Munster Rugby – App-Based Training and Communication

“In the short time we’ve been using SkillsBase, we’ve certainly seen an increase in the player’s knowledge and understanding of the game. The app is allowing us to promote our best practice programs, including our cornerstones program, across the whole province to the players and coaches.”

-Keith Murphy, Former Coach and Player Development at Munster Rugby

WATCH THE FULL CASE STUDY VIDEO HERE:

PROBLEMS

Provide a mobile-based training app for Munster Rugby that is secure, reliable, and scalable

Provide coaches and players with a centralised tool with the latest training guidance

It took a lot of work to appropriately select, create or curate content for the right groups of coaches and players due to their experience levels and ages

Munster Rugby saw room for improvement in communicating with its age-grade players and coaches

Traditional messaging services have privacy concerns when communicating with large groups of players in a single chat

There needed to be data from traditional tools and content delivery services to show how often video/ PDF content is being accessed. It was falling through the cracks or being buried in a conversation thread

Existing platforms needed to provide a method of connecting players and coaches with a more modern learning method

SOLUTIONS

With SkillsBase, Munster Rugby could upload its content to a centralised system and add users quickly, making the onboarding process smooth and seamless

Remote pre-training allows engineers to learn at their own pace. Munster was also able to segment their players and coaches into the appropriate groups and lock specific content to each, ensuring everyone has access to what is relevant to them

SkillsBase assisted in digitising standard PDF and text-based training content into interactive bite-sized training content

SkillsBase also allowed Munster Rugby to upload entire training programmes spanning multiple weeks. It configured them to unlock and publish at timed intervals and automatically notify users when new content is available

Automatic notifications keep players engaged and on top of the latest exercises, training plans, and nutritional and well-being guidance

The SkillsBase platform allowed Munster Rugby to generate real-time analytics and reports as and when required

SkillsBase prevents Users from communicating with each other, and their data is not protected using industry-standard encryption

Coaches and players can communicate, upload photos and videos, and provide feedback on their development to Munster Rugby – driving the feedback loop

OUTCOMES

Munster Rugby can quickly upload training programmes in a single sitting and configure them to auto-unlock, saving resources and time to focus on other activities. They can manage all players’ and coaches’ Learning and Development on a single platform – onboarding users has been streamlined to be fast and efficient

With this, Munster Rugby can centrally monitor usage, confirm its content is engaging, and change if required

Coaches felt better supported and able to grow their skills with session plans located in the all and coaching materials at hand

The feedback loop allows Munster to update content in real-time

The player and coach feedback was overwhelmingly positive. They have informed Munster Rugby on how they are using the app and the benefit it has to them, and this has been proven by the level of player engagement increasing organically

Being Mobile-First, it’s the preferred, universally designed and accessible content delivery platform

Using SkillsBase, players can anonymously communicate with coaches for wellness checks, pre- and post-training check-ins and nutritional queries

The platform supports the management of squads and coaches’ learning and development through a streamlined onboarding process

why skillsbase?

“SkillsBase is allowing us to promote our best practice programs, including our cornerstones program, across the province to the players and coaches. The various features are beneficial, the interaction between the players and the coach with the feedback loop, the quizzes, and the surveys. What we thought might be very complicated to do, SkillsBase has provided an incredibly simple way for us to communicate and engage with more players. Players are more aware of the game in the Province by showcasing our Four Cornerstones and key training concepts (position-specific skills).”

-Keith Murphy, Former Coach and Player Development at Munster Rugby.