I’ve been involved in rugby for over 20 years and working in the game for over 9 years and counting. I also run a Personal Training business in the top gyms in London and Amsterdam since 2007.

Coming from London, I first discovered my love for rugby from my father which was reinforced with my secondary school PE teacher. They oversaw my introduction to training and playing. I joined the local colts club at Romford & Gidea Park RFC. When I came of age, I started playing for my father’s senior team at East London RFC where I played all of my rugby up until I turned 26.

At 25 I achieved my RFU level 1 coaching qualification and started outreach community coaching projects in the immediate area of the club. At the same time I coached our women’s team.

Premiership Rugby selected me to coach for a year in Brazil promoting and teaching the game in a part of the world where rugby was developing.

After a year in Brazil, I became the Head Coach of RC Innsbruck, Austria, playing in the top division. In my first season we reached the final!

This performance was noticed by the board of the Austrian national team who gave me my next role as Head Coach of Rugby Austria. It was here that I developed and formalised a process of intensive data driven game analysis. Most importantly, this experience taught me the practicalities of how data can truly be applied to the game in competitive rugby. That season we went from 85th to 74th in the official world rankings, beating Serbia, Slovakia and Slovenia. During this time I was also awarded my RFU level 3 Coaching Qualification.

Seeking more consistent coaching challenges, I then took on a role with the Dutch Premiership club Ascrum and coached them for three years.

I then decided to turn my focus on game analysis in response to growing demands from clubs around the world.

Post Covid, I also returned to playing, joining AAC in Amsterdam and played in the first team that got promoted back into the Dutch Premiership after a fourteen year hiatus.

Over the last two years I’ve also starting writing about rugby, focusing on the emerging nations in the sport with a desire to increase interest in rugby happening outside of the top ten nations.

If you’re looking for a Personal Trainer, coach, writer or analyst for yourself, your club or team, or just wish to get some more information, please contact me;

Jim Crick
Player, Coach, Writer, Analyst, Personal trainer