Ten Commandments

Bob Dwyer is one of Australia’s iconic coaches, known for guiding the Wallabies to the 1991 Rugby World Cup title.

Dwyer also coached powerhouse Randwick to five straight titles in Sydney club rugby, as well as stints at the Waratahs, Racing Club, Leicester Tigers, and Bristol.

He is someone who has a lot to teach us, particularly as a coach whose career spanned across both the amateur and professional eras of rugby.

Thankfully in his book, Full Time, Dwyer spends time reflecting on all of his coaching experiences, and pulls together Ten Commandments that he hopes can act as a solid platform for improved performance.

(I’ve lightly edited Bob’s notes for brevity)

1. The coach’s success is entirely dependent on the success of the players
   In most businesses a manager not only organizes and leads the workforce, but works alongside them in production of the final product. Coaching is different. The coach sets the preparation for performance but doesn’t take part. Once the team enters the field of performance, the coach cannot join them. Hence, his success will be evaluated by what they achieve.

2. Giving is the gift
   A coach is many things: teacher, mentor, motivator, supporter. But above all else, he is a giver. It is not a master-servant relationship. His role is to give to the players everything that can assist them to perform at their best. By standing back and watching, the coach can identify elements not apparent to the player in the heat of the contest. From observation, listening to what the players say, using analysis aids and applying knowledge, a coach is able to give his players the tools to improve performance.

3. It ain’t about the scoreboard
   Like most employers, club bosses want to see the results on the board. I believe it’s a faulty measure. A coach’s success can only be measured by one simple question: Are this charges better players at the end of the season that they were at the outset? The degrees of success will depend on just how great that improvement has been. The performance on the field is the sum total of the individual player contributions.

4. Beware of short-term expediency
   Why? Because it’s an easy cop-out based on the belief that you will take care of the long-term later. If you impose systems for the long-term, you will find that the short-term takes care of itself.

5. A player will never make a bad decision
   All decisions are good ones. A player will either make a decision or he will hesitate. Whatever option a player takes, he and his teammates must commit to it 100 percent. If a player hesitates it is usually because his teammates failed to make an option available to him.

6. The ball-carrier is king
   The game is ruled by the player with the ball. The ultimate playmaker must be a threat in his own right and he must have the ability to use his footwork, balance and speed to present an opportunity for an inside or outside runner. There are players who can run through holes and there are players who can put other players through holes. But the player who can do both is invaluable to his team.

7. Only perfect practice creates perfect performance
   It’s etched in stone. Non-negotiable. No coach can let bad practice go uncorrected. You don’t want to be harping but you do need to remind the player that everything he does on the practice pitch will be subject to scrutiny. As he jogs past, a tap on the shoulder and a couple of quiet words are enough to remind him that he didn’t ‘reach for the ball’ during that last play.

8. Push-pull
   The way to produce optimum performance is to push from the bottom and pull from the top. Playing optimally can’t happen merely by the top players dragging the team along; nor can it happen if it’s left to the young blokes below to provide all the energy. Both ends must work in tandem.

9. The power of predictability
   Perfect practice breeds consistency and coaches and selectors appreciate players who are predictable. These players rack up extraordinary runs of consecutive appearances simply because they have convinced coaches and selectors that they will always perform well. Selectors don’t pick teams. Players pick teams.

10. Practice diligently, play instinctively
    The coach has few higher missions than that of assisting athletes to perform instinctively. David Campese once asked for specific feedback on how he played, and I said “Do you remember towards the end of the game when you went through the gap and stepped left, well all of your support was on the right, facing almost no defence.” I’ve never forgotten his reply. “Yes, I thought about that after it happened, but I just go where my feet go.” That’s exactly it. You’ve got to let yourself go where your feet go.