Coach taps Army expertise
Being schooled by US Army special warfare educators at Fort Bragg was of several unique assignments completed by Brad Mooar during the Super Rugby offseason.
Visiting the large military institution in Fayetteville, North Carolina, seems an incongruous way to help the Crusaders defend their Super Rugby crown. So, too, does spending a day with one of Australia’s leading race horse trainers.
For Mooar, the Crusaders assistant coach, it makes sense; the former lawyer knows how crucial it is to have an open mind when searching for even the tiniest advantage in this business.
The two days at Fort Bragg involved listening to psychologists, a large number who had been involved in active duty and now put together education and training programmes for special forces soldiers.
‘‘There were things that was directly transferable both ways around planning and strategy, and the identification and development of leaders,’’ Mooar said following his return from Fayetteville.
‘‘Things like leadership in combat, what it looks like, and the emotional and mental well-being in recovery of the soldiers during post-deployment.’’
Mooar then spent three days at the Centre for Creative Leadership in Greensboro, prior to returning home to help head coach Scott Robertson prepare his squad for next season. Both visits were organised by NZ Rugby.
Earlier in the year Mooar recalled a discussion he had with All Blacks coach Steve Hansen when explaining why he wanted to visit Aussie horse trainer Darren Weir during the spring.
Hansen had revealed he had once visited Irish trainer Aidan O’Brien, regarded as one of the best in the world at his craft, and Mooar could see merits in the concept.
So when he spotted Weir in Syd-
"There were things that was directly transferable both ways around planning and strategy, and the identification and development of leaders." Brad Mooar
ney, where the Crusaders were preparing to play the Waratahs in April, he recalled his conversation with Hansen and introduced himself to the horse trainer.
‘‘Those things (what Hansen said) resonated with me. I have a passion for the horse game, and the art of that, and thought there could be something to learn and enjoy along the way,’’ Mooar said.
‘‘It seems a bit outside the square but when you are talking about the softer skills of coaching and leading, then you can learn from any master of their trade. It was outstanding watching him roll, he was just a good honest joker who is an outstanding trainer.’’
Weir, who trained 2015 Melbourne Cup winner Prince of Penzance, runs an impressive operation which includes facilities in Ballarat and Warrnambool.
Mooar visited Weir after the final and was taken by the trainer’s ideas and willingness to change the horses’ surrounds, whether it be on the sand track or a long straight runway, to coax the best out of them.
‘‘It is quite an amazing set-up. He would be operating 250-plus horses and 100 staff and bouncing around between them (the training facilities).’’
The arrival of former Irish test first five-eighth Ronan O’Gara for the 2018 season won’t result in Mooar changing his job description for next year.
In addition to working with the positions from halfback to second five-eighth, Mooar will once again be charged with leading the team’s attack, strategy and game planning.
Mooar’s job requires him to put a proposed plan together, prior to delivering it to Robertson and fellow assistants Jason Ryan and O’Gara for their feedback and then asking the players to implement it at training.
He hopes his visits to Fort Bragg and the operation run by Weir are of benefit.
‘‘We are always seeking that little bit of an edge. How are we going to make ourselves better, to make our players better?
‘‘There could be that one little gem that might be the difference in a moment of a game, or in someone’s career.’’