Using practical process to produce positive outcome.

A positive outcome could be as complex as winding down the clock to "kill the game" or as simple as, producing a platform to enable your kicker to exit effectively, gaining territory.

Rugby, is naturally a multi faceted, sport that requires individual skill, which differs from position to position. It also requires effective unit alliance between all players on the field, as well as an understanding of what outcome the team requires, at any given time.

Part of the technical aspect of coaching a rugby team is to empower and enable specific units, as well as the teams on and off field leadership, at any given time to be able to access what you have coached. This should maximise positive outcome on the field.

These are the "bite sized" chunks that breaks the game down into specific instances, which either you achieve best outcome, satisfactory outcome or negative outcome.

The key here - is to practice process and then practice and practice some more.

Each coach is different, as is each player. The individual talents that exist in a team vary and only the team itself, as well as the coach, will understand how to apply process for outcome, based on the resource that he has available within his team. Most importantly the culture of the team has to be honoured with regard to this process.

If "theoretical best outcome" is contrary to team culture it can never work.

This means that as a coach you need to work out first, what the team, from a "rugby playing culture" perspective stands for, before dealing out processed coaching, for best outcome.

As an example - if your team is an attacking based team that likes the "enterprising running game" instilling a process of slowing things down as a default may not work come game day. This is naturally contrary to the cornerstone that you and the team built in their rugby DNA.

Be very aware of this when working out your processes for outcome.

The scope of this is very broad - sometimes tedious - but very important, no matter what level. You, the coach, need to get your team to understand and agree on what is the best process to achieve the teams desired outcome.

If you don't practice it, you can not expect to maximise result on a high pressure game day.

Each an every aspect of the game has a best outcome, the team should strive, match specific, to this, in any given moment and should achieve good outcome, through trained processes.

I will use a kick off receipt as an example in terms of putting this theory into practice.

The best outcome in receiving a kick off is obviously to score a try.

It makes logical sense that the only time that you will receive a kick off from the half way line is on two occasions.

1. At the start of the first half or the start of the second half
2. When you have scored points

When you break it down like that you can then see how important something, as simple as, receiving a kick off becomes in the context of the game. The opposition has a free chance to get into your territory and you need the best plan for your team to achieve a positive outcome.

The process that follows is also dependent on what type of kick off it is.

Is it a kick down the middle?

Is it a contestable?

Is it a long deep kick?

Again the game will lend itself to different best outcomes, dependent on circumstance, score and time left. Each and every member of your squad needs to understand what the best outcome is and if course the best PRACTICED process that will stack the odds in your favour, to achieve such an outcome.

The enterprise of the game of rugby and the oval ball does often leave a lot of the game, irrespective of practiced process, to chance. However, it makes sense as a coach to cover your bases and make sure that your team feels secure in what those best outcomes are. The detailed best process to achieve such outcomes needs to be worked on and the confidence to produce such process during high pressure moments, needs to be instilled.

The old cliche' of matches are played on a field and won in a boardroom makes sense in this regard.

Teams need coaches and coaches need teams, but in order to give your team the best possible chance for the best possible outcome, which is to win, empower your team with outcome understanding.

Then cover the detail by coaching them into delivering positive process practice which should enable your team to achieve such outcome more often than your opposition.

You can then leave the rest to rugby destiny, which tells us all "if that ball bounces right" - you could and hopefully should win more than you lose.