Articles
Nick Bishop Here's what Nick thinks...
About Nick Bishop
Nick has worked as a rugby analyst and advisor to Graham Henry (1999-2002), Mike Ruddock (2004-2006) and latterly Stuart Lancaster (2011-2015). He also worked on the 2001 British & Irish Lions tour to Australia and produced his first rugby book with Graham Henry at the end of the tour. Since then, three more rugby books have followed, all of which of have either been nominated for, or won national sports book awards. The latest is a biography of Phil Larder, the first top Rugby League coach to successfully transfer over to Union. It is entitled “The Iron Curtain”. Nick has also written or contributed to four other books on literature and psychology.
“He is currently writing articles for The Roar and The Rugby Site, and working as a strategy consultant to Stuart Lancaster and the Leinster coaching staff for their European matches.”
Nick Bishop's latest articles
When is a knock-on not a knock-on?If the ball goes forward off, it is a knock-on and a scrum to the opposition, right? Well not always the case as Analyst Nick Bishop highlights in this week’s analysis.
What does economy at the cleanout really look like?The new ruck guidelines have accelerated the blurring of boundaries between ball-winners and ball-users, contact ‘grunts’ and mercurial play-makers.
Analyst Nick Bishop illustrates the effect it has on different positions and the game.
Why does defence look so different in the modern era?Why is there a need to keep pace in the observation, and explanation of the game of Rugby? Many of the understandings in the game still derive from the amateur era, or the early days of professionalism. Nick Bishop uses modern defences as an example in this week’s analysis.
Why Rugby is creeping into the grey area at ruck and maulProfessional coaches spend an awful lot of time looking for loopholes, or grey areas within the rugby lawbook which they feel they can exploit. Analyst Nick Bishop looks at the latest evidence of Lawbook loophole occurring in the English premiership.
Who won the joust of styles at number 9 in Paris? – Part 2In Part 2 of how the different No 9 styles can work in harmony with the new breakdown guidelines, Nick Bishop examines the mechanics of the outstanding All Black’s distributing No 9 Aaron Smith’s style of play.
Who won the joust of styles at number 9 in Paris? – Part 1Nick Bishop examines the mechanics of how the different No 9 styles can work in harmony with the new breakdown guidelines. Part 1 of 2 articles focuses on the strong and powerful French No 9 Antoine Du Pont’s style of play.
How to take the short-cut to success off first receiverThe flat or short ball to the ‘forward’, and the ball out of the back door to another back-line distributor, which is more productive? Nick Bishop adds some weight to the ‘forward’ ball in this week’s article.
Is the full-back position about to get upsized? Part 2In part 2 of this series, with the pre-dominance of kicking, Nick considers the movement towards full-backs who offer more physical reassurance in the air and on the counter.
Is the full-back position about to get up-sized? Part 1Kicking ability out of hand and off the tee is this week’s focus in the 1st of 2 articles, as Analyst Nick Bishop looks at ways in which the full-back spot is looking towards a considerable upsizing in the professional game.
How to swing for the fences: goal-kicking and the golf gameHow are the golf swing and goal kick connected? Analyst Nick Bishop looks at the effect top golf and kicking coach Dave Alred has had in the crossover between the golf swing and goal-kick in rugby.
