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Let me confess my allegiances upfront: I am a Waratahs fan to the core, and despite occasional attempts, I just can’t ditch them.
This is the beauty of a competition where the next nearest teams are (geographically) the ones we’re raised to despise – it forces loyalty and commitment.
At the culmination of recent Super Rugby seasons, I have been a broken man with plans to move onto different pastimes that invoke a little less passion, emotion, stress etc.
Miraculously, come the first round of the following season, my face is painted blue and my excitement levels compare to those of an overweight child in a candy store.
As we near the end of another Waratahs near-finals-miss (unless a miracle occurs), it begs the question: what is it about the Waratahs?
What makes us keep coming back? Why do we feel perennially disappointed? Why aren’t we as good as we think we should be?
To me, the answer is culture.
This is a fairly meaningless concept until you break it down and look at the components.
I refer to the things that are not immediately evident within a team or club.
We can discuss the merits of individual players on paper until the cows come home without ever really getting to the core of the problem.
So, let’s take a look at some of the aspects of culture that are causing Waratahs fans to suffer high blood pressure:
1. Belief
This is the single most important element of a team culture.
Belief can be interpreted on many levels. Individually, each player must have the self-belief that when the tough questions are asked, they have the ability to execute what is required.
Between teammates, this is the belief that your comrade will do his/her job and therefore allows you to focus on doing your job.
On a team level, this is the belief that the coach has implemented the right strategies for the task and that group can perform to get the job done.
To me, the team that epitomises belief is the Crusaders. Have a look at how they operate in a tight contest – they ooze calm and execute clinically.
It helps having players of the calibre of Dan Carter, Richie McCaw, Kieran Read et al, however this is an approach these players have fostered in those around them too.
2. Attitude
On a rugby field, particularly at the elite level, a team simply must be composed of 15 players who desperately want to win for each other.
Any less and there is no point even taking the field.
The desire to win for your team is one that can never be measured, but we can guess who has it and who doesn’t.
Some players can do amazing things at times while others do a lot of things that need to be done.
Of course, there is no reason a player can’t fit into both these categories and I would argue that these are the greats.
Without mentioning any names, it’s always worth remembering that a team is more important than any individual “brand”.
The damage a selfish or preoccupied player can have on a team performance can be significant.
For a team that exudes the right attitude I can’t go past the Brumbies.
They never cease to amaze in their ability to pull together a team of misfits and get them to excel as a group.
They pick players who will fit this cultural mould and it brings out the best in them individually and as a team.
3. Focus
This is closely tied to attitude, however I will discuss here off-field issues, whereas attitude refers primarily to on-field.
The elephant in this room is the media. I have no problem with the argument that Super Rugby players are professional and should expect to be in the public eye, however I also have no doubt that this has an enormous impact on their performances.
Kurtley Beale is the notable current example, and I can only speculate that he would find his demons much easier to deal with if he were allowed to do it privately with the support of close friends and family.
Alas, he is destined to have every step of the journey splashed across the news.
It will be very difficult for Kurtley to return to the field with a clear head to do what he does best and that is a real shame.
I truly hope he is strong enough and that we see him back at this best in the near future.
4. Management
The role of management and administration within a rugby club is very interesting.
Management do not form part of the culture themselves, however they are tasked with building it.
It is crucial that the management mandate a culture that they wish to foster and to take practical steps toward growing that culture. This includes the selection processes, players, staff and general approach to rugby on and off the field.
I like the way the message has come from the top this year that the Waratahs will play a positive style of rugby.
Even in their losses they have committed to this and they should be praised for this. In time, a long term commitment to a structure will breed culture and results.
While technical advancements provide excellent performance insights, it is important to recognise the limitations of the data and to not let the mountains of information blind us from other equally important aspects of a team sport.
I would like to point out that this is not another whinging article from a jaded Waratahs fan.
I am certain that Cheika has made enormous progress at the Waratahs in each of the areas I have discussed, and this will continue to develop over the next few years.
More broadly, from what I have seen this year (which is the surface only), we have some really exciting prospects on the Australian rugby scene. Guys are very good at playing the game we love, but also genuine and decent men whose hearts and minds are in the right place.
Culture is not something that can be bought with a few flashy players and an experienced coach.
It is something that is instilled in every player, staff and supporter through years of hard work. It takes time and patience to build, but can be lost in the blink of an eye and therefore must be nurtured carefully from the highest levels of administration.
Once instilled, a positive and successful culture will bring results.
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.