A Harpenden PE teacher is trying to convert rugby players into using a new training aid and perfect the art of the spin pass.

Herts Advertiser: The training aids developed by David Robinson of Gazapi Sport.The training aids developed by David Robinson of Gazapi Sport. (Image: Archant)

School sports director David Robinson has developed a rugby ball featuring a unique spiral design which gives immediate visual feedback of when a pass is in a perfect spin.

He created Gazapi after teaching rugby for many years, but becoming increasingly frustrated at how difficult players found it to master the spin pass.

Following extensive research, he developed a range of practice and match balls suitable for all ages using the visual aid.

He explained: “Having coached rugby to youngsters across all age groups, one of the hardest skills to teach and master is the spin pass. I thought if I could design a rugby ball which gave a visual representation of what the ball was doing in flight then we could have a good idea. The response and results have been amazing, youngsters can quickly see how a change in their throw impacts on how the ball behaves, in a very short space of time we’re seeing massive improvements.”

David, who works at a prep school in Bucks, explained his inspiration: “I have been teaching for 17 years and watched kids struggle to put their hands in the right place to pass the ball, especially if they were trying to pass the ball from their weaker hand. I was in Bar Azita in Harpenden for one of my kids’ birthdays and they had the red and white straws in the drinks. My kids were constantly twisting them and I thought that looks pretty cool, I wonder if i could put that on a rugby ball. I then went home and painted a spiral on a rugby ball and then started passing to my son to see how it would look.

“The results have been brilliant, as kids get feedback on every pass and it is extremely satisfying when you do a perfect spin pass. They also realize how poor their pass is from their weaker hand and want to improve so they can spin pass from both hands. It is the visual feedback that is so important, as they get to see when each pass is slightly off and can alter their pass to aim for perfection.”

Find out more about the balls at www.gazapi.co.uk and use discount code #hertsad for get 20 per cent off.