The importance of Motivation

Beyond the unparalleled skill levels and sheer athleticism, one of the most impressive things about the All Blacks is the fact that they are 100% mentally tuned in every game. They always ‘turn up,’ focused and motivated, meaning that those skills can be put to best use. Even in wet weather against Argentina in the Rugby Championship, Steve Hansen’s men were focused on doing their jobs.

Is that down to Hansen? The obvious answer would be yes, that he is the man in charge of motivating the players, but if we look beyond that, it is clear that a whole range of factors go into achieving the focus and mental readiness that sets the All Blacks apart. Player motivation is clearly part of the job, but if the squad aren't willing to be motivated, then it is a thankless task.

At professional level, self-motivation is naturally crucial. These guys are paid to play rugby, and a large part of their job is ensuring they are in the right mind frame to train and play games to the best of their ability. For amateur players, ensuring self-motivation is obviously more difficult and less expected, as they may not even have the time to think about training and games outside of the actual time on the pitch.

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