The ABs Mental Skills Coaching

[RedsHappy]

I'm interested in the mental skills element of top teams' coaching, and how mental skills development partners raw talent and experience to produce the best outcomes, and players who can endure disappointments and dips better.

I see this discussed a lot (in fact more and more) in many global sports, but not much in elite Australian rugby.

So, I was intrigued to be reacquainted in the last few days with just how seriously the ABs take this aspect of their player development programs, for example, as quoted below.

(I am on record as saying IMO there are major problems in the Wallabies 'team mind', team culture and psychological resilience, but many posters I suspect see this as less important than team selections, etc.)

Mental game the focus
Sportal.co.nz - (15/07/2010)
Working on the mental aspect of playing Test rugby remains a key focus for the All Blacks, says assistant coach Wayne Smith.

For several years now the players have worked with Gilbert Enoka to ensure they have the right mental skills to cope with the pressure of top-level rugby and Smith says such work is just as important as honing the playing skills required to be successful on the international stage.

"It's a continual work-on. It's like kicking or passing or any of those skills. It's something that you develop, that experience helps you with.

"You've got to build your mental toughness just like you build your tool box.

"[Gilbert] works individually with players and certainly over the last seven years I've been involved I think we've seen some good improvement."

Fullback Mils Muliaina gave some insight into techniques that players can use when he explained how he saw red after dropping a high ball early in the 32-12 win against South Africa last weekend but had taught himself to see blue in order to refocus.

The Chiefs star went on to have one of his best games in an All Blacks jersey as he counter-attacked strongly with one decisive run leading to Conrad Smith's opening try.

"Gilbert works with all the players on an individual level and they've all got their own ways of coping with pressure. That's one way Mils copes with it and it worked well."

The mental preparation was also a key factor in ensuring All Blacks didn't retaliate when provoked by the opposition, Smith said.
​

It turns out that Gilbert Enoka has in fact been working closely with the ABs as mental skills coach for a number of years, this link from 2006 is quite revealing as to his approach and methods:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/health/news/article.cfm?c_id=204&objectid=10405999

 

[Gnostic]

I think there is a factor to this RH. But my beef is more that some of the players do not seem to have the correct motivation and in some cases just seem to go through the motions and expect the results to acrue as they have done the required skills and fitness work etc. Again today there are reports in the SMH that some senior players (not points for guessing which ones) are unhappy and are "waiting" until after the RWC so they can chase Euros and Yen. My argument is no amount of coaching mental or physical conditioning is going to overcome the lack of motivation that will follow somebody who is unhappy in the team and is waiting to move on. I say again that the coaching staff must know this and must act otherwise get set for a string of failures. The malicious side of me says I hope those with the Euros and Yen take note of said players lack of performance, application etc and either decline the services or pay vastly less.

 

[cyclopath]

Gilbert Enoka?
Quick anagram comes up with A Token Bilger....
What would Pinetree Meads have to say about this malarky??

 

[naza]

I think there is a factor to this RH. But my beef is more that some of the players do not seem to have the correct motivation and in some cases just seem to go through the motions and expect the results to acrue as they have done the required skills and fitness work etc. A

I side with Gnostic on this one. Our problem is more basic - a lack of aggression, fire & intensity. You've either got that fire in the belly or you don't. It should be fairly easy for Wallaby coaches to spot, and cull where it is lacking.

Get the blokes with the 'right stuff' in. Then get let them get some experience under their belt. And then the Keewees really will need to spend some time on the shrink's couch !

 

[Scarfman]

The mental preparation was also a key factor in ensuring All Blacks didn't retaliate when provoked by the opposition, Smith said.

I assume that Gilbert taught them that if they are ever touched anywhere near the face, they should punch whoever did it in the nuts. That way, the face-toucher will get a yellow card.

 

[Scorz]

Meads would think that pooftahs hardening up can only be a good thing.

Seriously, the AB's look for any edge. If it works, good, if it doesn't no harm done.

 

[DPK]

I side with Gnostic on this one. Our problem is more basic - a lack of aggression, fire & intensity. You've either got that fire in the belly or you don't. It should be fairly easy for Wallaby coaches to spot, and cull where it is lacking.

Get the blokes with the 'right stuff' in. Then get let them get some experience under their belt. And then the Keewees really will need to spend some time on the shrink's couch !

Tom Carter.

 

[Langthorne]

The mental side of any pursuit is very important but only becomes critical at the highest level, and maybe even game breaking, when all other avenues have been properly developed (in those who have the right stuff, as Naza points out).

More and more, I'm beginning to think there is no lack of desire from the Wallabies, it is just everything else that isn't yet (still) quite right.

 

[RedsHappy]

I side with Gnostic on this one. Our problem is more basic - a lack of aggression, fire & intensity. You've either got that fire in the belly or you don't. It should be fairly easy for Wallaby coaches to spot, and cull where it is lacking. Get the blokes with the 'right stuff' in. Then get let them get some experience under their belt. And then the Keewees really will need to spend some time on the shrink's couch !

Naza, I agree with you. But I am just completely befuddled by why this obvious 'lack of the right stuff' goes on and on in major parts of Wallaby land. IMO, it was just as obvious in, say, 2008, as it is now. I keep searching for answers. There's no doubt the coaches have a big role to play in ensuring they find and develop players that have the essential fire and intensity. We'll never win the silverware - or the RWC - until we get the 'hard mind' and 80 mins of complete intensity and grit into this team.

Btw, what in part intrigued me about what this thread started with is that the ABs work on every single aspect of what is required to get into a total winning mindset, all with the smallest amount of flaws. Not just talent, intensity, game plans, etc, they want the whole machine to be perfected and will look everywhere to that end. There are many components to their success.

 

[RedsHappy]

I think there is a factor to this RH. But my beef is more that some of the players do not seem to have the correct motivation and in some cases just seem to go through the motions and expect the results to acrue as they have done the required skills and fitness work etc. Again today there are reports in the SMH that some senior players (not points for guessing which ones) are unhappy and are "waiting" until after the RWC so they can chase Euros and Yen. My argument is no amount of coaching mental or physical conditioning is going to overcome the lack of motivation that will follow somebody who is unhappy in the team and is waiting to move on. I say again that the coaching staff must know this and must act otherwise get set for a string of failures. The malicious side of me says I hope those with the Euros and Yen take note of said players lack of performance, application etc and either decline the services or pay vastly less.

Gnostic, agree that what leaked in that article was worrying, both in itself and in terms of what it shows about what exists inside this team today. When I read it, I thought it was more about reported unhappiness with the whole set-up rather than a chase for money later. If it's true - and I doubt Rakic would quote it so strongly if it was just hearsay - there are clearly serious motivational and 'loyalty' problems within Wallaby land 2010. We can speculate as to why, but clearly these types of issues should have been dealt with well before now, either by firm deselection, or managing a negative back into something healthier.

 

[naza]

Naza, I agree with you. But I am just completely befuddled by why this obvious 'lack of the right stuff' goes on and on in major parts of Wallaby land. IMO, it was just as obvious in, say, 2008, as it is now. I keep searching for answers. There's no doubt the coaches have a big role to play in ensuring they find and develop players that have the essential fire and intensity. We'll never win the silverware - or the RWC - until we get the 'hard mind' and 80 mins of complete intensity and grit into this team.

Btw, what in part intrigued me about what this thread started with is that the ABs work on every single aspect of what is required to get into a total winning mindset, all with the smallest amount of flaws. Not just talent, intensity, game plans, etc, they want the whole machine to be perfected and will look everywhere to that end. There are many components to their success.

You're not the only one searching for answers mate, there's a lot of us scratching our heads trying to figure it out. Only Wallaby insiders would be able to offer an answer.

I worry when I see quotes like the one from Matt Giteau the other day- "Hopefully our next game is the one where it clicks.". Um, you guys aren't artists. Rip in ! What are they waiting for ? A fucking written invitation ?

The ABs are streets ahead. We're working out which wood to make our boat out of and they're fine tuning their spinnaker. Fuck me that's a bad analogy.

 

[daz]

The ABs are streets ahead. We're working out which wood to make our boat out of and they're fine tuning their spinnaker. Fuck me that's a bad analogy.

Nah mate. "The ABs are churning butter while we are looking for a tit to pull" is a bad analogy. Yours is streets ahead in comparison....

 

[RedsHappy]

Interesting that no less than Dan Carter rates the AB's 'head coach' (i.e. Gilbert Enoka, ABs' mental skills coach, as kicked off this thread) as highly important to the ABs:

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/u...face-but-all-black-inside-20100729-10y10.html

Interesting that no such position - or, seemingly, even the motivation in having one - appears in the Wallabies' coaching line up.

 

[Muttonbird]

I assume that Gilbert taught them that if they are ever touched anywhere near the face, they should punch whoever did it in the nuts. That way, the face-toucher will get a yellow card.

Whatever do you mean? I suspect it's the Russouw v McCaw incident to which you refer and if that's the case, you've got it wrong.

 

[Top Bloke]

Gilbert Enoka was the BlackCaps mental skills coach from mid 90's on - but having him on board didn't help them much.
I think he has had a couple of stints with the ABs - initially when Smithy was Head coach on his own and then again in recent years.
He seems to be more of a facilitator than some sort of "Guru" - certain sections of the NZ rugby public hate all the mind-stuff, so his involvement isnt high profile these days.