Page 32 - SAFFER Magazine 01

Lessons

What I learned from the 2019 Rugby World Cup Winning Team

It seems to me that after each significant sporting event, someone writes a piece about how we can learn lessons and transfer the
learnings to the business community. So… I’m taking it upon myself to do something similar.

Let me begin by stating the following:

• I am not a rugby pundit – however, I played the game a few centuries ago… in the fully amateur era. Meaning? I loved
playing the game… often referred to as “a hooligan’s game played by gentlemen”.

• I’ve been part of a team and led teams in diverse environments in the past, so, even though I have no degree in manage-
ment, I have watched and advised many. I have taken on my superiors at different points in life… to suggest improvement or even
challenge their style.

• I did not watch any of the games but rather listened to radio commentary, living the images in my head and “feeling” the
excitement as the commentators described it! I did look at highlight clips on the official RWC website.

• It goes without saying that planning, preparation and hard work was essential.

OK, so… based on the above… what have I learned from the recently concluded Rugby World Cup in general and the victorious
team in particular? What skills can we transfer to a new or existing team?
Before I get into the nitty-gritty… a quick explanation of the squad and team structures:

• Each squad consisted of 31 players
• Each team taking to the field consists of 15 players – 8 forwards and 7 backs
• Each game allows eight substitutes, often not all used.

A – Change is good. Yes, the management structure of this winning team changed significantly only 18 months or so before the
team became world champs. I cannot overemphasise the importance of the correct leader for the particular team you are part of. I
also cannot overemphasise just how much the winning team has to thank their head coach for this victory. The biggest take-away
for me… yes, one man can and will make a massive difference.

B - Winning isn’t everything! Yes, you read me right. Of the four teams who reached the semi-finals, each team lost only ONE
match. The victorious team didn’t lose the final… and that mattered most. So, sometimes we must accept early failings and carry on
regardless. I’ll elaborate just a tad. In days gone by the team would not have taken the early loss as magnanimously. They would’ve
dwelled on the loss and that may have affected their later performances.

C - Resource management – I hate calling humans ‘resources’ but in this case I will. The coach chose wisely from the squad for each
individual game. The old “horses for courses” adage.

| 32