- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Neither Eddie Jones or John Connolly, and now it seems Robbie Deans, have really understood that actions will not necessarily follow words.
I would venture to say that before playing Ireland, the Wallabies were told pretty much told what to do, and most probably, what not to do!
When watching the game itself, it was hard to work out what individual Wallabies were doing; what they were trying to do as a team; what was ‘planned’ at half-time when the score was 6:6; and what was intended when players were brought off the bench after the 70th minute!
Two of Deans’ comments, explaining the loss, after the game were just as confusing: “It’s the nature of the game … and World Cup rugby” and “we got an education tonight.”
If my memory serves me right, there were similar ‘lessons’ to be learned after the 2003 and 2007 World Cup, following a game against Scotland and couple of years ago, then again, a game against England last year, and more recently, the game against Samoa.
Compare, say, the post-match call of Stirling Mortlock after the Wallabies were knocked out of the World Cup in 2007 by England: “Perhaps the occasion got to us,” with James Horwill’s comments last Saturday: “We didn’t deal with it… we needed to play a bit smarter.”
Likewise, I would nominate “we talked about it” as the most useless (and self-deceiving) comment ever to leave the mouths of players or coaches
Words of warning, encouragement, explanation or even, threats, are very unlikely to make a difference, unless specific actions and particular tactics are deliberately designed and purposely prepared.
Experienced players, particularly when headlined as super skilled and exceptionally talented, become vulnerable, for no other reason that they come to believe (usually without any self-realisation) what is being said and written about them.
To truly understand and effectively manage team or group action is not the easiest task for a coach or any leader, but big dollar salaries does place a rather strong obligation on those that are paid to lead and, certainly not to steer their players into an ambush with words about finding a “team culture” or creating “competition within the group”.
Talking sports jargon is almost always a sign of having being ambushed by the moment.
By way of comparison, last Saturday Ireland, by targeting the scrum and ferociously fighting for the loose ball (wrongly referred to by the commentators as “spoiling”), was obviously part of the planned group focus.
This is a classic example of how specific group focus can unite a group through setting up a common purpose – which is really quite simple, when you think about it!
When the Wallabies had to resort to a ‘kick’n’ and ‘flick’n’ game, another ambush was complete.
George Shirling is the author of ‘Exploding Sports Myths‘ which examines in some detail how Australia ‘imploded’ in both the 2003 and 2007 Rugby World Cups.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.