Video | O’Connell Leads Line Out Workshop For Age Grade Sides

The Munster Rugby Development Department recently hosted an age-grade lineout workshop in the High Performance Centre in UL, delivered by former Munster, Ireland and Lions captain Paul O’Connell.

Regarded as one rugby’s shrewdest lineout technicians across a professional career that spanned 14 seasons, the former second row imparted his considerable knowledge to the next generation of Munster hopefuls as part of the Age Grade Summer Development Programme.

The veteran of 178 Munster appearances focused on the key principles and technical components of lineout lifting and jumping from both a player and coach perspective.  And, in following the mantra of practice makes perfect, O’Connell encouraged all players to utilise time before and after training to hone their key individual set piece skills.

This event followed on from the Elite Player Development Department’s ‘Big Rocks’ workshop which will act as the cornerstone of the Summer Development Programme.

‘Big Rock’ areas of development will include catch & pass, breakdown, ball carrying & evasion and tackle technique. Players will be encouraged to develop these core skills as the main emphasis of their technical programme, with their tactical, strategic and physical competencies also developed during the summer programme.

In complementing all of the above, lifestyle and psychological educational programmes will be in place to enhance players’ personal confidence and general rugby/life balance.

The programme commenced this month with players working from either regional centres across the province or in the High Performance Centre in UL.