THE IRFU HAVE appointed Seamus Toomey as ‘performance pathway scrum coach’, a newly created role which will aim to assist the development of front-row forwards across the provincial and national system.
Toomey, who is currently a part of Neil Doak’s Ireland U20 coaching ticket, will join forces with senior national scrum coach John Fogarty and their provincial equivalents to implement the IRFU’s first National Scrum Programme.
Toomey will “co-ordinate, develop and aid the rollout” of the programme, the IRFU have said, with his primary aim being to identify and develop new front-row talent across the country.
Having coached at Blackrock College and with Old Wesley RFC in recent years, Toomey has already played a role in the careers of recent Ireland front–row caps Oli Jager, Jeremy Loughman, Thomas Clarkson and Gus McCarthy.
Toomey said of his appointment that he is “delighted to join the IRFU in this new role at such an exciting time for Irish rugby”.
“I have worked extensively within different areas of our game over a number of years”, he continued, “but to now have the platform to work at a national level and use my experience to align our National Scrum Programme across the age-grade programmes and facilitate the continued development of world-class front row players to represent Ireland is a hugely exciting opportunity.”
The IRFU’s head of elite player development, Peter Smyth, added: “We’re delighted to confirm the appointment of Seamus to this new and important position within our performance pathway.
“Seamus has accumulated a vast amount of experience and expertise working with young front-row players across our schools and club game over the course of 20 years, and he will continue to be an invaluable asset to Irish rugby within this new role moving forward.
“Identifying and developing front-row forwards is a major focus for us and we hope Seamus’ commitment, dedication and proven success in doing so, as he works alongside John Fogarty, our performance pathway staff and the provincial coaches, will drive this forward.”
Scrap the 1.5 metre push in underage and allow props to scrummage. That way youth coaches will stop picking lads shaped like backrowers for squads and pick lads who look like that can scrummage.
@chris mcdonnell: Whatever about the safety argument at u-14s or u-16s it should definitely be full scrumaging at u-18s
@garrett mccolgan: it’s too late at that stage, development squads and junior schools squads are been selected at that stage, the big shaped less moblie kid needs to make those squads to be pushed on. Coach the coaches and refs about safety but a scrum should be about scrummaging
@chris mcdonnell: You made this point before but we didn’t get a proper debate going. I 100% disagree with you on this. 3 reasons for a start off 1. Underage teams have lots of different shapes & sizes 2. Coaching standards vary considerably from club to club & 3. You will not always have a branch appointed referee. Every single reason relates to safety which has to be prioritised over the future development of 1 professional prop out of those 100s of kids rocking up on a weekend.
@Paul Ennis: i understand your concerns about safety and some clubs/teams just don’t have those type of players. That’s fair enough.
Coaching standards is not an excuse, clubs and the branch should be responsible for coaching, especially the scrum.
The affiliate ref situation is a worry so in that case maybe revert to current rules.
But at schools cup level and regional selection ( say in leinster the shane horgan cup under 16s ) these lads should be allowed scrumage. Otherwise it’s backrows in at prop and they just don’t turn into real props.
@chris mcdonnell: we just need heavier men, technique can only take them so far…
@Paul Ennis: Was there any data on the numbers of serious injuries from scrummaging in school age rugby?
@Tom Murphy: my point is the heavier kids don’t get selected as there is no advantage for a coach to pick them when they can select a much more mobile lighter player becuase there no real benifit In scrum. .
@Tom Murphy: the thing is though, we definitely have heavier men here in Ireland. If there’s one thing that genetically shouldn’t be a massive problem is some lad that’s 5ft11-6ft2 and has a load of timber lashed on. It’s not like locks where minster lads like that are thin in the ground. Everyone knows a lad the size and shape of Furlong and played Junior B football with them. It’s about getting them into the sport
@Conor Quinn: I have tried posting a reply, but the 42 finds it offensive!! I cannot figure out why
@Paul Ennis: I will try again though. I have only witnessed one injury in 15 years of coaching and refereeing, and that was a 12 year old. I won’t go into the details in case that is what was found to be offensive. I believe there are 3 main reasons for a dominant scrum at youths 1. They are bigger 2. Technically better 3. They are illegal. In my experience, number 3 is the most common reason. Referees are vital to manage the safety of a scrum and at U13 to certainly U15 there is an element of coaching the players. Once you cut out the illegal stuff giving one team dominance, the 1.5m push becomes irrelevant.
@chris mcdonnell: The U19 law variations apply (including the 1.5m push)… are there for safety and apply to many adult games too (J3 and below). That aside, most referees who cover Shane Horgan are C panel referees and would rarely cover J2 games, Senior Cup will absolutely be B panel referees with ARs but the vast majority of schools games will be referees from across the spectrum. They are midweek games and referees have full time jobs or businesses to run. It is not possible to ensure the quality of referee to manage the laws without U19 variations for kids. And even if you decided to disregard the U19 laws for the senior cup, for 50% of the senior schools this will be for 1 game out of a 15 game season. That would be a nightmare.
@chris mcdonnell: Your reply to Tom is relevant, but I will counter that. A technically superior prop will beat a heavy prop 9 times out of 10. In addition, the heavier prop is not learning anything if he is just allowed to use his size and weight to over power his opposite number. Granted the 1.5m push doesn’t solve this problem either, but it does teach him control.
@Paul Ennis: great discussion Paul and Chris. Nice to read people that know what they’re talking about.
This is a great move and a really good initiative.
I suppose it’s better late than never but why has it taken so long to address a problem that was so evident for a long time now. I have pointed out here on more than one occasion the need to scout young props who line out every weekend all over Ireland. IMO there are scores of young lads who with the right recognition and direction could aspire to become senior provincial and ultimately International props.
@Tom Reilly: The IRFU thought by completely banning NIQ front row signings, the problem of producing IQ props of a sufficient standard would magically disappear. Glad, they’ve decided to be proactive rather than reactive now. Better late than never as the saying goes.
At the rate things are doing we’ll have a coach for every position on the field.
@Jp Cleary: going
All pro props in the country should do a front row camp for 2/3 days a month to enhance development
@Barry Leahy: Attend one of give to schools players?