Part of the reason we lost to Australia in the 2003 rugby world cup semi final was because we were not mentally tough enough. On the big stage, the Aussie players knew how to perform, and the AB’s did not. Pretty simple really.
Brad Thorn of course was a member of the 2003 team that lost that semi final.
If anyone can offer an insight into why we lost on the big stage, and how and why Australia knew exactly what to do, it’s Brad Thorn - a true winner in the sporting sense.
Consider that he has won NRL Premierships, Super 12 titles, and a State of Origin title. As well as this he’s played test match rugby league for Australia and test matches for the All Blacks. The guy’s got more silverware than Michael Hill, and put simply knows how to win.
So what would he have been thinking after the semi final loss?
Maybe he thought he was sitting with a bunch of chokers?
Maybe he knew it was over when he saw how fired up the Aussies were?
Maybe he knew it was over when Carlos Spencer threw his intercept pass?
What Brad Thorn knows is that we produce the best rugby players in the world. But he also knows that’s not enough to win a world cup. You need to be mentally tough.
Find out how to make the All Blacks mentally tough and able to thrive on the big stage, and we will unstoppable.
2 comments ↓
Don’t over-analyse. Just play and try and enjoy. If it all goes wrong, no worries - there’s always four more years (even though the hearts of a million NZers worldwide will snap in frustration and despair).
I think the problem is that four more years, has somehow become twenty ;)
I like your attitude though - I think that come world cup time, if they All Blacks just go out and try and enjoy themselves, without the fear of losing then they will stand a much better chance of winning.
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