Coaches Corner

First of all, thanks for being a Rugby Coach! Clubs like Old Christians RFC simply wouldn't exist without your support and expertise, and we're doing what we can to support you.

Old Christians Rugby Club aims to create a safe and fun environment for all players. The kids are the heartbeat of the club and Saturday mornings at Rathcooney are special as families and club members mingle while their kids enjoy our game on our pristine pitches.

Below is a list of FAQs that most coaches may have. Support is always available to you should you need it. As an underage coach, your main points of contact are:

For youths rugby, Liam O’Brien
For minis rugby, Adrian Twohig
For girls rugby, Deirde Hennessy
Your Child Welfare Officer is Ellen O’Brien
Club President is Kieran Heaphy
PRO is Liam O’Brien - he'll help you spread the news about your team and is always keen for photos and updates from your team for the website -
Club Chairman is Donal Scully, who manages our club's executive committee who are responsible for the day to day running of the club, and its future development.

Safeguarding Vetting

First up, and most importantly, it is mandatory that all coaches and helpers for Old Christians Rugby club must be vetted and have their safeguarding training completed. This is a non-negotiable IRFU, Garda and club requirement.

All those applying for a vet will need to upload photographic and a proof of address (this must be dated within the last 6 months ).

In order for the vet to be processed the Child Welfare Officer must first club verify that all the information is there and correct.

Do the above through the Rugby Connect Website.

Please email Childwelfare Officer to inform them you have applied.

Email: cwo.oldchristiansrfc@gmail.com

Safeguarding Training

Munster Branch Safeguarding Training Level 1- must be completed by all coaches

Commonly asked questions:

When do coaching/matches normally take place for my age grade?

Saturday mornings is are dedicated to our mini teams. The U6/7, boys and girls U8, U9 ,U10 , U11 and U12s all train or play matches at 10am Homes matches should be arranged for these times. Some of the older mini teams (U10 upwards) may organize midweek training sessions too.

Speak to the minis or youths coordinator if you need more information.

How do I organize a pitch for my training or matches?

All pitch allocations for minis will be managed through the Minis Coordinator and all youth pitch allocations will be managed through the Youths Coordinator .

The Team Manager for each team will be invited to a Clubzap group where pitch allocations will be distributed. Regular training sessions can be accommodated with a regular pitch allocation. Matches may require more flexibility depending on pitch availability at the club.

How do I get gear (balls, cones, bibs) for my team?

Training equipment and game gear can organized through your relevant coordinator . Each team will receive around 6 appropriately sized balls twice a season. Bibs and cones generally need to be sourced via fundraising but please speak to us if this is an issue. Medical supplies are available. Speak to Adrian or Liam to top up your supplies.

The club does not supply jerseys for minis (up to U12), however OCRFC Rhino jerseys can be bought at the Old Christians Store.

Youths jerseys are provided by the club and will be washed after each game.

Where can I get coaching resources/drills for my age group?

Old Christians Rugby Club promotes the coaching of the “four cornerstones” of rugby: Catch, Pass, Tackle, Evade. All coaching sessions should focus on building these core skills, as well as creating a safe and fun environment for boys and girls to learn the sport of rugby.

The Munster Rugby website has a wide range of drills, advice and fun games to try out during your coaching sessions. The coaching resources page has both a “Minis Manual” and a “Youths Manual” that is very instructive. Take a look at this list of fun games for use at minis level in particular.

Here's another Munster Rugby playlist of useful mini games for.. minis!

If you need further advice or instruction, speak to your coordinator, or Senior Coach who is always happy to advise and give tips for your age group.

What training am I required to undertake as a coach?

All Old Christians Rugby Club coaches are encouraged to attain an Active Coach Badge (link). It provides a very useful foundation for coaching rugby. Any fees incurred in taking this course are reimbursed by the club. Speak to your minis or youth coordinator for more information.

How can I get access to the dressing rooms or clubhouse?

The clubhouse is open every Saturday morning as most of our mini teams will be in attendance from 9:30am. If you require access at other times, you can speak arrange with President or Chairman.

What do I do if there is a medical emergency?

Each team should have at least one coach first aid trained to deal with minor injuries or to advise on escalation. There is a medical kit in the clubhouse, however each team should be furnished with a first aid kit. Speak to your coordinator to find out more.

What are the child safeguarding requirements for coaches coaching mini and youth teams?

Each coach is required to be vetted via the IRFU process every two years. There is also Safeguarding Training required too.

The safety of our players is our highest priority. Ellen O’Brien is the Child Welfare Officer. We are currently building a page with extensive advice, escalation paths and tips for child welfare issues. It will be available soon.

You can view the IRFU’s safeguarding policy here.

Who is the child safeguarding point of contact for the club?

The 'Munster Rugby Coaching Mini Manual' and the 'Munster Rugby Coaching Youths Manual' are both excellent resources for coaches and give great detail about coaching young people.

You can find many more coaching resources on the Munster Rugby website.

Ellen O’Brien is the Child Welfare Officer. We are currently building a page with extensive advice, escalation paths and tips for child welfare issues. It will be available soon.

Where can I get the rules for my age group?

The 'Munster Rugby Coaching Mini Manual' and the 'Munster Rugby Coaching Youths Manual' are both excellent resources and have age grade rules listed. You can find many more coaching resources on the Munster Rugby website.

Speak to your club coordinator to find out more about rules and regs for your age group:

For youths rugby, Liam O’Brien
For minis rugby, Adrian Twohig
For girls rugby, Deirdre Hennessy

How should I communicate with my parent group?

Fixtures and training events should be communicated through the ClubZap app. Download the ClubZap app from your App store on Android or Apple and select Old Christians Rugby Club. Coaches should invite parents to their relevant chat group at the beginning of the season and all matches and training sessions can be organized from there.

If you have any questions about ClubZap, or need help coordinating your group, contact club PRO Liam O’Brien.

How do I find out about fixtures for my age group?

Mini fixtures are developed and organized by the "South Munster Minis Group" internal club group (on Whatsapp or Clubzap) that is coordinated at the start of each season. Head coaches will be added to this group for help and advice on organizing fixtures.

At minis level, each team manages their own weekly matches by contactin the opponent coach and aranging a fixture. Time and venues will need to be consulted with the Minis Group to ensure no pitch clashes occur.

Youth fixtures are coordinated by Munster Rugby and head coaches will be notified of their allotted matches.

When do all my players need to be signed up for membership by?

We require ALL PLAYERS to be signed up members by the end of September. Players who are not signed up for membership CANNOT play in challenges, friendlies or league games as they are not insured to be on the pitch. Please direct your players or parents towards the Membership Pages to sign up. There are considerable discounts applied to both Family and Starter Rhino membership.

In cases of financial hardship, please speak to any member of the club committee.

How do I arrange games or practice matches with other clubs?

Minis games are usually organized via the Minis Coordinator -. However, you can reach out to other local clubs to arrange side-fixtures. If you need a contact for a particular club, speak to Liam or Adrian, your playing coordinators, for help.

Old Christians RFC

Founded 1955