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Australian Rugby Turn to Squash to Add Extra
‘Bounce’ to their Game
Top Australian squash
player David Palmer, ranked five in the world, has been called in by
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans to see how his rigorous squash training
methods can be utilised by the Australian rugby team.
The pair were playing
Squash in the Sydney Football Stadium Complex (indeed Deans plays A grade squash
in Sydney and so is no stranger to the court) and realised that many elements of
Palmer’s training regime and match play could be relevant to aiding the
Wallabies in their ongoing quest to be the very best in the world.
Palmer is renowned on the
men’s tour for his incredible stamina and fitness. In training he has been
known to complete the famous ‘beep test’ five times in a row, with just a
three-minute rest between tests – a feat any athlete would acknowledge as
gruelling.
It is this stamina which
Deans hopes to instil in his team, helping to avoid second–half ‘fadeouts’. "How
do you keep going when your legs are gone? That’s what our blokes need to learn,”
said Deans. However it’s not just the fitness, but also the mental elements of
match-play which he believes will help the team: “It’s actually great for
defensive technique as well.”
The move is testament to
the fact that Squash is an incredibly athletic game, and one that is also
tactically and mentally demanding. As the sport bids for a spot in the 2016
Olympic Games against six other sports it is a great opportunity for Squash to
prove its credentials as a top class sport, worthy of Olympic status.
As Palmer himself said: “Squash
is like playing chess at a million miles an hour, and unlike other sports you
have very little time to plan your next move. You need to be super fit and
drill yourself often in the rigours of the game in order to stand a chance at
winning.”
On his Olympic
aspirations, Palmer added: "I’m a sportsman. Olympics are the holy grail
for anyone in sport and I’m no different. I believe squash has so much to
offer, and the fact that other great athletes turn to it for their training
proves the fact. We really want in to the Olympic Games, and to compete there
would be just incredible.”
For bid information please
visit
www.squash2016.info
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