RUGBY IS IN the process of taking the leap from professionalism to something approaching super-professionalism.
High performance culture means that every club, province and international team is searching for any possible advantage they can find. Video and statistical analyses are more in-depth than ever, the medical and recovery process is micro-managed and training regimes extend beyond simple skills and fitness work.
Former Ireland and Lions hooker Keith Wood was part of an altogether different leap for the sport; that from amateurism to professionalism. The mid-’90s and beyond were a tumultuous time for rugby, none more so than on these shores, where Irish players were slow to adapt, according to Wood.
While the Clare native readily embraces the modern game, he does warn that the current desire for perfection must not be at the expense of what makes rugby distinctive.
Ian McGeechan said before the last Lions tour that just because things were amateur, doesn’t mean that they were wrong. It becomes incredibly important for the young professional to absolutely set the bar as high as they can, to have the dreams to hold the trophy, but to still keep the things that make the game what it is.
“That’s the Corinthian spirit, the idea of friendship; you don’t need to lose those. You don’t need to lose that respect, how you deal with the referee or how you deal with other players. Whether you play thirds rugby or international rugby, those things are absolutely integral to our sport.
“It is in this particular period of time, when you’re striving to get your performance culture to the absolute maximum, that that spirit is so important.”
Reflecting on the abrupt change that Ireland encountered in having to adapt to the demands of professionalism when the IRB declared rugby an “open” game in August 1995, Wood says we were left behind.
Wood feels that Irish players just didn’t have the same belief as those from other nations, explaining their laborious adaptation. There had, of course, been money changing hands before that point, but the real change needed was in the attitude of the players towards training and preparation.
“In many ways, there’s an inherent confidence in Australian and English rugby. We didn’t really have that in the mid-90s in our reaction to professionalism, whereas Australia, England, South Africa, were the opposite. While we were professional in terms of cash, we were lacking in the attitude.”
Ireland’s professionals needed years rather than months to make the changes to their mindset that were required, with the arrival of Eddie O’Sullivan in 2001 pushing things to another level.
It took us two World Cups, until ’99 really, the shock of ’99, where we lost to Argentina. It wasn’t just that we lost to Argentina, it was the manner in which we performed during that World Cup.
“It was a wake-up call, years into professionalism before we were beginning to get it. It then took another leap forward in time to get to a coach who decided he wanted to bring in business and management principles, the idea of goal setting and targets. That was Eddie O’Sullivan.”
Another key element of the process was the inclusion of Irish players on the Lions tours of 1997 and 2001. Wood explains that the touring environment allowed himself and his compatriots to learn from the standards of men like Martin Johnson, Jonny Wilkinson and Jason Robinson.
“The Lions became incredibly important because in ’97 and 2001 we got the opportunities to see the performance-related targets individuals and groups of other players from other countries had. It absolutely led an impetus for us to drive our own standards as players.”
