Controlling the controllable
27 Sep 2010
MARK KEOHANE, in his weekly Business Day column, says players can only control themselves — which is why they have to stay fit.
I missed the last three minutes of the Lions’ victory against the Sharks, but the first 77 minutes again highlighted how important fitness is to succeeding in sport.
The Lions defended more than they would have liked in the opening 40 minutes and there was a suspicion that the first-half tackling would be their undoing in the last 10 minutes and that the home team would not have the fitness levels to last the pace.
A lack of fitness has been synonymous with any Lions performance in the past three to four years, perhaps even before that. Bizarrely, the players did not see the importance of being fit and conditioned to play rugby. The coaches believed it to be the responsibility of the players and it was one bloody mess after the other.
Lions coach John Mitchell, during his two years as All Blacks coach, and as coach of Australia’s Western Force, has not relented on the fitness of his players. He has always believed that if a player has something left in his legs in the final minutes of a brutal contest, that player has got a chance to finish a winner.
When I worked with the Springboks between 2000 and 2003, one of the more enjoyable experiences was a workshop with a Jamaican sports psychologist and motivator, and while I forget his name I’ll never forget the one exercise he did the with players.
He asked the team why they believed they were losing and as the players answered he would jot down the reasons.
The media were ‘anti the team’, said a player, and it was why they were losing.
The referees were anti-SA and it was impossible to play against any team who had the referee on their side, said another. Late kick-off times made it impossible to be at their best, said a few players.
Other reasons were the weather conditions, the quality of the opposition, match venues, the lack of good training facilities when overseas, the location of the hotel, the bus time to training and match-day engagements, jerseys that were either too heavy or too tight and in the odd instance too big. And, said one, don’t get us started on the hotel food.
The sports psychologist wrote down each answer on a flip chart without countering any of the reasons. He just called for more and the players responded. Team selection, they said, was not always good. The coach’s game plans were not always that sound and there was uncertainty in understanding the thinking of the coach.
‘What about you guys?’ he asked. ‘What is it you are doing — or not doing — that is contributing to losing?’
Some players looked surprised at the question. The odd one even looked shocked at the mere suggestion the players may be responsible for anything.
One player said he could be fitter. Another said he could work harder at his skills. Another added there could be greater communication within the team.
It was at this point that the friendly consultant reacted to a player’s comment.
‘Can you guarantee me the communication will be better in the team and that there will be a better team spirit and a winning culture?’
The player said he couldn’t give such a guarantee because he couldn’t talk on behalf of his team-mates and he couldn’t necessarily influence them positively to do what he believed would benefit a winning culture.
‘Exactly,’ said the consultant. ‘And you can’t control what the media say or write. You can’t control who the opposition coach selects, where the game is played, what time the match starts and playing conditions.’
The player could also not control the coach or the coach’s thinking. All the player had control over was himself, and as a professional sportsman the only guarantee a player could give was that he was in optimum physical shape for every game and that every day was an opportunity to improve his skills .
‘Is that it?’ asked a Bok player. That these were the only things the players had to worry about just emphasised how much there was to worry about, because being fit and skilled are not minor details in the life of a sporting professional.
Mitchell has ensured an environment that rewards those with something in their legs at 77 minutes, but if this Lions team is to develop into the real deal then hopefully the players will believe in the controllable elements of their sport and not seek comfort in hiding behind what they can’t control.
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192 Comments
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27 Sep 2010, 13:22 pm
@Roar for Mitch and King Carlos(RL)-47: Why the hell would you miss the last 3 minutes of a tense match?
Obviously needed to take a ****!
27 Sep 2010, 13:23 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-44:
Not anymore.
Depends on what you can gain from being embedded. Things like “reliable sources”, “inside information” etc.
But then again in Keo’s case he doesn’t even have to be embedded to have those (as is the case with the current coach). Probably got something else in return from JW.
27 Sep 2010, 13:27 pm
@Tegejo(Tegejo)-50: Yes, Ingram looks the good, great talent coming through mate… Ingram, Dave Miller, Davey Jacobs, Stiaan van Zyl, Rilee Rossouw…
27 Sep 2010, 13:30 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-49:
No problem, chief. One of my revolutionary comrades has notified me of a most profitable business opportunity involving a government lease for 10 years, I am busy buying a shelf company as we speak!
27 Sep 2010, 13:31 pm
@WP_(WP_)-51:
Not at all – Jake phoned.
27 Sep 2010, 13:32 pm
@Mighty Horua(Mighty Horua)-5:
Better than yours I’ll bet.
27 Sep 2010, 13:32 pm
@nama1(nama1)-52:
Empty promises?
27 Sep 2010, 13:35 pm
how Loots Bo(e)sman got selected before Davey only ABSA will know … and i thought Std bank was the main cricket sponsor
27 Sep 2010, 13:35 pm
@nama1(nama1)-43: Was keo embedded by both Jake and Eddie? At once?
27 Sep 2010, 13:36 pm
@JockBok(JockBok)-56: How much do you wanna bet, ned?
27 Sep 2010, 13:36 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-55: Ah, of course
27 Sep 2010, 13:37 pm
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-58: Loots jou Legend! 1st player to hit T20 century in SA
27 Sep 2010, 13:38 pm
@katman(katman)-59:
That’s illegal in at least three countries!
27 Sep 2010, 13:41 pm
@Mighty Horua(Mighty Horua)-60:
50 squizillion Rand. Fire away, show the stats…
And what’s with the ‘ned’ comment. Are you incredibly clued up on Scottish slang, or do you mean something else?
27 Sep 2010, 13:44 pm
@JockBok(JockBok)-64:
Ah, the world of Scottish slang…neds, mingers, numpty, stooshie, bladdered…
27 Sep 2010, 13:45 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-54: great chief. I haven’t had a chance to peruse any of those minutes. I lost a round of golf to Athol Trollip @ Fish river sun golf course on saturday…’10 year lease’ you say?
27 Sep 2010, 13:45 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-65: The numpty neds who were quite bladdered saw some mingers and made a stooshie…
27 Sep 2010, 13:47 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-66:
Yes, we are taking it from the previous counterrevolutionary colonialist lessors!
Chief, your Range, is it blue, so it goes with your Johnny Walker?
27 Sep 2010, 13:48 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-67:
Haha, sounds like a good night out to me
27 Sep 2010, 13:49 pm
@JockBok(JockBok)-69:
I’ve always loved the term “Glasgow kiss”…
27 Sep 2010, 13:51 pm
@WP_(WP_)-48:
Just saw it now. Interesting. Corrie cracking the whip.
Seems as if AB will keep wicket in the ODI’s (vs Pakistan and Zim) awa T20 vs Pakistan and Heino Kuhn in the T20 (vs Zim).
I see your man, Jaques Rudolph, has been released by Yorkshire and that he will be eligible to play for SA again.
27 Sep 2010, 13:51 pm
I do agree, but only to some extent. Saying that the teams problems only comes down to the individual and the team it self, is a little unfair. Yes the players must keep themselves in top condition, stay fit and be mentaly ready. But just like the seasons from 2000-2003, and then now, we have a coach who is absolutely incapable of coaching a springbok side. We have a coach that is embaresing the team, that is making a mockery of our rugby culture and draging the springbok name through the mud. How must the players feel knowingly that the rest of the world is laughing at them.
You think “kamp staal draad” before the 2003 WC, was hard on the players? Wel Pdiv is doing exactly that, just in another way. The team was broken and embarrased after “kamp staal draad” because the world was laughing, and it showed in our WC campaign. It was not the players fault, it was not a comunication or team problem, it was the coach who manage to drag the team through hell and back.
And again, this is exactly what Pdiv is doing. Some believe, getting rid of Pdiv now will hurt our chances at the WC! I beg to differ, if we dont bring back Jake or get Heyneke or anyone more capable than Pdiv now, we will be the laughing stock of the rugby world!! Argue if you must! but Pdiv, the incapable, idiotic, stupid, ect. FOOL must go NOW!!!
27 Sep 2010, 13:57 pm
@Sharkie10(Sharkie10)-72:
I can show you hundreds of posts similar to yours – only difference is they date back to exactly four years ago, and the refrain of the time was “Jake the Snake must GOOOOOOOOOO”.
27 Sep 2010, 13:58 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-70:
Classic. My wife had a restaurant a few years ago in Swellendam, and she sold a Scottish Breakfast which included ‘Glasgow salad’ (slap chips)
27 Sep 2010, 14:00 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-68:hehehe nice try chief
it’s the colour of Veuve
27 Sep 2010, 14:03 pm
@JockBok(JockBok)-74:
Starchy start to the day…
Let me guess, eggs, bacon, sausage, black pudding, haggis, tattie scones and Glasgow salad?
27 Sep 2010, 14:04 pm
@WP maybe so, but Jake won the world cup, he had a plan…unlike pdiv that has no plan or any idea what to do…Cant actualy believe you like or you back Pdiv…Bring in Jake or Heyneke now, we not only will win the world cup, but do it in style!!! Pdiv is a D.O.O.S!!! Argue all you want.
27 Sep 2010, 14:08 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-76:
….and baked beans. In a perfect world, yes, but no haggis or black pudding in Swellies unfortunately.
You must have spent a bit of time in Scotland WPTID?
27 Sep 2010, 14:09 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-76:
Mind you, add some beans…
Best hangover breakfast you can find – slaptjips and sausage drenched in beans…
27 Sep 2010, 14:10 pm
@Sharkie10(Sharkie10)-77: Elloborate on Jakey’s plan……Hell to lose 49-0 was also part of the plan!
27 Sep 2010, 14:11 pm
@JockBok(JockBok)-78:
You should have made your own haggis and black pudding! Haggis might be tricky, but we’ve often made black pudding on the farm.
I only passed briefly through Scotland, I absolutely loved Edinburgh.
And the Highlands are a special kind of beautiful.
27 Sep 2010, 14:11 pm
@JockBok(JockBok)-64:
Ok, you owe me 50 squizillion bucks Mighty. And I don’t want you to put it in my ABSA account
27 Sep 2010, 14:12 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-81:
Mind you, I’ve always wanted to climb Ben Nevis.
27 Sep 2010, 14:13 pm
Was it part of his plan to- not win NZ during tenure?
27 Sep 2010, 14:13 pm
@MIGHTY…Wel once again, he did win the world cup, so perhaps, you never know!!
27 Sep 2010, 14:15 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-81:
No chance of that. My wife wouldn’t even have haggis in the fridge, and she’s a boere meise brought up on tripe and trotters…
I have to have the tinned variety kept in the back of the cupboard.
27 Sep 2010, 14:15 pm
@JockBok(JockBok)-82:
Mind you, with the current exchange rate, I imagine that adds up to all of Keo$ 34…
27 Sep 2010, 14:17 pm
@JockBok(JockBok)-86:
Haggis, neeps and tatties, I believe is the correct combination?
27 Sep 2010, 14:19 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-83:
How did we get onto this topic. My mates on facebook are talking about scraping ice off of the car windows in Scotland this morning, and I’m on the edge of the Sahara desert sweating my wee Scottish nuts off talking about Haggis
27 Sep 2010, 14:21 pm
NZRU, cops seek missing jersey
23 minutes ago
Auckland – The New Zealand Rugby Union
(NZRU) is appealing for the return of a rare
and precious 100-year-old New Zealand
Maori rugby jersey stolen from Rotorua
during the team’s centenary celebrations in
June.
According to the allblacks (dot)com website, the
1910 jersey had belonged to New Zealand
Maori hooker David Small – one of the
members of the first ever New Zealand
?Maori team. Small wore the jersey on tour
in Australia with the 1910 team. He
continued to play for New Zealand Maori in
1911 and 1913.
The Small family had loaned the jersey to
the New Zealand Maori team for the
duration of their three-match Sealord New
Zealand Maori Centenary Series and
celebrations.
The jersey was stolen from a centenary
function at the Energy Events Centre in
Rotorua.
NZRU Chief Executive Steve Tew urged
anyone with information to come forward.
“Our efforts so far to find the jersey have
not been successful and we have been left
with no choice but to lodge a formal police
complaint about the stolen jersey.
“We are now appealing publicly for anyone
with any information – no matter how
small – to come forward either to us, or to
the police. Our goal, quite simply, is to get
the jersey back and return it to its rightful
owners, ” he said.
The jersey is black with a red centre band
and a gold fern. It was already in very
fragile condition and the Small family had
intended to have the jersey preserved at
the end of the Sealord Series.
27 Sep 2010, 14:23 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-90:
What now, chief? TheTackler always told me there’s no crime in New Zealand?
Not ayoba…
27 Sep 2010, 14:26 pm
@Sharkie10(Sharkie10)-77:
Part of that plan obviously was to lose 5 consecutive test matches in 8 weeks.
vs France:26-36. (24/06/06)
vs Aus: 0-49. (15/07/06)
vs NZ: 17-35. (22/07/06)
vs Aus:18-20. (05/08/06)
vs NZ: 26-45. (26/08/06)
To top it off, then you also plan to lose two of your three EOY tour matches against Eng and Ire. I guess part of the plan also was to have the most points scored against you in one year than ever before (or since) in the history of Bok rugby. Some plan, I say.
But what the hell, all that needed to happen is that you win a knock out tournament the following year and your are God’s gift to SA rugby.
27 Sep 2010, 14:28 pm
@nama1(nama1)-92:
How dare you bring facts and logic into this…
27 Sep 2010, 14:30 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-83:
I’ve always wanted to clim his wife…
but there you go.
27 Sep 2010, 14:32 pm
@gunther(gunther)-94:
Different strokes for different blokes…
27 Sep 2010, 14:33 pm
@gunther(gunther)-94:
always wanted to be able to spell as well.
poor 3rd world education…
27 Sep 2010, 14:34 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-90:
a small Maori?
who knew?
27 Sep 2010, 14:35 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-93:
Sorrie. Ek salie weerie.
27 Sep 2010, 14:36 pm
@Mighty Horua(Mighty Horua)-84: Not win in NZ or not beat NZ ?
I know Jake had his blind spots like fetchers and being a headmaster but he brought back respectibility after our shocking era under Streuli.
History is repeating itself wouldnt you agree ? Maybe a poll on who would bloggeres rather have, Streuli or PdV ??
27 Sep 2010, 14:37 pm
@JockBok(JockBok)-89:
seems you’re getting to see a lot of this continent at the moment.
how long is your chad contract for?
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