91Èȱ¬

Raise Your Game: Your role?

Andy Price: I'm the head coach of the British Army rugby team. We're preparing for our inter-service competition, in which we play the other two services.

RYG: How do you go about preparing for that competition?

AP: In the morning we do a fair amount of analysis. We've got a first-class analyst who records our games and puts it through a sports code computer. We can then analyse individual and group performances in fine detail. That allows us to maximise our potential, and to make sure that our output at Twickenham in May against the Royal Navy is as good as it can be.

After that the guys have some lunch to prepare them for training. We've got an expert fitness and conditioning coach who warms the guys up, then we'll do some specific training, looking at what lessons we can learn from the analysis of the last game. At the end we have a bit of a team run.

RYG: What is more important to you when it comes to a player, talent or attitude?

AP: It's got to be attitude every time. We're very lucky that we've got the best of both worlds. We've got really good soldiers who are professional in their career. For example, the team captain is a solicitor in the Army. One of our better players is an infantry soldier who fights on the front line. They come from a variety of backgrounds, but they all come together under the umbrella of rugby. They compete on a level playing field. Attitude is everything when you're looking for maximum efficiency and performance.

RYG: How good are the player's fitness levels?

AP: Very good. Soldiers have to be fit, but being fit to be a soldier is different to being fit to be a rugby player. Therefore we put great demands on them. We need to remember that they are soldiers first and rugby comes second.

We run our rugby in a really professional way. It's a professional organisation and a professional environment so that we can maximise the potential we've got.

RYG: For soldiers who want to become a member of your team, how do they apply?

AP: The Army Rugby Union is the largest constituent body of the English RFU. We've got somewhere in the region of 3,000 adult, male rugby players out of the 100,000 soldiers that are in the Army. There's a great pool of talent, and they start off by playing for their regiments. I'm a Welsh Guardsman originally, and I started off playing for my regiment.

My scouts and coaches go looking at regimental rugby. We've also got cup competitions, so we're out there scouting for players. The cream rises to the top and we identify the talent. We're also looking to identify people with potential and a good attitude so that they can fit into the team environment. Then we can try to take them as far as they can go in their rugby, as well as their military career.

RYG: Discipline must be very important to you?

AP: Absolutely! We're halfway there already. Being soldiers they're used to working in a disciplined environment. Rugby is enjoyable, but to try and play at the highest level you need to be disciplined. You need to look after your own timekeeping and fitness. The guys have to train in their own time, so discipline and attitude are essential. Much more important than talent.

RYG: The transferable skills you've talked about, timekeeping, discipline, focus, are they learnt as part of their military training?

AP: Being a good soldier is conducive to being a good rugby player. Being a good rugby player is, in my opinion, conducive to being a good citizen of the country. What I'm talking about are things like teamwork, effort, commitment and courage. You need all those as a soldier, a rugby player and in order to be a good citizen. A good man is going to be a good rugby player and a good soldier. We look for those values and morals in people to be part of our team.

RYG: Are there any parts of training that the players don't enjoy?

AP: It's important that the players have fun but I'm sure there are parts of training that they don't enjoy. A lot of the guys don't enjoy the analysis sessions because, when you're being analytical, you can also be critical. It's always meant constructively, and it's intended to get people to the top of their business. I tell them they can have fun on the evening of 3 May when they've beaten the Royal Navy in front of a massive crowd. Until then they've got to roll their sleeves up and work hard.

RYG: Is winning everything as far as you're concerned?

AP: Absolutely. Representative rugby is a ruthless business. To stay in the squad the guys know they need to perform. Like any sport, it's fun when you're winning. We have fun along the way, but we demand hard graft, commitment and effort.

RYG: How important is it to be mentally alert when you're playing rugby?

AP: You've got to be mentally and physically alert. That's why we demand high levels of fitness. If they're fit in their body then their mind stays alert for longer. The mental aspect of rugby at this level is massive.

RYG: Is rugby a thinking man's game?

AP: Absolutely. I say to my guys 'Rugby is a game for thinkers.' If you can out think the opposition, you can win.

RYG: Do you feel that there's a lot of pressure on you, being responsible for the Army rugby team's fortunes on the pitch?

AP: It's a very humbling experience for the coaches as well as the players. I've been on operations in the Balkans when patrolling has stopped for the day so the lads can watch the annual Army/Navy rugby match. I'm now very lucky to be part of the sharp end.

It's humbling to know that soldiers and sailors around the globe are watching. Last year we had a 14 point win over the Navy. Within six weeks nine of our players were on operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. We're missing four players who would be in this squad, but are still deployed on operations. A number of guys who were in the room today have recently returned from Afghanistan and Iraq. It's an honour to be part of it and we want to get it right for the people that it means the most to - those people that are watching it a long way from home.

• The Army won the latest final of the Inter-Services Championship, beating the Royal Navy 22-11 on 3 May 2008.