Pete Richards, ESPN rugby analyst, who helped to lead the session said: "Its great for ESPN to lay this event on for the Gloucester area coaches. It is fantastic for the coaches to have someone of Barney's calibre to learn from and you can be sure that what they've learned today will be used in clubs across the county."
Don Parsons , Rugby Development Officer for the RFU for Gloucester & Forest of Dean Combinations, said: "This is a wonderful opportunity for our local clubs to get firsthand knowledge from experts like Barney and Peter.
Barney Allen, conditioning and strength coach for Gloucester who ran the session, said: "A great event. Great to see so many local clubs coming to support us and to look at new training tools which they can take back to their clubs. Events like this help to develop talent throughout the county from a skills and conditioning perspective."
This season, ESPN and the home club of every Aviva Premiership Rugby match broadcast live on the channel will be offering an exciting ESPN Premiership Rugby Masterclass to the local community during the two weeks leading up to the match. Either a rugby masterclass will be offered to a local school new to rugby for 11 to 13 year olds, or a coaching masterclass will be offered to local volunteer coaches from grassroots clubs.
Former England and Leicester Tigers' players and ESPN rugby analyst Austin Healey and Ben Kay, along with ESPN rugby presenters Mark Durden-Smith, Nick Mullins and Pete Richards will take part in the masterclass programme, helping to coach, inform and inspire new rugby players as well as established coaches.
In addition to the two types of masterclass, there will also be a special end of season coaching session for the very best players from each of the masterclasses at schools new to rugby on the day of the Aviva Premiership Rugby Final on Saturday 26th May 2012. Run by Premiership Rugby coaches, it will involve a coaching session and a chance to meet some of the ESPN rugby presenters or analysts as well as tickets to the final.
For more information please contact the Community Department by emailing cdp@gloucesterrugby.co.uk
