DREAM IDEA THAT COULD SEE RYAN MAKE IT BIG

Dewsbury Rams' Ryan Sheridan has dreamt up a unique idea that could help tackle a problem area of rugby.

The Rams assistant coach and former Super League star has designed an innovative tackle shield that gets players into the perfect position to make a powerful, safe and legal tackle.

Players aim for a red 'hot spot' area and an angled overhang at the top of the shield means the tackler has to adopt the correct position and can't get into bad habits by going over the top and 'high tackling' it, which is dangerous and illegal in both codes of rugby.

Dewsbury lad Ryan said: "I've been working on it for a fair few months, always tinkering with the idea and refining it.  It came to me after a sleepless night and I got up and just started drawing."

"Me and some of the team experimented with shields, shapes and angles before I settled on what we have now."

After developing it further Ryan took his designs to Dewsbury-based sports protection manufacturer Centurion, who created some prototypes.

The design has been registered to protect Ryan's idea and anyone who wants to copy it would have to pay a license fee.

Centurion, based on Thornhill Road, sell pads, shields and post protectors and have this season become the main kit supplier of Dewsbury Rams.

"We've been working with Centurion for a couple of months now and the shields have just gone into production," said Ryan.  "A few big clubs have enquired about them and they've been sent out to Leeds, Hull and Wigan already."

"Shields nowadays are just used for protection on the training ground, but this teaches players the proper technique at the same time."

A DVD featuring Ryan could also be produced by Centurion to be sold along with the pad which shows how to use it correctly.

The Rams trained in front of the Sky Sports cameras at the Tetley's Stadium last Friday night and showed off Ryan's new invention.

First team players, who have been working with the pad for several weeks, compared it to an old-style pad for the TV crew with a long period of tackling practice while Ryan and head coach Andy Kelly were interviewed.

Afterwards Kelly said: "He's a real scholar of the game, there's only one Ryan Sheridan!  It's such a simple idea but it's difficult to describe.  When people see it for the first time they usually say 'why hasn't anyone thought of that before?!'"

Jack Osbourne, director of Centurion's parent company Primo Play, said: "It's great to have this strong relationship with our local club as well as with Super League clubs and international sides."

"Word is on the street about Ryan's new design and other clubs are interested in starting trials with the shield.  There's nothing like this being produced anywhere else - it could be a brilliant and fruitful partnership for both of us."

Source: The Press