Scrum & Lineout Progressions, Drills, and New Coaching Approaches with Hurricanes Coach Eugene Smith

In this episode, we dive into the engine room of rugby—scrums, lineouts, and mauls—with one of New Zealand’s top emerging coaches. Hurricanes U20s coach Eugene Smith joins us to break down video footage, share practical progressions and drills, and unpack some of the latest coaching methods being used at the representative level. Whether you're coaching grassroots or high performance, there’s something here for every rugby coach looking to sharpen their set-piece knowledge.

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0:00 Intro
0:40 What does good scrum shape look like?
1:50 What are we looking for?
2:44 Static Hold Scrum Primer
3:02 Power Extensions
3:35 Isometric Holds 1v1
4:25 Advice for a strong footing?
9:18 Chesting Out Drill - Tight Heads & Hookers Technique
12:06 Individual Sled Work
12:36 Mini Unit Sleds
14:00 North/South Drill - Live 2v2 Scrum Drill
16:20 4v4 Scrum Drill
18:20 Tight Head Training Extras
19:05 Dark Arts Tips - What can props to if someones cheating?
21:44 Do scrum machines have a place in rugby today?
24:30 Lineout Basics
31:36 Lineout Primers for Lifters and Maul Creation
32:31 How do lifters bind to jumper? High & Tight
37:45 Lineout Race and Competition Drill
29:13 Maul Drill with Pads
41:45 How do you bind in the maul? Crutch Grip
43:50 How do you create a strong team culture?
52:17 Player Pathways
58:30 What are coaches looking for in players?
1:03:13 Best piece of advice?
1:04:46 How do you give feedback?

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