Adam Beard, WRU Head of Physical Performance, talks us through a typical day behind the scenes with his department.
It’s the beginning of test week with the opening RBS 6 Nations clash against England in Cardiff lying in wait. The squad have been in camp for a week now gearing towards the tournament opener.
The day begins with an early start at the National Centre of Excellence (or the Barn as its fondly known) utilizing the facilities we have on site including the altitude and cyrotheraphy chambers.
After the days first session the players take the short walk to the hotel. On the entrance to the team room the players undergo their morning monitoring session with our sports scientist Ryan Chambers. They record their weight, mood, sleep rating and disclose any aches, pains or symptoms they might have. This information is then analyzed and fed back to me ahead of our morning meetings with the coaching and medical teams. The meetings allows the squad’s management to sit down and review the latest information and run through the day’s schedule.
Breakfast for the players sees an array of smoothies, porridge and hot options with a chef onsite to cook omelets to order. Each meal is overseen by squad nutritionist Jon Williams who ensures each player’s individual requirements are catered for throughout the day.
Following breakfast myself, Huw Bennett, John Ashby (our assistant strength and conditioning coaches) and Ryan will then head to the pitches or the Barn to set up the morning sessions in line with the session plans.
This morning was a mix of fitness, weights and skills, so a varied workload to set up and prepare ahead of the squad starting at 10am. By midday the sessions are over and it’s another round of Cyrotherapy before lunch. The sessions in the chamber are designed to help aid the players’ recovery, allowing them to train more often throughout the day.
Following lunch the afternoon session is out on the pitch, with the forwards and backs coming together for a joint, short and intense session. During training live analytics of players’ internal and external training load are recorded and analyzed. This information is then fed back to me and forms part of the daily review with the coaching team where we will sit down and go through the squad and individual sessions.
The squad will sit down for dinner at 18.30 and again it’s an array of high quality food prepared by our chefs at the Vale Resort to Jon’s requirements.
Once dinner and the review meetings are over it’s a chance to catch up with the emails and daily chores ahead of starting all over again with another session at 06.30 tomorrow!
