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Narration guidelines

Narrations are one of the most important inputs in RugbyCodex.

They do more than describe a clip for another human. They also help the system produce better downstream outputs such as:

  • extracted events
  • segment insights
  • key moments
  • player influence
  • coach explanations and Hear Coach audio

If you want better match intelligence, better narrations are one of the fastest ways to improve it.

Why narration quality matters

RugbyCodex works best when a narration explains:

  • who was involved
  • what happened
  • what the result was
  • why it mattered

If the narration is vague, the system has less to work with. That usually means weaker event extraction and thinner coaching output later.

What a strong narration sounds like

A strong narration is usually:

  • timely - it clearly belongs to the segment you are reviewing
  • specific - it names the action, unit, player, or area when possible
  • outcome-aware - it says what the result was
  • coach-useful - it captures why the moment matters
  • plain - it uses normal rugby language instead of rambling

Good pattern

Blue 7 folds late off the ruck, leaves the edge short, and the opposition gets around the corner for a clean gain.

Why it works:

  • identifies who or what unit matters
  • names the action
  • gives the result
  • gives a coaching angle

Weak pattern

Not great here. We are off.

Why it is weak:

  • unclear who is involved
  • unclear what happened
  • unclear what the outcome was
  • unclear what should be learned from it

Practical narration habits

Name the action

Say the rugby action first whenever possible:

  • carry
  • cleanout
  • tackle
  • kick chase
  • fold
  • reload
  • support line
  • pass
  • turnover

Add the outcome

Do not stop at the action. Add what happened because of it:

  • line break
  • slow ball
  • penalty conceded
  • gain line won
  • space closed
  • mismatch created

Add the coaching meaning

If you can, add the reason it matters:

  • right decision under pressure
  • poor spacing
  • great communication
  • late support
  • strong fold and reload

That final layer helps the later coaching explanation stay useful.

What to avoid

Avoid narrations that are:

  • too vague
  • too long for the segment
  • about several unrelated moments at once
  • missing the outcome
  • full of filler words with no coaching meaning

Also avoid treating the narration like a full essay. Short, clear, and specific usually works best.

Good and weak examples

WeakBetter
We lose shape here.Blue midfield disconnects after the second phase, leaves a soft shoulder, and the attack gets through the line.
Good carry.Blue 12 wins the gain line off first receiver and gives the next phase front-foot ball.
Bad defence.Edge defender bites in early, leaves the outside channel exposed, and the opposition attacks the space.
Nice.Kick chase stays connected, wins the contest in the air, and turns the next phase into pressure.

The quick checklist

When leaving a narration, ask yourself:

  1. Did I say what happened?
  2. Did I say who or what unit was involved?
  3. Did I say what the result was?
  4. Would another coach or player understand this clip from the wording alone?
  5. Does this sound like something the system can turn into a usable event or coaching insight?

If the answer is mostly yes, the narration is probably strong enough to help both humans and the product.

Where narration shows up later

Better narration improves:

  • Match Activity coverage
  • Advantage Flow confidence
  • Key Moments quality
  • Player Influence usefulness
  • segment insight text
  • Hear Coach audio quality

RugbyCodex user documentation