Rugby: It's all about the top two inches
David vs Goliath, Brain vs Brawn, Gladiator vs Scientist.
The mental skills of rugby players and coaches, or in any sport for that matter, far outweigh the physical skills necessary to succeed in our great game. Think of a time in your playing or coaching career when the odds have been stacked against you, your side has been written off as contenders and all hope seems to have been lost. If you lack mental toughness to break through that negative thought pattern bestowed on you by others, unfortunately it’s going to be a long day at the office.
This weekend just past, I was coaching an U15 side who show a lot of promise. They train hard, have enthusiasm and energy but lack a few mental skills of rugby that I identified in their own mental battle against a strong opponent. Just in case you were wondering, we were beaten 35-12, lost our best player and captain to a broken thumb after 4 minutes and face an even tougher challenge this weekend. From said incident, I have formulated three traits that I believe to be crucial attributes with regard to mental skills of rugby.