Over 250 young rugby players, coaches and parents from grassroots rugby clubs from across nearby counties gathered at Malvern College for a dynamic day of elite-level training and development.
The inaugural Under-12 and Under-13 Pre-Season Coaching Day marked a significant milestone, bringing together a stellar lineup of former professional players and top-tier coaches.
The event was spearheaded by Nick Tisdale, Malvern College’s Master in Charge of Rugby and ex-Worcester Warriors player, who envisioned a day that would energise both grassroots rugby players and coaches ahead of the new season.
Leading the coaching programme was Warren Abrahams of Rugby Creative, providing specialist high-performance rugby skills development. He was joined by an impressive team including Tom Mitchell (UR7s), Stu Bradfield (Cardiff Blues Academy), Harry Jones (Gloucester Rugby Academy), Gareth Richards (Malvern RFC), and Malvern College’s own coaching staff: Rob Cook, Chris Pennell, Morgan Monks, Jack Hughes and other members of the College’s sports department.
Clubs in attendance included Ledbury RFC, Luctonians RFC, Bridgnorth RFC, Whitchurch RFC, Malvern RFC, Ross-on-Wye RFC, Cheltenham Tigers RFC, Longlevens RFC and Old Halesonians RFC.
“Rugby is a sport that fosters teamwork, self-belief and perseverance. It’s an ideal way to build character,” said Nick.
“To ensure the sport continues to flourish, we must invest in its foundations. This event was designed not only to inspire young grassroots rugby players but also to equip volunteer coaches — many of whom are parents themselves — with professional insights and practical tools to elevate their coaching.”
The day was carefully structured to serve both players and coaches. In the morning, expert coaches demonstrated core techniques—such as kicking, passing, movement, decision-making and tackling — to club coaches, who then applied these drills with their teams under expert supervision. The afternoon featured six tactical games, allowing players to implement their newly acquired skills in a competitive setting.
This dual-purpose format ensured that while players benefited from a rigorous pre-season session and coaches gained valuable knowledge and strategies to support their teams throughout the grassroots rugby season.
The Coaching Day followed a successful pre-season training session earlier in the term for prep schools, which welcomed 80 pupils from The Downs Malvern, The Elms, Moor Park and Kitebrook Prep School — reinforcing Malvern College’s dedication to developing young rugby talent and promoting the sport’s core values.
Buoyed by the success of this first event, Malvern College is already laying the groundwork to make the Pre-Season Coaching Day a regular fixture in its sporting calendar.