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Robin Heymann

The tedium of long-haul flights when travelling in-between legs on the IRB Sevens World Series can sometimes be partly eradicated by meeting interesting characters.

On a connecting flight from Auckland to LA back in February I ended up speaking to Dean Jennings, New Zealand’s skills coach and video analysis guru.

Prior to Wellington this year the kiwis hadn’t used much video analysis, purely relying on coach Gordon Tietjens’ masterful eye on the sidelines, with the coach furiously writing into that notorious black notebook of his – or what should be dubbed the ‘Unofficial IRB Sevens Bible’.

Having worked and played for Tietjens previously, Jennings knows exactly what kind of coverage and edits he needs to show him when preparing or looking back at games.

“Titch (Tietjens) is his own video analysis system with his knowledge of Sevens. He has an unbelievable skill of watching games and being able to analyse exactly what has happened. The analysis gives him the ability to look at anything he wants to promptly,” Jennings told me.

Jennings has experience with using technology in 15-a-side rugby with his main role as Bay of Plenty’s Player Development Manager.

“It can be difficult in Sevens as you don’t know after the pool stages who you will play,” added Jennings.

“Although I think it can be easier because the games are so short and more open, seeing what is going on is a lot easier than having to view what happens in 15s”. 

South Africa coach Paul Treu is constantly looking to gain inches through cutting edge methods and was one of the first in Sevens to wholly embrace computer and video technology.

With his trusty Macbook never far away, Treu swears by a programme called SportsCode Gamebreaker used to plot the downfall of opposition.

USA place emphasis

When it comes to use of technology it is perhaps not really that surprising that a country like the USA aren’t being left behind. American sports aren’t afraid of a stat or two and Eagles Sevens coach Al Caravelli is no different.

Out of many of the nations on the circuit when it comes to using video to analyse performance the USA, like South Africa, are not shy of pushing boundaries.

Drew Fautley is the side’s Manager & Video Coach and explains how the key to making technology relevant in this instance is to make it easily accessible to players.

“The overriding philosophy is to simplify the analysis to the point where the players understand it and it get out on the field,” said Fautley.

“Technology is as only as good as its users, there is new material and products in the computer world and we feel we can develop our own software whilst making it more simple. That’s the key.

"We present an override of video philosophy on trends and game plans. Did we execute? Did we not execute? What can we do better?"

Fautley was speaking in the aftermath of the USA’s most successful run in the IRB Series at Adelaide where they finished runners-up.

With coach Al Caravelli always keen to look at different avenues to squeeze extra performance, Fautley says players are encouraged to take responsibility in viewing their own play and that of the opposition also.

“We have a bank of laptops for our athletes to come and use. We analyse and we teach them how to use the programme and then they take ownership of their analysis. It’s an open door policy and help is available 24 hours a day for them to look at their games.”

Pre-Adelaide at a training camp, Caravelli made the 18-man squad split into three groups, with each of them presenting findings, from video, on their respective pool opposition. It’s a smart move which puts the onus and responsibility on the players to find genuine benefits.

IRB setting high standards

Many of these analysts will work closely with the International Rugby Board (IRB) at tournaments, with the governing body providing impressive resources themselves.

This isn’t just used for the benefit of the players, but also the referees, organisers, and the game of rugby as a whole.

IRB Game Analysis is the vehicle through which the governing body tracks, at any given moment, how the game of rugby is being played at the highest levels.

For the Sevens World Series specifically, computer software titled "Fairplay Analysis” is utilised throughout every tournament which provides vital feedback.

The information collated is then transformed into a statistical report post tournament which provides overall sevens data to individual teams.

Examples of things looked at from a team’s perspective success and approach at rucks, source, origin and build up of tries, passes and rate of passing.

It might not be my number option in the bed-reading stakes, but speaking from experience this kind of material is particularly useful and fascinating in dissecting why a team is performing in a certain manner. 

As-well as a statistical report, teams get further aid from a company called Hourglass with the global broadcasters, Proactive, providing immediate DVDs to teams upon the conclusion of a match.

A feed is given to various team analysts, such as New Zealand’s Jennings, so the matches can be scrutinised as they happen using computer analysis systems.

Referees helped also

“Analysis in modern day sports is increasing constantly as coaches and players strive to perform better and better,” says Rhy Jones, an IRB Analyst and ever-present figure on the Sevens World Series.

“We also work directly with the sevens referee manager and sevens referees - these are all developing referees so we provide statistical and visual feedback to improve their performances.”

“Thus computer video technology allows performers to learn and improve so easily as systems are quick, detailed and every statistic is linked to video. The use of video is vital as ‘a picture paints a thousand words,’ he adds boldly.

As we have seen previously on UR7s, in looking at how the advancements in fitness techniques, Sevens is constantly evolving and breaking down barriers and once again we have evidence of what an exciting environment it has evolved into. Times are certainly changing for this Olympic sport, I just hope Titch doesn’t stop adding to that ‘Bible’ of his.