Maximizing Squad/Team Performance

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Every squad has the potential to perform and this is more about making sure this happens. The welfare of the players with reduced game time pays off when you get to the latter stages of the tournament. Winning a one off game is easy, but winning after playing for 7 matches in a row takes on a different type of challenge and why it is not easy.

There is a lot of discussion over the last few days with regard to why certain teams won their knockout games in the Rugby World Cup. Besides having a bit of luck which all teams need in such close encounters there is also the players themselves and how fresh they are.

A World Cup is the ultimate competition that tests not only the team, but the squad showing the depth you have. This is why the likes of South Africa experiment with around 100 players during the 4 years in between World Cups. Having 33 players in your squad that are as good as each other in those certain positions is the key to those 7 weeks of high intensity rugby.

Many of us used to complain when South Africa sent a "B" team to go and play a test match, but that was all part of the bigger picture. the result was not that important as winning the World Cup was the priority. Rassie Erasmus started to change how teams will think in the future by what he created.

Last year when SA was playing in the Rugby Championship he left players in New Zealand and Australia whilst playing another game in South Africa. There was no excessive travel and the game time was reduced on all players. This gave him an insight and control over a squad of nearly 100 players even though some were on the fringe. Having 4 or 5 players covering for every position was the end goal and is why the team/squad is so successful.

During this World Cup we knew like any other World Cup the squad is what is going to win you the tournament and not relying on one player. Selecting your strongest team for every game is never going to end well. Not only are you risking players to injuries but you are also draining the tank. This is not about the fitness of the players but players playing at a high intensity on the edge week after week.

I feel for Ireland as they were the number one team coming into the World Cup with so much expectation on their shoulders. The squad was the key to unlocking that expectation yet they rarely used all the players. One just has to look at the minutes per player on the chart above and it is rather obvious with the majority of the Irish players having played far more rugby than their opposition. The same applies with France and why SA wanted more scrums in the game to fatigue the players and take advantage later in the match with fresh replacements who were at the same quality as those they replaced.

The bench or replacements are the key to changing a rugby match once the clock ticks down into the last 20 or 25 minutes. The All Blacks were known for winning a majority of their games in the last 10 minutes and this is nothing new.

Ireland are lucky in the fact that Rassie Erasmus is reportedly heading your way taking over as Director of Rugby next year. he will have a say in the players welfare and be able to bring some much needed new thinking giving the team the best possible chance of winning next time around. South Africa already have the blue print of what he has done over the last 6 years and they should be in good hands if it is continued by whoever takes over next. If is a big word so we don't know exactly if it will or if it wont.

This is actually an interesting insight into team performance and maximising every players potential. I am sure once the dust has settled every team will be thinking the same way going forward as this is pure common sense and not rocket science. This is about winning a World Cup and what may seem like nothing are major factors whether the squad is successful or not.