Leicester Tigers assistant coach Geordan Murphy said the squad's skills sessions have been "stripped right down" to basics as they attempt to improve on one of last season's Achilles heels.
Leicester created plenty of chances during the 2013-14 campaign but their inability to finish some of them cost Tigers dearly in the race for the top two spots in the Aviva Premiership.
The club's coaching staff have set out to improve that this time around and the former Irish international, who many people view as one of the most skilful players the game has ever seen, is at the forefront of those attempts.
"You have to learn to crawl before you can walk and then walk before you can run, so we have stripped things right back," he said.
"We have been catching and passing, and then the decision-making comes on top of that.
"They are all working on the skills they will be using during the season and they are conditioning hard too.
"It's a tough old time for them. Pre-season was a lot more 'old school' when I started.
"We went to Bradgate Park and we ran around until we threw up – and then we ran some more."
Murphy is now in his second year as assistant coach after a 15-year playing career.
He feels at home after putting his debut season as a coach in the bag and refreshed after a summer touring Vietnam and America.
"I feel more settled-in this year," said the 36-year-old. "My feet are not under the table just yet but I learned a lot last year and the coaches were very good.
"Paul Burke in particular was brilliant throughout the year.
"We want to perform better than we did last season because we feel like we let ourselves down.
"When it came to the crunch, we lost by a point in the semi-final and that was a bitter pill to swallow.
"We have re-grouped and we will try to do better this season.
"We have made some good signings and, hopefully, they can help us develop our game."
