Super League champions' three-day training camp at Rydal Penrhos
Rydal Penrhos did a really good job for us. They went above and beyond in making sure we felt looked after and welcome. The facilities we got to use, in particular the indoor sporting halls and the gym were exceptional, and that really helped us have a successful camp.
It was wonderful to welcome St Helens RFC to Rydal Penrhos for a three-day pre-season training camp in December. The three-time defending Super League champions stayed on the School site and made use of School's newly refurbished fitness suite and swimming pool, as well as holding a training session on New Field.
Principal John Waszek received a signed shirt, while members of the School's Rugby First XV were presented with their kits by members of the squad.
The squad was also treated to an early Christmas dinner in the Ferguson Centre, before using their final day to take part in a special conditioning session on the beach that involved a bracing dip in the sea!
We had the chance to chat to captain James Roby about the squad's experiences during Covid, who told us about all the changes that have happened since Covid emerged in spring 2020. They've got used to wearing masks all the time when they're inside, including in team meetings and when watching video footage.
During lockdown, training sessions were held over Zoom and players trained in their gardens. And while St Helens is fortunate enough to own their own stadium, the club's income has been hugely affected.
The stadium is now in dual use as a mass vaccination centre for Merseyside. The players are still training there, James told me, although a clever set-up means they don't cross paths with NHS staff. At the height Covid, the concourse itself became both changing room and lunch room, as it was too risky for players to spend much time indoors.
Later, James reflected on some of the technological changes he's seen in the sport since he was a young player. Players now have GPS chips implanted in their shirts that provide running statistics from their training sessions, while waist-straps monitor biometric data such as heart rate, and gum guards register the force that player are subject to during contact training. All this makes possible a data-driven approach to training, which James summed up as 'training smarter rather than harder'.
James Roby, named as the Rugby League Writers' Player of the Year in 2018
Despite his incredible career, James Roby was incredibly down-to-earth and humble. Thank you so much for chatting to me, James!
You can view St Helens' video of the camp here and a photo gallery here.
