Learning from the Best: High Performance Rugby Tour of the UK & France

Daniel England & Jed Gillespie

In November 2025, Director of Rugby. Daniel England and coach Jed Gillespie, undertook a professional development tour across the United Kingdom and France, immersing themselves in some of the world’s leading high-performance rugby environments. The purpose of the trip was clear: to observe best practice, engage with elite coaches and players, and bring back insights that will strengthen coaching, player development, and long-term program alignment at Easts.

Spanning professional clubs, elite academies, and international fixtures, the tour provided a rare opportunity to compare coaching philosophies, cultural approaches, and performance systems across different rugby nations.

England: Precision, Planning and Clarity

The tour commenced in England with a visit to Ealing Trailfinders (RFU Championship), where the group observed a Matchday Minus One training session led by Louie Tonkin. The session offered valuable insight into how a professional environment balances tactical clarity, mental readiness, and physical freshness late in the preparation week.

Standout themes included the efficiency of planning, clarity of roles, and strong alignment between coaching intent and player execution. The structure and purpose of the session reinforced principles that are directly transferable to high-performance amateur and semi-professional programs.

France: Physicality, Culture and Resilience

In France, two days were spent with Valence Romans (Pro D2), facilitated by former Eastern Suburbs player Ryan McCauley, and led by coaches Jonathan Wisniewski and Scott Newlands. This environment provided a strong window into the French professional model, particularly around physical preparation, contact tolerance, and squad management across a long and demanding season.

Training observations and discussions highlighted the importance of embedding cultural identity, resilience, and consistency into daily practice, rather than treating them as isolated concepts.

A further day was spent with the Stade Français Espoirs (academy) program, facilitated by former Easts Colts player Oli McCrea, and led by Kobus Potgieter and David Aucagne. This visit was especially valuable from a long-term player development perspective. The clarity of technical skill progression, decision-making under pressure, and strong alignment between academy and senior expectations showcased the effectiveness of their pathway model.

Premiership Insights: Academy to Senior Alignment

Returning to England, the group spent two days with Bath Rugby during a Premiership Cup preparation week. Working closely with academy staff and engaging with Martin Gleeson, Tom McConnochie, and Andy Robinson, the focus was on academy-senior integration, planning detail, and holistic athlete management.

A consistent message emerged around the importance of shared language, principles, and standards across all levels of an organisation, with a strong emphasis on developing adaptable, game-intelligent players capable of thriving in different contexts.

The final club visit was with Northampton Saints, observing their Thursday session prior to a game. Facilitated by Easts junior Charlie Ulcoq, the session was led by Director of Rugby Phil Dowson alongside Jaco Pienaar and proved to be a highlight of the trip.

The openness, clarity, and leadership displayed by the Saints’ staff fostered a high-trust environment with strong player ownership. Phil Dowson’s willingness to openly share insights around culture, accountability, and preparation was exceptional and provided powerful takeaways for leadership and program design.

Learning Beyond the Training Field

Beyond formal club visits, the tour allowed for meaningful relationship-building and informal professional engagement with current and former elite players and coaches. Conversations with Wallaby Josh Kemeny and incoming Wallabies coach Les Kiss, shared over a cold beer in Richmond ahead of a Test match, provided broader perspectives on international rugby trends, coaching philosophies, and player experiences across competitions.

The tour also included attendance at three international fixtures:

• Wallabies vs England

• Wallabies vs Ireland

• France vs South Africa at Stade de France

These matches offered valuable context for observing how coaching philosophies, skill execution, and physical demands translate at the highest level of the game.

Bringing It Home to Easts

Overall, the professional development trip delivered significant learning across coaching methodology, player development pathways, cultural approaches to performance, and organisational alignment. Just as importantly, it strengthened relationships within the global rugby community and reinforced the value of continuous learning.

The insights gained will directly inform coaching practice, program design, and long-term player development strategies within the Eastern Suburbs Rugby Union environment, ensuring Easts continues to evolve, innovate, and provide the best possible pathways for its players and coaches.