Ben Darwin, former Wallaby prop turned analytics expert, reveals how his company Gainline Analytics is revolutionizing our understanding of team performance through the measurement of cohesion. This eye-opening conversation challenges conventional wisdom about team building, showing that cohesion (shared understanding between players) is more crucial to success than many traditional metrics.Darwin breaks down the difference between culture (normative behaviors within a team) and cohesion (the actual on-field connections). Through analysis of 80,000+ games, he demonstrates how cohesion directly correlates with winning percentages across different sports. The numbers are striking - teams making frequent lineup changes after losses actually win fewer subsequent games than teams maintaining consistency through struggles.Most fascinating is the revelation that different positions require different timelines for cohesion development. Inside backs and playmaking positions need extensive shared experience to excel, while wingers can adapt more quickly. This explains why championship teams often feature long-established combinations in key decision-making roles.The implications for coaching are profound. Darwin's research shows it takes approximately 2.8 seasons for transferred players to reach peak performance in new environments. His data also reveals how the most successful teams in world rugby built their championship-winning cohesion through consistent selection, shared domestic competition experience, or stable national team development.Whether you're coaching at elite or grassroots level, this conversation offers invaluable insights into the patience required for true team building. As Darwin eloquently puts it: "Don't panic, it's organic." The teams that understand this principle and resist short-term fixes are those that ultimately build sustainable success. After listening, you'll never view team selection or development the same way again.Send us a textSupport the show
--------
1:05:09
Tony Brown: Rugby Man first, Coach Second.
Tony Brown's approach to coaching is refreshingly straightforward in a world that often overcomplicates the game. "I'm a rugby man first, then a coach second," he explains, revealing how his deep love for the sport drives everything he does. This authenticity forms the cornerstone of his coaching philosophy: create systems that are "easy to learn, simple to understand, but challenging to execute."Brown's journey spans the globe – from his native Otago and the Highlanders in New Zealand to successful stints in Japan and now as attack coach for South Africa's national team. Throughout these experiences, he's developed a counter-intuitive yet powerful approach to team building. While many coaches quickly replace players they deem inadequate, Brown takes the opposite view: "Give me the players and I'll coach them to be the best they can be, which then makes the team the best it can be." This philosophy was vindicated when he helped transform the Highlanders – considered the weakest New Zealand franchise – into Super Rugby champions in 2015.What separates Brown from many contemporary coaches is his skepticism of forced "high performance" environments. Drawing from his remarkable personal resilience – having overcome a severe childhood hand injury and later a life-threatening pancreas rupture during his playing career – he understands that genuine culture trumps rigid performance metrics. "You can train players hard and push them hard, but it's not through high performance standards, it's through your environment and culture that gets the best out of players," Brown explains.For coaches at any level, Brown's insights offer a masterclass in balancing technical expertise with human connection. His warning against what he calls "the coaching disease" – becoming obsessed with perfect presentations while losing touch with players – serves as a powerful reminder that coaching ultimately remains a people profession. Want to develop players who believe they can achieve the extraordinary? Start by being authentically yourself.Send us a textSupport the show
--------
59:02
Phil Davies: Inside the Mind of World Rugby’s Director of Rugby
What makes rugby's culture so distinct, and how does it translate across different countries and contexts? In this fascinating conversation, Phil Davies—Director of Rugby at World Rugby—shares wisdom gleaned from 35 years at every level of the game, from player to global administrator.Davies reveals the core elements that build winning team environments: "An environment of belonging where people feel trusted, respected, and safe." But as he explains, these aren't just platitudes—they must be embodied through consistent actions and behaviors. Drawing from his experiences coaching Namibia to two World Cups (including their historic first win against Uruguay), Davies offers remarkable insights about adapting leadership approaches to different cultural contexts while maintaining rugby's universal values.The conversation takes us behind the scenes of global rugby leadership, where Davies employs his "Three C's" approach—communicating, connecting, and collaborating—to balance tradition with evolution. He addresses the delicate balance between keeping rugby's gladiatorial essence while ensuring player safety, and shares why understanding a country's unique "DNA" is crucial for developing teams that local communities can recognize themselves in.Perhaps most compelling is Davies' perspective on coaching development and the patience required for meaningful change. "Sometimes people think it takes two weeks, but sometimes it'll take three months or three years," he reflects. His passion for technical coaching and developing what he calls a "tackle culture" throughout global rugby reveals where he sees the game's greatest growth opportunities.Whether you're a coach, player, or simply fascinated by leadership and culture, this episode offers powerful lessons about building environments where people thrive, adapting to different contexts, and remembering that in any endeavor, "The main thing is the main thing."Send us a textSupport the show
--------
58:24
Geoff Parling: High Challenge and High Support cultures
What separates good coaches from great ones? Geoff Parling reveals the answer goes beyond technical expertise to something deeper – creating environments where players thrive under pressure.Having transitioned from an illustrious playing career (Newcastle, Leicester, Exeter, England, British & Irish Lions) to coaching the Melbourne Rebels and Australian national team, Parling brings unique perspectives on leadership. He challenges conventional wisdom about what builds excellence, particularly in forward packs where the dark, challenging work happens.Parling's most powerful insight might be his approach to stress. Rather than removing it, he advocates for "growth stress" – like trees in a biodome that fall without wind to strengthen their roots. "High challenge with high support" creates the perfect balance for player development. Without challenge, players aren't equipped for pressure; without support, they can't rise to meet it.The distinction between consistency and persistency emerges as another key theme. While many coaches pursue consistency, Parling values persistency – the relentless pursuit of improvement. "The best people in the world probably feel like they're always chasing something," he explains. This persistent edge drives excellence more effectively than mere repetition.Perhaps most profound is Parling's belief that "a game of rugby should be an expression of how a player feels." This captures his coaching philosophy – creating environments where players not only understand tactics but feel empowered to express themselves authentically within the team structure.Whether you're a coach, player, or leader in any field, Parling's insights offer valuable wisdom on creating environments where people can perform at their best when it matters most. Listen now to transform how you think about challenge, support, and building high-performance cultures.Send us a textSupport the show
--------
56:39
Sam Vesty: Inside Finals Week. Joy, Simplicity & Team Culture
What does championship preparation actually look like? Two days before the European Champions Cup final against Bordeaux, Northampton Saints head coach Sam Vesty pulls back the curtain on his approach to cultivating a winning team culture.The conversation reveals Sam's refreshingly counterintuitive leadership philosophy. Rather than adding pressure during finals week, he focuses on reconnecting players with their childhood joy for rugby, even announcing the team using photos of players as 10-year-olds. "What would your childhood self want?" becomes a powerful reminder to play with freedom rather than fear.Sam challenges numerous rugby traditions, including the sacred "captain's run" before matches: "You spend all week prepping to make decisions under pressure and then take all the pressure away the day before the game." Instead, his team plays tennis, spike ball, and other activities that maintain mental sharpness without draining energy.Most revealing is Sam's approach to mistakes. "I'd rather be decisive and wrong than right" emerges as his team's mantra, emphasizing how hesitation kills performance more than occasional errors. He distinguishes between skill errors (celebrated as learning opportunities) and effort errors (held firmly accountable), creating an environment where players genuinely feel free to express themselves.The conversation explores how Northampton deliberately builds off-field activities that develop the same skills needed on-field – communication, organization, and connection. From surprising teammates at 1AM to having players share "My Life in Five Photos" presentations, these experiences build the authentic relationships that transfer directly to on-field performance.Ready to transform your approach to leadership and team culture? Listen as Sam Vesty reveals the delicate art of balancing technical excellence with the mental freedom that championship performances require.Send us a textSupport the show
Coaching Culture with Ben Herring is your weekly deep-dive into the often-overlooked “softer skills” of coaching—cultural innovation, communication, empathy, leadership, dealing with stress, and motivation. Each episode features candid conversations with the world’s top international rugby coaches, who share the personal stories and intangible insights behind their winning cultures, and too their biggest failures and learnings from them. This is where X’s and O’s meet heart and soul, empowering coaches at every level to foster authentic connections, inspire their teams, and elevate their own coaching craft. If you believe that the real gold in rugby lies beyond the scoreboard, Coaching Culture is the podcast for you.
New Zealand