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| "If ooonly Harry was as well behaved as this charming South African chap..." |
We haven't seen the elusive Bledisloe Cup on these shores for a decade. There are a thousand theories about why we can't win it... our forwards don't have the grunt up front... the backs don't have the composure and discipline when the heat cranks up in the pressure cooker of trans-Tasman rivalry... or the coach is actually a double-agent for his homeland of the Long White Cloud.
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| The traditional pre-match curry occasionally had lingering after-effects for the Wallabies... |
But I have another theory.
The answer lies with another high-profile rep team with exactly the same problem. The long-suffering NSW State of Origin side. On paper they have some solid firepower... they've had a string of successful high-profile coaches... and they swear black and... well, blue... that they have the tenacity and passion to match it against the mad tribes of the North.
But the beauty of both codes, league and union alike, is that paperwork and words count for little when the adrenaline starts pumping, the hits get ferocious, and the sweat is rolling in golf-ball size droplets down your cheeks. Physically and athletically there's little between the sides. So the only remaining deciding factor becomes what's actually going on inside each individual's head.
What determines how a player's mind works? Some are born optimists, some are just hard-asses, but the majority are just like the rest of us. Self-confidence on game day is determined by player's training, their coach, team-mates and captain. But it's also ingrained into them by the crowd and the media. And this is the common advantage the All Blacks and the Queensland Maroons Origin sides have over their rivals... an unblinking died-in-the-wool support base who back them 100% regardless of what they do on or off the field. And a media base that avoids crucifying them for human errors or failure. Because their fans know that win or lose, their team was out there giving 200% for their home tribe.
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| "Rise and walk, my children..." |
The Blues and Wallabies have a tough crowd to please. Small onfield errors are punished severely by the crowd and the media alike. At a recent Bledisloe match in Sydney, a dropped ball by Wallaby Kurtley Beale was met with boos and sarcastic jeers for the subsequent 30 minutes.... at his home stadium. What does that do to a player's psyche? He was sufficiently rattled that coach Deans had no choice but to drop him the following week.
Here's a free tip to long-suffering Blues and Wallaby supporters alike... a little positive reinforcement goes a long way, especially on game day when the stakes are high and player confidence decides the final scoreline. Ask any All Black or Maroons player...
