach Weekly

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