Give me a brief resume of your career , playing wise and coaching wise.
Playing
1983 – 1994 Sandown and Shanklin RFC
1984 – IOW/Hampshire schools
1988 – 1989 RAF West Drayton
!994 – 2004 Vigo RFC
2004 – 2009 Sevenoaks RFC

Coaching
2005 – 2009 Sevenoaks U11’s – U14’s
2009/10 – Essex/Saracens School of Rugby U13’s
2009/10 – Essex County U13’s
2009/10 – Vigo RFC
2010/11 – Essex/Saracens School of Rugby U14’s
2010/11 – Essex County U14’s
2010/11 – Vigo RFC

You have spent some time at Vigo, and we all appreciate what you have done for the Club. What was your overriding impression of what needed to be done, and what still needs to be done to achieve success?
What I think needed to be done was that training needed to be more game specific and intensive rather than the backs practice moves and the forwards do line outs and breakdown stuff. I wanted the players to work hard and also put into practice techniques we had covered in improving our game. For example we put a lot of effort into continuity and running lines which I think showed in the way we started playing, at one stage we did a lot of defensive work and getting past the ball at the breakdown, again I think these were reflected in how we played.
I believed that we needed to play to more of a basic game plan rather than let’s go wide really quickly. This to me meant using our big ball carrying forwards to work hard at getting into position to come on to the ball and challenge the defence before we went wide.
I think one of the keys was to get players thinking about what they were doing rather than just running from breakdown to breakdown actually thinking where am I best suited, what’s my role next, what can I do to support the next phase of play. This applied to defence and attack with people thinking where they should be in the defensive line, do I need to hit that breakdown if the ball is lost etc
I am really pleased with the response from the players that trained regularly and I hope that this was reflected in their performances. I certainly think it was in some of the games such as Sittingbourne where our defence was incredible and probably the best we have seen for a long time, New Ash Green, HSBC and Gillingham where our continuity was first class
My view would be that the club as with most clubs at this level are on a bit of a cusp. The addition of 3 or 4 good players would make a very good side that could easily be promoted, but also the loss of the same number of players could ensure a long season of struggling.
A number of issues need to be addressed and the primary one is strength in depth to support the 1st XV, we need more players in of this standard to push players for their places. Also these players need to be training on a regular basis as it became obvious as the season went on who trained and who didn’t. Selection for the 1st team captain should be a challenge not moving the same names around the team sheet to fill the holes.
My personal view to achieve success is that it needs to come from the juniors, the clubs that have done well such as Dover, Gravesend, Medway have done it on a thriving junior section. The clubs that haven’t had this that have been promoted without the support such as Dartfordians just come back down again which doesn’t benefit the club at all.
I would see the next 3-4 years as consolidation in Kent 1 and looking to really develop the junior section so that in this time the under 14’s and 15’s are coming through to take the club forward. But to do this they need to be coached and nurtured properly so all of the junior coaches need to be qualified, they should be looking to working towards their level 2 and also attending CPD courses to continually develop. Without this we will be just bring through players with a poor skill set and a techniques that doesn’t stand up to senior rugby.
It is obviously working as some of the U14’s/15’s have been selected for the district side and I know the coaches work really hard and put a lot of effort in, but for the club to push forwards this is where I would concentrate my efforts.
You have coached at Representative level. What is the main difference between the players at a Club such as Vigo and clubs such as Gravesend, and even Saracens?
I think the main difference is skill levels and being able to apply these in the Game situations. To a lot of players both adult and junior developing skills seems boring as opposed to running around with the ball but to develop as a player they are essential. Most top players have a good skill set although there are exceptions to the rule.
At the Essex School of Rugby it is very much a case of stripping down these skills and going through them until they can be applied in a variety of game situations. We use what is called the whole-part-whole methodology where you play a conditioned game targeting on e area i.e clearing out, then run a skill session or drill to develop this and then put it back into a conditioned game again.
Over the course of running the curriculum players develop those skills and also practice the specific skills in games and develop the technique of applying them. Some of the skill stuff can be boring and repetitive but these are the elite players in the county and if they want to continue to develop it is a necessary evil. The skills are also built up gradually i.e the first session of developing a pass is actually catching the ball with the final lesson being able to do this in a confined space under pressure from defenders. But there is a lot that goes in between these to develop that particular skill.
We also encourage them to think and solve to the scenarios we develop, it is very much player centred approach to coaching by getting them to provide the answers rather than telling them what to do and then they are learning from experience and understanding rather than just being told to do this.
Obviously fitness, strength and conditioning are also a difference particularly at adult level as you move up the levels
Would a floodlit pitch help in the growth of the Club, and would it attract players?
Yes I believe it would; there is nothing worse than looking at the training pitch between December and February and thinking I have to run a worthwhile training session of that. If that is what I was thinking as a coach it is even harder as a player to motivate themselves to go paddling in the mud and try and improve their skill set. I believe that this is one of the reasons that prevents people from training and if it is a 50/50 call whether to go training or not this can be a swaying factor.
With so many clubs in a small area we also need to provide better facilities than other clubs to attract and retain players. I think the clubhouse and the welcome from everyone is exceptional and the grounds are really good but there needs to be more now to keep players wanting to come back.
The numbers at every club drop off in mid winter but most people will tolerate the rain and the cold if the training is meaningful but this is really hard when you are ankle deep in mud. It would also be a real statement of intent for the clubs aspirations
What do you look for in a player? What makes you think ‘Sod it, I cant be bothered?
Two things for me really are coachability and attitude.
Players have to have that desire to want to improve, they need to be questioning and open minded about new things and be prepared to adapt and work hard at it. If they want to become a better player they need to come to training with this attitude, it’s not about doing what the coach says because he is the coach its about questioning why, understanding it, working hard and putting it into application
Fortunately the majority of players who attended training regularly had this and their attitude and their commitment was spot on. But unfortunately there weren’t enough players attending regularly and some that did brought the wrong attitude with them.
All players are still coachable, age is not a barrier, look at Lee Walker and Dan Couchman who I think have come on really well this season. Both have worked hard in training and changed their game as a result of it.
What would you like to see happen to Vigo post-Jim?
I would like to see
• a thriving junior section providing 3 or 4 players of first team standard a year into the squad.
• qualified coaches through out the club
• aspiring to the RFU junior and whole club seal of approval through the RFU
• 20 players a week regularly attending training
• players being attracted to the club because of its aspirations and facilities
• consolidation in Kent 1 and then promotion to level 8 in 3-4 years
• People to still enjoy playing for a supporting the emotional roller coaster that is Vigo RFC
• More players playing representative rugby
I firmly believe that the more of a professional approach that you can put in the more likely you are to attract players and achieve these. Professional doesn’t mean paying players but having the infrastructure in place, some incentives such as free polo shirt after 10 1st team games etc

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Personally, I would like to thank Jim for his effort this year. Andy Carslaw and Jim have done a great job in moving the Club on. With a little more luck and application from the players, I really believe we could have been promoted this year. Jim is moving on to improve his CV and i wish him all the best of luck.I hope all the players will understand what Jim is trying to achieve in his Coaching career.
the other question is - do we as a Club want to finish the start Jim and Andy have made ?