RATHBONE: Experience means everything in Super Rugby finals
Columnist 
The Reds got up over the Brumbies, but can they make the 2012 Super Rugby finals? (AAP Image/Alan Porritt)
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There is something different about playing in finals. The toughest parts of the game get tougher, the intensity of every contest soars, and the margin for error narrows.
Experience counts for a lot in finals football.
I remember running out onto a wet and howling Hamilton field to face the Chiefs. The game would decide if the Brumbies hosted a semi-final.
For those who’ve not experienced a rugby match at Waikato’s home of rugby, I can assure you that it is unique in world rugby.
It’s a small stadium by modern standards, but it’s built ominously close to the field. The wind screams over the low stands and cuts into you from the second you hit the field.
And the noise, oh the noise!
It is quite literally deafening.
Cowbells and chainsaws (yes, people in the crowd with cowbells and chainsaws) come together to produce a bizarre reverberation that seems to assault the senses from every angle.
Standing not two meters from teammates, I had no idea what was being said.
The younger, less experienced members of the team seemed all to have the ‘deer in the headlights’ look blanked across their faces.
Fortunately, we were surrounded by a core of experienced players, many of them 1999 World Cup winners.
They knew what to say, and more importantly, they knew what to do. The rest of us took our cues from them and we managed to turn the match in our favour.
As we head into the finals in 2012, experience will again be key. No team or player performs well under pressure. Instead, the best teams are able to remove the pressure from the situation in order to perform.
Loving the challenge is key. Being motivated rather than daunted by the occasion is vital, too.
Now that my team is out of the finals, I’ll be joining the rest of the Aussie supporters in getting behind the Reds in a big way.
They have the ability to win the competition.
Crucially, they have the right mix of experience and talent and they are peaking at just the right time.
Something tells me they could be heading to Waikato to face some chainsaws next week.
Former Wallaby Clyde Rathbone has returned to Super Rugby with the ACT Brumbies, following an injury-forced retirement from all forms in 2009. He writes guest columns for The Roar, and will blog his journey back to professional rugby in 2013.
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July 21st 2012 @ 4:17am
Aaron said | July 21st 2012 @ 4:17am | Report comment
Do you feel any loyalty at all towards SA Clyde? Why would you not want to get behind the three SA teams as well? I really don’t understand how some people can just forget their country of birth the way you seem to have done so.
July 21st 2012 @ 4:50am
The Werewolf said | July 21st 2012 @ 4:50am | Report comment
What a horrible comment to make. Last time i checked people are free to support whom ever they like.
July 21st 2012 @ 5:31am
David said | July 21st 2012 @ 5:31am | Report comment
Why is it a ‘horrible’ comment?
I agree Rathbone is free to support whoever he wants to.
Did Aaron say he wasn’t?
But Aaron is not being unkind. He is also free to speak his mind.
Many South Africans emigrate and become ‘pain in the ass’ former Saffers
Clearly not a road Rathbone has gone down at all.
Clyde Rathbone played for the Sharks and its understandable to ask if he had any affection left for his former team.
I think Aaron is being overly patriotic but he is hardly being tasteless, horrible or anything like that
If you consider many other nationalistic Aussie, SA and Kiwi comments on this board (admittedly way better than the Keo board) this one doesn’t even make the top 100
Is there perhaps a reason why you chaps are needlessly defending Clyde?
July 21st 2012 @ 7:39am
Kuruki said | July 21st 2012 @ 7:39am | Report comment
David. It is a “horrible comment” because it was not a genuine question, it was just a dig at Rathbone by a disgruntled South African supporter.
I understand both of you will try to justify it being a genuine question, but we are not fools, so don’t waste your time.
July 21st 2012 @ 8:20am
Turnover said | July 21st 2012 @ 8:20am | Report comment
Well said.
July 21st 2012 @ 10:04am
Black Rock said | July 21st 2012 @ 10:04am | Report comment
Aaron’s question has some minor merit in a way, albeit asked crudely. However to expect Clyde to support all the South African teams is not logic. He is after all an Australian resident who played for the Wallabies. However seeing that Clyde grew up and started to play the game in Natal and started his career with the Sharks one would think that he has a much stronger link to them rather than the Reds from Queensland, a team that he never played for and an area that he never lived in. For reasons only known to him, it seems Clyde is trying at every opportunity to put the maximum distance between himself and his roots and that is why he is still so unpopular in South Africa. I am however a great admirer of the way he played the game and his writing, which gives insight into what is happening at the core.
July 21st 2012 @ 11:03am
David said | July 21st 2012 @ 11:03am | Report comment
You didn’t read my post very well.
# I didn’t support Aaron’s opinion. In fact I disagree with him
# I said that his question was not unkind or tasteless.
If Aaron feels that way that’s ok.
Blind nationalism often rears ts hand on this board in which people make unkind generalizations about people and they don’t get picked out.
This minor one gets picked up on?
July 21st 2012 @ 12:22pm
post said | July 21st 2012 @ 12:22pm | Report comment
It’s a horrible post because its extremely personal and has literally nothing to do with the article. I would think this should be obvious to anyone with any sense of social etiquette.
July 21st 2012 @ 12:37pm
David said | July 21st 2012 @ 12:37pm | Report comment
Dear post
Next time someone is off topic or makes an unkind, generlalisation about ant country’s people I trust you will pick them out?
As mentioned before this one is minor compared to what I have seen on this board
July 21st 2012 @ 11:06pm
Post said | July 21st 2012 @ 11:06pm | Report comment
I’d suggest you read my post over again, because I didn’t mention generalizations AT ALL. I don’t care one bit about the generalizations (and I have literally no idea why you think that I do). I guess I’ll just repeat myself: The post was horrible because of the question was extremely personal and off topic. I don’t know how to make that any more clear.
July 23rd 2012 @ 3:04pm
Marshall Brentnall said | July 23rd 2012 @ 3:04pm | Report comment
Well said Kuruki and Turnover.
July 21st 2012 @ 3:02pm
nickoldschool said | July 21st 2012 @ 3:02pm | Report comment
nice post David.
July 21st 2012 @ 5:29am
Post said | July 21st 2012 @ 5:29am | Report comment
What a tastelessly personal question to ask. Clyde had a lengthy response to someone just a couple weeks ago when someone tried calling him out on this subject but in a much more confrontational way. It’s frankly none of our business, but he does have Australian heritage and he seems to have had far more opportunity and a safer environment for his family in Australia as well. IMO far better reasons for supporting a country than just happening to be born there.
July 21st 2012 @ 10:07am
Morgan said | July 21st 2012 @ 10:07am | Report comment
Well said Post.
July 21st 2012 @ 6:01am
sixo_clock said | July 21st 2012 @ 6:01am | Report comment
Rooineks can and do act in an intelligent and considered way to change. For them the alternative is not an option but for others it produces headaches and tasteless questions like the one you posited. As a former southern african I too have fully adopted this country and most of its values despite having some Boer blood in my veins. Now if I can only get them to play Rugby hard, fast skillfully and smartly WE CAN RULE THE WORLD….!!! Ooops.
July 21st 2012 @ 6:11am
moaman said | July 21st 2012 @ 6:11am | Report comment
July 21st 2012 @ 9:11am
Rath said | July 21st 2012 @ 9:11am | Report comment
Hi Aaron,
Sigh…
The Reds Team contain a number of players who have been teammates of mine over the years at Wallaby and Brumby level. I know these guys personally and it would be deeply irrational to support a team based solely on the fact they happen to originate from the county that I was born in. I have an affinity for the Sharks but I’ll back my mates before a jumper any day of the week.
I spent my childhood in SA and almost my entire adult life in Australia. I feel no need to brand myself based on where I was born and I’m fortunate to have been influenced by all the places I’ve lived. I’m not a fan of nationalism in general for the fact that it’s another way to group individuals for senseless reasons. Flag waving blind loyalty is ignorance packaged as patriotism.
Cheers,
Rath
July 21st 2012 @ 11:48am
Scot Free said | July 21st 2012 @ 11:48am | Report comment
Well said, Rath. I guess the fact that some editor has apparently changed the word “deafening” to
“defining” in your article must be fairly annoying too. Don’t worry; There are plenty of us who enjoy
reading your stuff. Go the Reds!
July 21st 2012 @ 12:03pm
Mella said | July 21st 2012 @ 12:03pm | Report comment
“Flag waving blind loyalty is ignorance packaged as patriotism” another gem from Rath, this guy should be picked up by a major media group or broadcaster, the Roar is getting lucky here.
July 21st 2012 @ 7:26am
Turnover said | July 21st 2012 @ 7:26am | Report comment
It’s incredibly rude and short sited of people to question Clyde on why he doesn’t support South Africa. He has explained himself on the roar recently as to why he moved here. That was more than enough insight into his personal life.
His personal circumstances are not for anyone to even comment on. Furthermore if he came on here and actively supported South Africa, half of you would question why he wore the green and gold.
He is as Australian as anyone, move on and enjoy the insight he brings to the roar.
July 21st 2012 @ 9:12am
Tembavj said | July 21st 2012 @ 9:12am | Report comment
Aaron take it from a boertjie, let it rest this horse has been flogged to death, it just opens the door for negative SA rants which I am tired of too.
Clyde can support who he wants, I am more interested in his inside views and well written articles. As far as I know he is not bagging SA rugby (though SARU deserves it) and that is good enough for me.
I cant stand the Crusaders and happen to be a bulls/rebels supporter, I live in Aus so support the Wallabies unless they play the boks… some roots are simply set to deep to be forgotten.
Perhaps Clyde wanted his hands on the ball a little more, SA wingers tend to not get much running action. What ever his reason its his.
I would rephrase Aarons question out of interest, if you had to choose an SA side Clyde, who would you like to see win it?
July 21st 2012 @ 11:49am
steve.h said | July 21st 2012 @ 11:49am | Report comment
I can’t believe everyone has written the bulls off so easily
July 21st 2012 @ 12:09pm
biltongbek said | July 21st 2012 @ 12:09pm | Report comment
Steve the Bulls have not had a great season, they have been very inconsistent in the las part of the tournament, losing four of their last six matches, their history also shows how easily the Crusaders have dispatched them away from home.
Their record in the Antipodes is only marginally better than the Cheetahs. Although the Crusaders may have looked off their game a few times this season, the Bulls have shown they struggle against teams who can match them up front, and the reality is the Bulls pack has gone soft, The Bulls front row in particular is in my view probably the weakest front row of all the SA franchises, their backline needs front foot ball more than any other team, and Steyn is in poor form, playing against Dan the man.
Little chance in my opinion.
July 21st 2012 @ 2:31pm
steve.h said | July 21st 2012 @ 2:31pm | Report comment
I just learnt the hard way don’t write the Bulls off to early. They know how to play finals football and have an annoying ability to pitch up for the big games.
They are by no means favourites but I don’t think the Saders winning the game is a sure thing. I agree the Bulls front row is terrible, which makes it all the more perplexing that Werner Kruger was even considered for the Boks.
July 21st 2012 @ 12:09pm
biltongbek said | July 21st 2012 @ 12:09pm | Report comment
Duplicate.
July 21st 2012 @ 10:08am
Johnno said | July 21st 2012 @ 10:08am | Report comment
Well in someways is it an unreasonable comment. Let’s ask James Tamou who he supports , turncoat Tamou, or Quade cooper, or that other turn coat karmechial Hunt or Ben T’eo or maybe soon to be maroon an aussie prop sam kasiano if he also joins the maroons and Australia.
-Or should i go further Digby Ioane, South african born dan vickerman who like clyde played some junior rugby for south african rep teams. Or should we ask Dave Pocock too, or Timani born in Tonga.
-Or should we ask the kiwis about grannygate Nathan Fien, or Frank pritichard.
-Or ask QLD about Greg Inglis, and Sam Thaiday both born in NSW, or Isreal Folau, born in sydney.
-Clyde Rathbone was seen as a future springbok captian even and was seen as the best centre talant since danny Gerber. When he played his 1st test in South Africa in durban for the wallabies he got one of the most massive booings ever matching Quade coopers treatment in the Eden Park semi final, and James Tamou’s treatment at eden park this year for the kangaroos vs the kiwis.
There are a lot of turncoats in pro sport. Was it horrible the treatment Quade cooper received at the rugby world cup, i would say no.
James Tamou copped it at eden park this year. Before all you queenslanders start saying it is a horrible comment Aoran made you should look at your own poaching record. Clyde wasn’t nessiecairly poached but he like Dan vickerman had a choice, and same with turncoat tamou and Qaude cooper had a choice to play for NZ, and they chose Australia, just as born and bred new south wleshman greg inglis had a choice but he chose maroon over blue.
July 21st 2012 @ 10:30am
Brendon said | July 21st 2012 @ 10:30am | Report comment
Anyway, back on the point of the story… I think the big game experience will certainly help the reds.. The sharks have choked a lot at this end of the season even tho they are a very quality side. I think it will be too much for them at suncorp. The bulls will struggle too because of the crusader big game experience. The bulls had it but their biggest names are no longer there to pull the strings.. The chiefs may struggle next week if it is against the reds, and I think the crusaders have the edge on the stormers mentally, but that is if both games go the way I am betting.. Bring on the rugby!!
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July 21st 2012 @ 11:10am
David said | July 21st 2012 @ 11:10am | Report comment
I think Clyde makes an interesting point re experience. Sometimes we fanatical fans forget the players aren’t robots…they’re human.
And even though they often show the competitiveness and mental strength to play a full season with injury that would stop many of us from making it to our desk job, these elite players are not immune from the paralysing fear of failure and self doubt. Despite all the media training, Kurtley Beale couldn’t hide his nerves before his return test match against Wales. What role these emotions played in his poor (by his standards) performance only he knows, but it just goes to show another aspect of what makes the true greats great.
I imagine Clyde was referring to Gregan, Mortlock et al in the Waikato game. Truly hard men in the mental sense. I’d put Waugh and Matfield in that bunch, and Genia and Pocock among the new crop of stars.
July 21st 2012 @ 11:46am
biltongbek said | July 21st 2012 @ 11:46am | Report comment
I would agree experience is vital, but have often wondered whether the type of experiences can’t count against a player. Gary Kirsten was asked upon his appointment on why the Proteas always choked in ICC events and how they could overcome that.
His response was, a team with experienced players can overcome those issues as the player with experience had been in situations before where they had to react in a certain manner, or upon a certain play and will know how to react if the same situation cropped up again.
Question for me though has always been. Some of our players have been at these ICC events numerous times before and yet still fail.
So I guess it depends on how successful those experiences have been.
When you look at the All Blacks’ history over world cups, the same comparison can be used as with the Protea team.
So what changed for them?
Is it quantiifiable?
I have also wondered whether with some players the “ignorance is bliss” theory doesn’t apply.
When you go into your first finals match, are you fully aware of the repercussions of succeeding or failing?
By the second time you play in a finals match, are you not then acutely more aware of the repercussions of the result?
Anyway just some thoughts.
July 21st 2012 @ 11:46am
biltongbek said | July 21st 2012 @ 11:46am | Report comment
I would agree experience is vital, but have often wondered whether the type of experiences can’t count against a player. Gary Kirsten was asked upon his appointment on why the Proteas always choked in ICC events and how they could overcome that.
His response was, a team with experienced players can overcome those issues as the player with experience had been in situations before where they had to react in a certain manner, or upon a certain play and will know how to react if the same situation cropped up again.
Question for me though has always been. Some of our players have been at these ICC events numerous times before and yet still fail.
So I guess it depends on how successful those experiences have been.
When you look at the All Blacks’ history over world cups, the same comparison can be used as with the Protea team.
So what changed for them?
Is it quantiifiable?
I have also wondered whether with some players the “ignorance is bliss” theory doesn’t apply.
When you go into your first finals match, are you fully aware of the repercussions of succeeding or failing?
By the second time you play in a finals match, are you not then acutely more aware of the repercussions of the result?
Anyway just some thoughts.
July 21st 2012 @ 12:15pm
David T said | July 21st 2012 @ 12:15pm | Report comment
To avoid any confusion, my post re Beale, Gregan, Mortlock, Matfield et al is not a follow on from earlier comments by “David”. I’ll now be David T. I laughed when I read a story in the Oz today about Willy G, especially the quote where he said he was going home after training to play a game of table tennis against his brother…..and he was determined to win. Quite the competitor. Both games tonight should be crackers.
July 21st 2012 @ 3:33pm
David said | July 21st 2012 @ 3:33pm | Report comment
Hi David T
If you have been on roar as David before me I will change?. It’s only fair.
Perhaps I should register?
Have fun
July 21st 2012 @ 2:39pm
Worlds biggest said | July 21st 2012 @ 2:39pm | Report comment
Reading Rath’s articles my impression is he is a Wallabies and Brumbies fan first and foremost and a proud Aussie. He still follows the Sharks having played for them but is a Brumby through and through. Correct me if I’m wrong Rath.
Go Reds !