The 4-Step Model to Assess and Evaluate Lineouts | Lions Coach - Bernie Upton

Today we’re joined by Bernie Upton — former professional rugby player and high-performance coach — as he breaks down his 4-step model for assessing and evaluating lineouts.

Bernie shares insights from over a decade playing with Bay of Plenty, the Chiefs, the Hurricanes, Connacht, and Toshiba, learning from top coaches like Joe Schmidt, Vern Cotter, Warren Gatland, and Ian Foster. Since moving into coaching, he’s developed a reputation for building smarter lineout systems, clear processes, and accountable, high-performing teams.

In this session, Bernie walks us through:

How to assess your lineout strengths and weaknesses

The 4-step framework he uses to evaluate lineouts at elite level

How to turn lineout analysis into real performance improvements

Practical insights coaches can use to create clarity and accountability in their own teams

If you coach rugby, analyze performance, or just want to understand how elite teams evaluate and improve lineouts, this video is packed with high-value coaching gold.

Timestamps:
0:00 – Introduction
2:15 – Bernie’s playing career & learning from top coaches
6:30 – What makes a lineout successful at pro level
12:45 – The 4-step lineout evaluation model
22:00 – How to identify weaknesses and improve performance
30:10 – Key takeaways for coaches

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