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George North saw gremlins in 2015 pre-season running - now Paul Stridgeon aims to make Wales even fitter
Paul Stridgeon is confident of delivering the fittest ever Wales squad for the Rugby World Cup in Japan.
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The reigning Six Nations Grand Slam champions, who are on a record 14-match winning run, are heading to Switzerland and Turkey in the build-up to the tournament that also features warm-up matches versus England and Ireland.
Stridgeon, the vastly experienced head of performance who has also worked for the Lions, told WRUTV: “We have had a good run in the last year with 14 wins from 14 games and it feels as if we have been planning for this World Cup as soon as the last one ended.
“We know that whenever we get the boys we see an improvement in fitness, intensity training, how they flow and decision making. The longer we have them the better and this is the longest time in the World Cup cycle which is perfect.
“A lot of focus is strength and conditioning and we get a lot of weights in there with four or five weights sessions a week. Currently, we are focussing on speed work keeping everything nice and powerful.
Head of Performance Paul 'Bobby' Stridgeon explains how Wales are planning to arrive at #RWC2019 in optimal condition 🇯🇵 Bydd Cymru'n cyfuno hyfforddi ar uchder (y Swistir) ac mewn gwres (Twrci) yn yr haf. pic.twitter.com/WGFwfBoDXK
— Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) June 14, 2019
“We are integrating this with skills sessions with the coaches, static skills and a lot of hand-eye coordination work. In 2105 we went to Switzerland and that was our high altitude camp so we live high and get all the benefits of living at altitude and then come back down to train.
“If you train at high altitude your training sensitivity is heightened, so we go back down the mountain, train hard and then go back up to sleep. We then come back and have two games with England and then a week without a match. That is when we go to Turkey for our heat stress camp. In 2015 we went to Doha.”
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Head coach Warren Gatland has previously explained why he has chosen Switzerland and Turkey to prepare the players. He said: “The Switzerland one is altitude training, the idea is that we sleep high and train low.
“The players will come down every day to train and it’s about increasing the blood plasma and the red blood cells. We got some really good results from going to Fiesch in 2015, so we’re returning back there.
“As for the warm weather, we’ve looked at a really good camp in southern Turkey. It’s a new camp, the facilities there are outstanding. That’s where we’ll look to get some of the heat stress in pretty humid and hot conditions.”
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🏴 Here is Wales' 42-man training squad for the 2019 @rugbyworldcup, which includes two uncapped players in prop Rhys Carre and wing Owen Lane 🔴 Mae'r pâr o Gaerdydd wedi cynrychioli @cardiff_blues, Cymru D20 a D18 gyda'i gilydd. #HWFN pic.twitter.com/Om9fUxVAPP
— Welsh Rugby Union 🏴 (@WelshRugbyUnion) April 30, 2019
Lions wing George North remembers those Doha sessions. “It was pretty savage and it was horrendous to run in the heat for the bigger guys. It was the hardest pre-season I had to do.
“I went to places no man should go to and I saw gremlins when I was running! That is pre-season and you are not there for long. We are doing skills while fatigued.”
WATCH: Wales boss Warren Gatland’s unveiling as Lions head coach for a third consecutive tour
Comments on RugbyPass
You doing the same thing I disliked about the example of Samisoni Taukei'aho, Nick. He’s great the way he is, you’re trying to do what modern-day coaches frustrate me doing, turning everyone into the perfect athlete. Next thing you’ll be telling me you’ll bench him until he’s hit that arbitrary marker, and can’t overtake the current guy who’s doing all his workons. He’s a young Kieran Read, through and through, plays wide and has threat, mainly (and evident in your clips) through his two hand carry and speed. Just let him work on that, or whatever he wants, and determine his own future. Play God and you risk the players going sideways, like Read did, instead of being a Toutai Kefu. I mean I was in the same camp for a while, wanting our tight five to have the size, and carry ability, as the teams they were getting beat by. Now I’m starting to believe those teams just have better skilled and practiced individuals, bigger by upwards of 5kg sometimes, sure, but more influentially they have those intrinsic skills of trust and awareness. Basically our guys just didn’t know wtf they were doing. Don’t think I’m trying to prove a point here but hasn’t Caleb Clarke been in much better form this year, or does he just ‘look’ better now that he’s not always trying to use his size?
43 Go to commentsThe pack lacks a little in height for the line out and I wouldn’t be completely convinced by some of the combinations till we see it in action.
5 Go to commentsThe side is good but lacks experience. International playing bona fides udually trumps super rugby form for good reason. And incumbents are usually stuck with. Codie Taylor should start or come off the bench. B Barrett will start at fullback. Blackadder has not earned the position, Finau has. TJs experience and competitiveness earns him a starting role, Christie or Ratima off the bench
5 Go to commentsPretty good side. Scott Barrett should be the captain. Ethan Blackadder a great choice at blindside. He is going to go from strength to strength having made a couple of starts for the Crusaders. Scott Robertson rates him highly. Perenara could start a no 9.
5 Go to commentsI question and with respect. Was enough done over the last few years to bring through new blood knowing the Whitelocks and co couldn’t last forever. There should have been more done to future proof the team. New squad new coach, he and they weren’t set up well. IMO
6 Go to commentsJacobsen will definitely be in the 23
5 Go to commentsLots of discussion points, Ben, but two glaring follies IMO: 1. Blackadder at 6. Has done nothing so far this season to justify his selection. Did you see him going backwards in contact at the weekend? Simply has not got the physical presence at 6: we need a Scott Barrett or a Finau (or wildcard Ah Kuoi), beasts who are big enough to play lock, like Frizzell. If Barret played at 6, Paddy could be joined at lock by Vai’i or one of the young giants we need to promote, like Darry or Lord (if he ever gets on the field). Blackadder best left to join the queue for 7. 2. Not even a mention for Christie? Ratima gets caught at crucial times at the back of the ruck when he hesitates on the pass. The only way he starts would be if Christie and TJ are injured.
5 Go to commentsWhat a dagg in more ways than one
6 Go to commentsRegroup come back next year but sack some of the coaching team and don't be like the ABs last minute sacking. If Crusaders don't do well ABs don't do well.
5 Go to commentsProctor Definitely inform again this year had a hell of a season last year and this year is looking even better. Still mixed feelings about Ioane tho.
4 Go to commentsDagg is still trying to get enough headlines to make himself relevant enough to get a job. The Crusaders went back to square one at all levels. Shelve this season and nail the next one.
6 Go to commentsHe was in such great form. Sad for him but only a short term injury and it will be great to see him back for the finals.
1 Go to commentsAfter their 5/0 start, I had the Crusaders to finish Top 4 only…they lost the plot in Perth but will reload and back themselves vs 4th placed Rebels…
5 Go to commentsBoth nations missed a great opportunity to book a game that would have had a lot of interest from around the world. I understand these games can’t be organised in 5 minutes but they should have found a way to make it happen. I don’t think Wales are ducking anyone but it’s a bad look haha.
3 Go to commentsIt will be fascinating to see the effect that Jo Yapp has. If they can compete with Canada and give BFs a run for their money that will be progress
1 Go to commentsFollowing his dream and putting in the work. Go well young fella!
3 Go to commentsPerhaps filling Twickenham is one of Mitchell’s KPIs. I doubt whether both September matches will be at Twickenham on consecutive weekends. I would take the BF one to a large provincial stadium so as not to give them the advantage and experience of playing at Twickenham before a large crowd prior to the RWC.
3 Go to commentsvery unfortunate for Kitshoff, but big opportunity potentially for Nché to prove he is genuinely the best loosehead in the world, rather than just a specialist finisher. Presuming that if Kitshoff is out, it will also give Steenekamp a chance to come into the 23? Or are others likely to be ahead of him?
1 Go to commentsA long held question in popular culture asks if art imitates life or does the latter influence the former? Over this 6 nations I can ask the same question of the media influencing the thoughts of its audience or vice versa. Nobody wants to see cricket scores in rugby, as a spectacle it is not sustainable. With so many articles about England’s procession and lack of competition it feeds the epicaricacy of many looking for an opportunity to pounce. England are not the first team to dominate nor does it happen only in rugby, think Federer, Nadal, Red Bull or Mercedes, Manchester Utd, Australia in tests and World Cups. Instead of celebrating the achievements why find reasons to falsify it pointing towards larger playing pool, professional for a longer period or mitigate with the lack of growth in other nations. Can we not enjoy it while it is here and know that it won’t last for ever, others coveting what England have will soon take the crown, ask the aforementioned?
6 Go to commentsShame he won’t turn out for the Netherlands now they’re improving. U20s are Euro champs and in the U20 Trophy this year. The senior sides gets better every year too.
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