Pro Tips

SAM VESTY OF ENGLAND AND LEICESTER TIGERS - INTERVIEW

LOR: Sam, how has your pre-season gone and are you injury free at the moment?

SV: Pre-season has been a very frustrating and slow one for me this year. I have torn my hamstring during a pre-season session and hamstrings are notoriously hard to shrug off – so I have done loads of rehab and upper body weights. The rest of the squad have had a good pre-season in general and all the newly signed boys fit in really well.

LOR: Last season you were involved in a rugby ‘penalty shoot’. How did you find this and did you prepare for the kick any differently?

SV: It was very exciting and at the same time very nerve racking. For the usual kickers it was obviously a lot easier as you just follow your normal individual routine which you would do for any normal kick. With the size of the crowd and the importance of the occasion I was under a lot more pressure and just had to focus on being relaxed and not rushing my normal routine. I just took what I practice on the training park and tried to block any distractions out of my mind and luckily for me I kicked it sweetly!

LOR: What is your normal routine and what advice can you give to young kickers?

SV: I just place the ball on my kicking tee in the direction of the centre of the posts and take a few steps backwards for my run up. I then take time to relax and imagine kicking the ball and the ball travelling through the centre of the posts. I then concentrate on standing tall and relaxing. Once I feel happy I take a slow run up and concentrate on making a good connection with the ball, striking all the way through it. In terms of advice I would suggest that you just find a routine that you feel comfortable with and to stick with it. The key is never to rush, even if it is from wider out.

LOR: What is your pre match nutrition and preparation - being a family man do you have to eat differently to them?

SV: Well I always keep to the same routine on a match day and I try to keep it very similar to any other day. I wake up at 7.00am and try to eat as much as I can. It is usually chicken and vegetables! I then eat again about 3 and half hours before which will be full of carbohydrates and some form of protein. As a family we all try to eat the same which is usually very healthy anyway. I will always squeeze in an extra meal at some point in the day but I will just eat what the rest of the family eats.

LOR: What are your thoughts on Liveonrugby.com and are there any final tips to the aspiring rugby players out there?

SV: Thanks for putting me on the spot! No, I really think the concept is fantastic, the game is forever growing worldwide and it is about time we have got a user friendly rugby website connecting everybody. By rugby players being able to contact clubs and clubs being able to contact players around the world it is only going to improve the standard of the sport. There is something for everyone at all levels and it’s free - so it is a no brainer! The only advice I can give is never to give up whatever level you are and support Leicester Tigers!