New Research Maps High-Stakes Path For Elite Rugby Coaches

Leading sports researchers, in partnership with the IRFU, have highlighted the gap between coaches’ ability to meet intense demands of high-performance rugby union.

A new study, published in the Sports Coaching Review, provides the first comprehensive analysis of the high-performance rugby union coaching landscape, revealing significant challenges in employment, the complexity of job demands, and challenges for coach development.

The paper, titled ‘Finding a path – understanding the employment, demands, and preparation for high-performance rugby union coaching’, examines the transition into high-performance coaching in Irish Rugby to inform practices for the Irish Rugby Football Union (IRFU), the national governing body for the game of rugby union on the island of Ireland.

It highlights that the journey to the professional game level is highly competitive, and most coaches do not feel prepared for the role when they start.

In addition, given the complexity of the role, appointing coaches for the professional game will require a different approach than standard HR practice.

Among the key findings of the study were:

• Recruiters placed huge importance on credibility and reputation – qualities often tied to being a former player – over formal qualifications
• Former players at an advantage: Because building trust and status (‘credibility’) in the rugby world is so critical, former players start with an advantage that goes beyond their knowledge of the game
• Aspiring coaches: in contrast, tended to underestimate the demands of the role, focusing more on relationships and technical tasks than on navigating the politics and scrutiny of elite rugby

The paper was published by DCU’s Jamie Taylor, Áine MacNamara, Daragh Sheridan, Jamie Turkington, and Robin Taylor, and sponsored by the IRFU.

Among the recommendations of the report are:

• ‘Cognitive apprenticeships’, where coaches receive ongoing explicit support in the job are one of the best tools available to coach development
• Future research should continue to examine the realities of coaching in different domains so we can adequately help coaches do the job
• Longitudinal research is needed to better understand how resources develop over time and shape recruitment and progression

Dr. Jamie Taylor, lead researcher, from Dublin City University’s School of Health and Human Performance, suggested: “Our findings highlight just how difficult it is to prepare coaches to move into the professional game. They are essentially doing a completely different job to other levels of the game.

“For this reason, sport cannot uncritically adopt the norms of HR and expect to appoint better coaches. Our study shows how important it is to provide individually appropriate learning if we are to develop the next generation of high-performance coaches.

“We thank the IRFU for rigorously interrogating their work in this manner. It bodes well for the future.”

Jamie Turkington, the IRFU’s National Coach Development Manager, said:

This research provides valuable insight into the realities of high-performance coaching and reinforces the need to continually evolve how we identify, support, and develop coaches.

“Understanding the complex demands of the professional game helps ensure that our pathways and programmes are fit for purpose, and that we’re preparing coaches not just to survive but to thrive in these environments.

“We are committed to applying these insights to strengthen the future of Irish Rugby.”

The authors suggest that the findings offer a clear roadmap for rugby organisations to redesign their coach development curriculum.

This shift should prioritise immersive, contextual learning experiences, and place greater emphasis on adaptive expertise and psychosocial skills alongside traditional technical knowledge.