Ireland’s junior phases came with guidance on how much time to spend playing games and how much on physical work, after finding players were being rushed past things they had not yet got right. Physiologist Aidan McGuinness then measured heart rates and speeds across different game formats. An 8v8 on a full pitch met every fitness criterion, holding players above 85 per cent of their match maximum. Watch the full masterclass: Changing & developing a culture.
