Building a Coaching Playbook That Actually Changes Clubs, with Charlie Farrell

What does it really take to align dozens of volunteer coaches, hundreds of players, and a whole club around one clear development pathway?

In this episode of the Rugby Coach Weekly podcast, Dan Cottrell is joined by Charlie Farrell, Age Grade Rugby Director at Banbridge RFC, to unpack the thinking behind the club’s new Coaches Playbook. Designed to guide player development from first contact to First XV, the Playbook goes far beyond drills and session plans.

Charlie explains why Banbridge needed a shared framework, how the five pillars (Technical, Tactical, Mental, Lifestyle, Physical) were shaped by lived coaching experience, and the very real challenges of rolling out change in a large, multi-sport community club. The conversation explores volunteer buy-in, consistency versus creativity, session planning, player behaviour, and what “success” actually looks like in age-grade rugby.

Key takeaways

• A shared Coaches Playbook improves consistency and clarity in rugby coaching across all age groups.
• Effective player development combines technical skills with mental, physical, and lifestyle habits.
• Volunteer coaches need support, mentoring, and simple frameworks rather than rigid rules.
• Organised, game-based training sessions create better experiences for players and parents.
• Long-term development and retention are more important than short-term wins in youth rugby.

Topics covered
Rugby coaching frameworks
Player development pathways
Grassroots rugby coaching
Supporting volunteer coaches
Coach education and mentoring
Age-grade rugby systems
Building club culture through coaching

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