We are excited to announce our partnership with Cal Rugby, one of the most successful collegiate rugby programs in the USA. At AnalysisPro, we believe this collaboration marks the beginning of a new and exciting chapter in performance analysis for Cal Rugby. Our software tools, Nacsport Pro and Nacsport Hub, have become integral to their system, but this partnership is also built on the foundation of a long-standing, meaningful relationship between our owner, Jon Moore, and Cal Rugby’s Head Coach, Jack Clark and Associate Head Coach, Tom Billups.
A Partnership Decades in the Making: Jon Moore, Jack Clark, and Tom Billups
Jon Moore's relationship with Jack Clark dates back over two decades, when Jon was invited to join the USA Rugby team as a scrum coach. This opportunity came in the mid-90s, as part of USA Rugby’s efforts to elevate the sport’s profile in the United States. At that time, Jack Clark, serving as both General Manager and Head Coach of USA Rugby, invited Jon to a training camp in Portugal during the start of their preparation for the 1999 Rugby World Cup. Tom Billups, then a long-serving player for the USA Eagles, was also part of this initiative.
Before his work with USA Rugby, Jon had already established himself as the Welsh National scrum coach and player assessor, working under the renowned Welsh coach Kevin Bowring. Jon’s journey into performance analysis began during his time with Wales, where he collaborated with Dr. Keith Lyons, a pioneer in video analysis in sports. This early exposure to cutting-edge analysis techniques set the stage for Jon’s later contributions to rugby performance, which now benefit Cal Rugby through this innovative partnership.
From that point on, Jon's relationship with the American Eagles grew stronger. Jack, then the General Manager and Head Coach, shared his vision with everyone involved. His goal was to lay a solid foundation for USA Rugby to become a professionally run organisation, ultimately serving as the catalyst for the creation of Major League Rugby (MLR). Jack drew upon his own experience in professional American sports and sought out other influences to aid in this journey.
He was particularly interested in Jon's connection with Dr. Keith Lyons, an expert in video analysis. This connection led to a direct introduction to Keith, who suggested that USA Rugby representatives attend a conference at the Australian Institute of Sport. It was at this conference that USA Rugby was introduced to Sportscode—a software that, though not yet commercially available, promised to revolutionise workflows in team sports.
Breaking New Ground: The First Use of Rugby Performance Analysis Software
In 1996, Jon and Jack were part of the USA Rugby coaching team preparing for the 1999 Rugby World Cup. This marked a pivotal moment for performance analysis, as USA Rugby became the first international rugby team to use Sportscode. Jon remembers those early days clearly: "We were using Sportscode version 1.2 on a G3 Mac housed in a custom case, where the lid was the monitor. Our video capture device was the CapSure DC30—a game-changer for its time." This rudimentary setup laid the foundation for what has now become standard practice in sports performance.
These innovations allowed USA Rugby to gather real-time insights—crucial for their World Cup preparations. Mastering the new systems wasn’t easy. "It was a steep learning curve," Jon recalls, "not only getting used to the computerisation but also navigating the editing tools." Unlike today, where built-in features like KlipDraw make analysis more intuitive, creating team presentation videos back then required mastering multiple software programmes. Many late nights were spent juggling these programmes, while also engaging in strategic discussions with Jack and the coaching staff on how best to motivate the team and enhance performance.
FACT: Australia went on to win the 1999 Rugby World, only conceding 1 try throughout the whole tournament, with that try being scored by USA centre Juan Grobler. Video below.
The Evolution of Performance Analysis: From Early Dreams to Today
During their time together on the USA coaching staff, Jon and Jack often spoke about how video analysis could transform rugby. They envisioned a future where matches could be live-streamed, in-game data captured, and footage reviewed immediately—concepts that were far ahead of their time. These ideas became a driving force behind Jon’s work, both with USA Rugby and in developing the tools that would later become core to AnalysisPro.
At this time, Tom had an impressive career as a senior player for the USA Eagles National Team, where he played in the front row. After retiring from playing, he transitioned into coaching and eventually succeeded Jack Clark as the Eagles' National Coach. Tom's deep understanding of the game, combined with his early adoption of video analysis, significantly influenced his coaching style. Today, Tom serves as an Associate Head Coach at Cal Rugby, where he leads the team's video analysis efforts and continues to collaborate with Jack Clark to advance rugby performance.
Fast forward to today, and those dreams have become reality. While Cal Rugby currently uses Nacsport Pro and Nacsport Hub, these platforms deliver the same kind of cutting-edge analysis that Jon and Jack envisioned back in the 90s. The software enables real-time data capture, advanced video analysis, and seamless online sharing, ensuring Cal Rugby can maintain its competitive edge as one of the most decorated collegiate rugby teams in history.
Continuing to Build Rugby in the USA
Jon’s journey from Welsh national coach to USA Rugby scrum coach, and later to their video analyst, was about more than just coaching. It was about supporting Jack’s efforts to bring rugby into the mainstream. Improving on-field performance was crucial in making the sport more broadcastable in the USA. Jack faced the ongoing challenge of launching rugby in a market dominated by American football, baseball, and basketball, where visibility was key to growth. His efforts were instrumental in establishing rugby as a professional sport in the United States, pushing to get it broadcast and visible to a wider audience.
Looking Ahead: The Future of Rugby Analysis
Our partnership with Cal Rugby represents the culmination of decades of work, innovation, and passion for rugby. As we continue to support teams like Cal Rugby in their pursuit of excellence, we’re reminded of the early days when Jon, Jack, and Tom sat around a table, dreaming of what could be. Today, those dreams have come to life, and we are proud to be part of the next chapter in rugby performance analysis.
This collaboration is just the beginning. Together, we will continue to push the boundaries and help teams and players reach their full potential through the power of real-time analysis and data-driven insights.
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