Scott Johnson officially launched the Ospreys Regional Coaching Association (ORCA) at Llandarcy Academy of Sport on Tuesday evening.
A brand new forum established by the Ospreys Coaching Development team for Level 3 and Regional age-grade coaches, ORCA will meet several times a year, with the aim of encouraging creative and innovative thinking about current hot topics within the game of Rugby Football.
Coaches from across the region took part in the first, three hour session, where Johnson had set the opening topic under discussion as 'The Driving Maul'...how to use it and how to stop it.
Attendees were separated into groups, and following some workshop activity, the groups presented their findings, which were subject to detailed scrutiny from Scott and the other members. The process was significantly enhanced by the contribution of leading WRU referee James Jones who provided a fascinating insight as to how the groups' proposals would be refereed.
The coaches present were then tasked with preparing a more detailed presentation for the senior Ospreys coaching staff which will take place within the next few weeks.
Tony Thomas, Coach Development Officer said:
"We are delighted with the success of this initiative. The contributions of all present were both constructive and of great interest. We are now confident that this will be the first of a number of such meetings."
Ospreys Director of Coaching, Scott Johnson, added:
"It was an interesting evening, and it was good to be able to talk in detail with some of the coaches from around the region in detail about a specific issue. It was certainly a worthwhile exercise, to see the way that the coaches think and work and I can definitely see the forum going from strength to strength. I'm looking forward now to seeing how the coaches present take their ideas forward for their presentation.
"As well as developing the best local playing talent, we are also committed to developing coaching talent at the Ospreys as well, and initiatives like this one will form an important part of the ongoing coaching development pathway that we are putting in place."