Slim down
‘The days of the bodybuilder-player have gone in rugby and the number of kilos you carry is less important. The game is much quicker now, so shed those five extra kilos if it will make you faster.’
Squat first
‘Legs are everything in rugby. You can have a strong upper body but if your legs are weak you’re wasting your time. If you can only work out twice a week, make sure you do some leg work.’
Use your body
‘Work on bodyweight exercises
such as dips, chin-ups, press-ups
and rope climbing for the upper body, and plyometric exercises for the legs.’
Don’t cheat
‘When performing any exercise make sure you go through the full range of motion. If you do a chin-up but don’t fully extend the arms on the downward phase then you’re only doing half a chin-up.’
Eat right
‘We drink protein shakes during and after training and carbs play a big part in what we eat. A lot of the boys eat junk food after a game but I turn a blind eye – as long as it’s just once a week!’
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