Highlanders focus on mental game

Mental health advocate Mike King addressed the Highlanders players on Thursday and the timing could not have been more appropriate.

The Highlanders are under heavy pressure to break a five-game losing run in Super Rugby against the Blues in Dunedin tonight and the top two inches will decide if they achieve that.

Physically and tactically they aren’t in bad nick, rarely losing the battle up front and creating enough chances to put teams away.

So, the fate of the Highlanders is in their heads at Forsyth Barr Stadium tonight and head coach Aaron Mauger knows it.

‘‘The mental game is a massive part of it,’’ he said.

‘‘There’s no doubting our ability in being able to do those things physically or in terms of skillset.

‘‘A lot of it for us has come down to decision-making in those big moments.

‘‘We’re creating opportunities in attack. It comes down to patience.

‘‘It’s an area where we need to be better because we didn’t put the Crusaders under enough pressure [last weekend] after creating those opportunities. We’re well aware of those things and have worked hard on them this week.’’

King does the rounds of the Super Rugby franchises with his message about the practical steps everyone can take to maintain their mental health.

The importance of King’s work goes far beyond sport but his presentation hit home for the Highlanders because players also see the mental side of the game as a skillset than can be learned.

Mauger confirmed the focus has been on getting that side of their game in order before taking on a dangerous Blues side.

‘‘We’ve been guilty of hurting ourselves at times with poor decisions, making a lot of linebreaks and not quite capitalising,’’ Mauger said.

‘‘You reflect back on the Crusaders game last week . . .

‘‘We broke the line twice as many times but didn’t quite convert. We need to be better there but it’s all within our control, we believe.’’

Mauger also said attitudes towards mental health had moved on since his playing days.

‘‘When I played the game you just got told to harden up,’’ Mauger said.

‘‘There wasn’t as much awareness.

‘‘We were lucky because we had good coaches with pretty good EQ.

‘‘I was coached by guys like [Steve] Hansen, [Wayne] Smith and [Robbie] Deans.

‘‘Those guys were pretty supportive not just as coaches but mentors as well.’’

A high-intensity approach from the Highlanders is guaranteed under the roof at Forsyth Barr Stadium but regardless of the pressure they are under Mauger had a message that was apt in a week when the game has been wrestling with the Israel Folau issue.

‘‘Every action is scrutinised now and it’s on repeat around the world,’’ Mauger said.

‘‘If something gets put on TV it’s replicated through social media and our boys are on those platforms.

‘‘We try to encourage or boys to use them in a positive way and spread good messages around who we are, what we stand for and what we represent.’’