What the Springboks, Fiji & the NFL Learnt from Richie Gray About Contact

What can coaching the Springboks, Fiji Rugby, the Miami Dolphins, and some of Europe's biggest clubs teach us about contact and collision? In this episode of The Rugby Institute Podcast, I sit down with Richie Gray, founder of GSI Performance and one of the world's leading contact and collision coaches. Over the last 25 years, Richie has helped shape how players and coaches approach tackling, breakdowns, ruck contests, and collision skills. We discuss his Five Fights framework, the evolution of contact coaching, player development, coaching methodology, and the lessons he's learned from working across rugby union, rugby sevens, and the NFL. Whether you're a coach looking to improve your contact training or a player wanting to better understand what happens in the collision area, there's plenty to take away from this conversation. Topics discussed: The Five Fights framework Tackle technique and contact coaching Breakdown and jackal skills Coaching methodology and player development Working with the Springboks, Fiji Rugby, Toulon, and the Miami Dolphins Building better collision athletes The future of contact coaching If you enjoyed the episode, subscribe for more conversations with coaches, players, and performance experts from around the world. #Rugby #RugbyCoaching #TackleTechnique #ContactSkills #Breakdown #Jackal #Coaching #PlayerDevelopment #TheRugbyInstitute =========================== Connect with us! ============================= Tik Tok: ➡︎ @rugbyinstitute Instagram: ➡︎ @rugbyinstitute X: ➡︎ @RugbyInst =========================== #therugbyinstitute #rugbycoaching #defencedrills #pasingdrills Our mission at The Rugby Institute is to support rugby coaches in developing their skills, growing the game, and making a lasting impact on their teams and communities.