Wales lose fitness guru Adam beard to the NFL

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/wales-loss-fitness-guru-adam-8925313

A loss for Wales?

Did you think that we were fit in this year's tournament?

The Saint wrote:Did you think that we were fit in this year's tournament?

Nearly made a record amount of tackles against Ireland so they must have been a bit fit.

Definitely a loss. Been there since 2009 apparently, which is when we really started to target fitness under Gats. However, he's been pretty nomadic (normal for that field though, learning different S&C techniques from different sports). The timing is the worst part though, so close to the WC:

"Adam brings a wealth of knowledge to the National team having worked in professional sport with experience at the Western Reds in Rugby League and then on to the Fremantle Dockers in Australian Rules, he consulted to the Springboks S&C unit, worked in the SIS/SAS network in Australia at both the Western Australian Institute of Sport and the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra working with many Olympic and World champions, abroad at the English Institute of Sport as the regional lead S&C coach, UK-Athletics touring with the GB athletics team through to the Athens Olympics as the lead S&C coach.

He also worked at Aspire Academy of Sports Excellence in Qatar where he was recognized internationally through the National Strength & Conditioning Association with a coach of the year award at the 2009 annual conference in Las Vegas. He has also served on the board of the UKSCA as the Director of Quality Assurance and was instrumental in the development of the current ASCC accreditation as well as designing the EIS and Aspire academy of sports physical Quality testing manuals and long term athlete development curriculum at the later. Adam has a Masters degree specializing in sports biomechanics from Edith Cowan University in Western Australia."

profitius wrote:

The Saint wrote:Did you think that we were fit in this year's tournament?

Nearly made a record amount of tackles against Ireland so they must have been a bit fit.

It was our worst defensive record in years, and we looked really off the pace against England and Scotland. Funny that, as the fitness and pace definitely went backwards since the autumn. As long as we keep Gatland and Edwards then this is no great loss.

The Saint wrote:

profitius wrote:

The Saint wrote:Did you think that we were fit in this year's tournament?

Nearly made a record amount of tackles against Ireland so they must have been a bit fit.

It was our worst defensive record in years, and we looked really off the pace against England and Scotland. Funny that, as the fitness and pace definitely went backwards since the autumn. As long as we keep Gatland and Edwards then this is no great loss.

They were the first 2 games. I'd say the fitness problem is in the regions or maybe the Wales players are wrapped in cotton wool too? Wales seem to have nearly a full deck to choose from coming into the 6 nations.

Definitely a fitness and pace issue in some of the regions I'd say. We can surmise Blues are one of them given the comments by Copeland and then Hammett.

The second half against Ireland shows they must be doing something right, the forwards work rate was unbelievable. I'd suggest more a lack of drive and application in the first two games than a lack of fitness. You can.underperformed through effort but you can't replicate what they did in the Ireland game without being in tip top condition.

The nfl seems to he all over rugby coaches and tackling techniques at the minute.

profitius wrote:

The Saint wrote:

profitius wrote:

The Saint wrote:Did you think that we were fit in this year's tournament?

Nearly made a record amount of tackles against Ireland so they must have been a bit fit.

It was our worst defensive record in years, and we looked really off the pace against England and Scotland. Funny that, as the fitness and pace definitely went backwards since the autumn. As long as we keep Gatland and Edwards then this is no great loss.

They were the first 2 games. I'd say the fitness problem is in the regions or maybe the Wales players are wrapped in cotton wool too? Wales seem to have nearly a full deck to choose from coming into the 6 nations.

I agree with this, and something we've discussed on here in the past. Gatland has eluded to it, Mark Hammett eluded to it at the Blues, and ex-players have eluded to it by taking a swipe at the regions after leaving - fitness levels and approach to conditioning in the regions seems to be way behind clubs in other leagues. It may be one of the reasons we struggle so much at club level. Gatland then (as he says himself) needs time with these players to get them up to the required level, which is why we always start slowly and finish the 6N/autumn internationals stronger. I'm taking a bit of a guess now, but I reckon when the Ospreys were at their best it was when they had a massive contingent in the Welsh squad. That year or two when it was pretty much all Ospreys. Coincidence? Maybe. Maybe not.

P.s. I'd go as far as to say that if we'd played Ireland first then we would have lost. The England and Ireland games v Wales have some similarities. Against England we took a good lead (10-0 at one point I think). Against Ireland we were something like 12-0 pretty quickly. By half time with England we were 16-8. The difference is that v England we just faded in the 2nd half. England were excellent in that 2nd half, no doubt, but I think our players were out on their feet.

So for me, Ireland up first would have ended in the same way as it did v England. Similarly, if we'd played England later in the tournament and took a 16-8 lead in at half time I'm not so sure England would have won like they did on that first weekend. All guess work though of course! But we definitely struggle in the first game or two.

Dan Baugh left a few years ago and now this guy goes. where is the western mail headline: WILL THE EXODUS OF WELSH FITNESS STAFF END?

And then go on to blame the Union for not convinving them to stay.

Maybe it'll be on the Sunday edition?

Well lets be honest, do we need him now ? Adam Jones will not be playing for Wales anymore, we do not need a guru now that he is off, all we need is somebody to keep am ey on them, Adam was probably a fitness job all on his own.

Wales have always had an edge on fitness tech'n'theory. Leaving no stone unturned in the pursuit of it.

It's not chance that they Improve through contests rather than fall away like less-fit sides tend to do. It's all a finely tuned beast Gatland and co have going there.

England I think have caught up though and are probably going beyond that now.

The rest of us............. I think we're behind at different degrees. It's to be seen would one guy have such a big influence. I'm sure the systems he had going will continue to operate. No one fitness coach is going to now come in and change everything - Gatland wouldn't allow it.

Adam Beard moving to an NFL club is another example how the synergies between American Football and Rugby are growing and becoming more obvious. Rugby tackling techniques are being taught by a number of teams and all across the schools levels. Medical assessment and recovery techniques have played off each other for quite a number of years. Now conditioning techniques are starting to harmonise. The working relationships continue to develop. Closer relationships will continue to evolve.

Good luck to him, a new challenge and some nice dosh to go with it, shame about the timing.

However I don't think Wales need to panic, S&C coaches are dime a dozen, and in my experience are all quite similar, its not as if this guy had some secret techniques that gave our players something over the opposition.

Do not know the man to be honest. But will his departure from the Welsh squad have any bearing on the teams fitness/performance?

doctor_grey wrote:Adam Beard moving to an NFL club is another example how the synergies between American Football and Rugby are growing and becoming more obvious.  Rugby tackling techniques are being taught by a number of teams and all across the schools levels.   Medical assessment and recovery techniques have played off each other for quite a number of years.  Now conditioning techniques are starting to harmonise.  The working relationships continue to develop.  Closer relationships will continue to evolve.  

He previously worked with AFL and Rugby League too.

Griff wrote:

Gatland then (as he says himself) needs time with these players to get them up to the required level, which is why we always start slowly and finish the 6N/autumn internationals stronger.  I'm taking a bit of a guess now, but I reckon when the Ospreys were at their best it was when they had a massive contingent in the Welsh squad.  That year or two when it was pretty much all Ospreys.  Coincidence?  Maybe.  Maybe not.

Definitely not a coincidence but cause and effect the wrong way round. Ospreys had a massive Wales contingent BECAUSE they were such a good side at the time, not the reverse.

Not denying the impact the Welsh coaching team has on players in the long run though. There seems to be such a sharp divide between your elite players and the general standard of regional rugby that you have to assume Gatland and Edwards are massively developing them.

Conversely, England have massively struggled to convert the depth at club level and talent at u20 level into a set of world class players for most of the last decade. Thankfully seems to be changing now.

Our slow starts to tournaments is my big worry going into the WC. We need to hit the ground running, yes its Uruguay but we cant afford to just beat them we have to smash them and get the points racked up.

thomh wrote:

Griff wrote:

Gatland then (as he says himself) needs time with these players to get them up to the required level, which is why we always start slowly and finish the 6N/autumn internationals stronger.  I'm taking a bit of a guess now, but I reckon when the Ospreys were at their best it was when they had a massive contingent in the Welsh squad.  That year or two when it was pretty much all Ospreys.  Coincidence?  Maybe.  Maybe not.

Definitely not a coincidence but cause and effect the wrong way round. Ospreys had a massive Wales contingent BECAUSE they were such a good side at the time, not the reverse.

Not denying the impact the Welsh coaching team has on players in the long run though. There seems to be such a sharp divide between your elite players and the general standard of regional rugby that you have to assume Gatland and Edwards are massively developing them.

Conversely, England have massively struggled to convert the depth at club level and talent at u20 level into a set of world class players for most of the last decade. Thankfully seems to be changing now.

I didn't mean the Ospreys players skill levels. I was a only talking about fitness. I.e. Did the fitness the WRU did with the ospreys players at that time help a lot seeing as such a large volume of the squad at the time were in receipt of this training, and have the Ospreys trailed off a bit now as not as many are in receipt of it? Not a very well thought inutile theory to be honest, but a theory none the less!

Gooseberry wrote:The second half against Ireland shows they must be doing something right, the forwards work rate was unbelievable. I'd suggest more a lack of drive and application in the first two games than a lack of fitness. You can.underperformed through effort but you can't replicate what they did in the Ireland game without being in tip top condition.

The nfl seems to he all over rugby coaches and tackling techniques at the minute.

The NFL is all over rugby coaches for good reason. Particularly in terms of coaching defence and tackling technique. There's been a clamp down on using the helmet in the tackle and concerns over concussion both of which are less of an issue with the rugby tackling style (though certain pro players do still seem keen to tackle with their faces).

Add to that the Seattle Seahawks who are the best defence in the NFL openly admitting to using rugby as an example in how they operate. Their smothering defence won them the Superbowl and then should have won them a second. There's bound to be plenty of owners eying up rugby coaches hoping for similar results.

bedfordwelsh wrote:Our slow starts to tournaments is my big worry going into the WC.  We need to hit the ground running, yes its Uruguay but we cant afford to just beat them we have to smash them and get the points racked up.

True. So that's the negative thing about playing them first, as we seen on the final 6 Nations weekend. I think we'll need to put 100 points past them! And also who do you think 'minnows' Fiji will be targeting for a big scalp? Certainly not Aus or Eng.

The Saint wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:Our slow starts to tournaments is my big worry going into the WC.  We need to hit the ground running, yes its Uruguay but we cant afford to just beat them we have to smash them and get the points racked up.

True. So that's the negative thing about playing them first, as we seen on the final 6 Nations weekend. I think we'll need to put 100 points past them! And also who do you think 'minnows' Fiji will be targeting for a big scalp? Certainly not Aus or Eng.

Fiji won't fear us that's for sure, they know they have had the beating of us in the past so yeah I guess we will be their target.

The Saint wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:Our slow starts to tournaments is my big worry going into the WC.  We need to hit the ground running, yes its Uruguay but we cant afford to just beat them we have to smash them and get the points racked up.

True. So that's the negative thing about playing them first, as we seen on the final 6 Nations weekend. I think we'll need to put 100 points past them! And also who do you think 'minnows' Fiji will be targeting for a big scalp? Certainly not Aus or Eng.

Saint. Have Wales ever put 100 points on any team in the Rugby World Cup? I cannot think of any myself.

Appoint fitness guru Adam Jones .....

majesticimperialman wrote:

The Saint wrote:

bedfordwelsh wrote:Our slow starts to tournaments is my big worry going into the WC.  We need to hit the ground running, yes its Uruguay but we cant afford to just beat them we have to smash them and get the points racked up.

True. So that's the negative thing about playing them first, as we seen on the final 6 Nations weekend. I think we'll need to put 100 points past them! And also who do you think 'minnows' Fiji will be targeting for a big scalp? Certainly not Aus or Eng.

Saint. Have Wales ever put 100 points on any team in the Rugby World Cup? I cannot think of any myself.

maj,

Our biggest win was 81-7 v Namibia in 2011, that year we also beat Fiji 66-0.

Now if we could get near that Namibia result against Uruguay I would b happy and if we matched that score against Fiji then it would certainly give us a good fighting chance, if (as I think it will) the group comes down to points diff and BPs etc.

gregortree wrote:Appoint fitness guru Adam Jones .....

Harlequins did, the suckers!

With regards to fitness levels of regional players, it's a two way street.

With the blues, Hammett came in and saw the poor conditioning we had set up and brought in his own man to run the rule. 6 months later Matthew Rees and Lou Reed are leading a revolt because they don't like training 9-3. Go figure.

It still makes my urine boil Lou Reed was leading the charge. lou Reed. Fuuk off Lou, soft as shi t.

gcBlues wrote:With regards to fitness levels of regional players, it's a two way street.

With the blues, Hammett came in and saw the poor conditioning we had set up and brought in his own man to run the rule. 6 months later Matthew Rees and Lou Reed are leading a revolt because they don't like training 9-3. Go figure.

It still makes my urine boil Lou Reed was leading the charge. lou Reed. Fuuk off Lou, soft as shi t.

Really makes me curious as to what actually was going on, theres no way a professional Rugby player should complain about conditioning, especially if its going to help them win silverware.

thomh wrote:

Griff wrote:

Gatland then (as he says himself) needs time with these players to get them up to the required level, which is why we always start slowly and finish the 6N/autumn internationals stronger.  I'm taking a bit of a guess now, but I reckon when the Ospreys were at their best it was when they had a massive contingent in the Welsh squad.  That year or two when it was pretty much all Ospreys.  Coincidence?  Maybe.  Maybe not.

Definitely not a coincidence but cause and effect the wrong way round. Ospreys had a massive Wales contingent BECAUSE they were such a good side at the time, not the reverse.

Not denying the impact the Welsh coaching team has on players in the long run though. There seems to be such a sharp divide between your elite players and the general standard of regional rugby that you have to assume Gatland and Edwards are massively developing them.

Conversely, England have massively struggled to convert the depth at club level and talent at u20 level into a set of world class players for most of the last decade. Thankfully seems to be changing now.

Ospreys used to have Mick McGurn (formerly Ireland S&C guy - he would have been going to Spala with Ireland from the early 00s). He joined the Ospreys in about 2009/10 I think - I remember him writing that fitness levels in Wales were very poor (about 75% of the fitness levels of the Ireland players).  McGurn didn't last long with the Ospreys mind.

By the way, Munster Head S&C (recently promoted) guy is Welsh - Aled Walters - he has been around - worked for Taranaki & the Brumbies before coming to Munster.

http://www.munsterrugby.ie/rugby/98.php