The USA vs Scotland Inspiresport Rugby Coach Education Experience

On a vibrant summer week in Washington, D.C., the inspiresport coach education event brought together 20 rugby coaches from 10 local schools, offering them a unique opportunity to engage with the sport and learn from elite professionals through inspiresport’s partnership with Scotland Rugby Union (SRU). The highlight of the two days was attending the highly anticipated USA vs. Scotland rugby match at Audi Field, but the experience encompassed much more.

Exclusive Access to Scotland’s Captains Run

The event kicked off with an exclusive invitation for coaches to witness Scotland’s private captains run at Georgetown Prep High School. This behind-the-scenes access allowed coaches to observe the team’s final preparations ahead of their match against the USA. This immersive experience gave a unique insight to the game day preparations for those at the highest level of the game. Following the captains run, the coaches had the opportunity to enjoy a special lunch at the Scotland team hotel.

Expert Presentations from Scotland Coaches

The day continued with insightful presentations from Scotland’s coaching staff, specifically Steve Tandy and Stuart Yule. Tandy, renowned for his expertise in defensive strategy, delivered a compelling session on defensive philosophy, and Yule followed with a presentation on strength and conditioning for elite rugby athletes. These sessions provided the coaches with practical tools and strategies that they could implement in their own programs. The day ended with a group dinner, where coaches could network and reflect on the day’s events.

The USA vs. Scotland Match

The culmination of the event was the highly anticipated match at Audi Field, where coaches were treated to complimentary midfield on behalf on inspiresport and the SRU. The atmosphere, coupled with the thrill of witnessing international rugby, was a fitting conclusion to two days filled with learning and inspiration. The game was played in humid and greasy conditions which led to a high turnover game with a number of errors on both sides, finally ending USA 7 – 42 Scotland.

Reflection & Future Coach Education Experiences

The inspiresport rugby coach education event proved to be a resounding success, providing local coaches with exclusive access to professional insights, meaningful interactions with players and coaches, and the thrill of watching a high-stakes international match. As these coaches return to their schools, we hope they took some of the learnings from this experience and can implement them into their own programs.

Inspiresport specializes in both team travel for rugby teams and coach education experiences like this one. With a number of major international rugby events coming up in 2025 (Six Nations, Lions Tour, Women’s Rugby World Cup), find out how inspiresport could enhance the travel and learning opportunities for you and your team.