Moving on

Moving on could our intellectuals at FRU HQ have the prudence in localising our head coaching role for the future, after McKee departs our shores?

Evident again in our latest yet again short WC excursion was our trademark DNA, unorthodox free flow running rugby of which opposing coaches and teams were wary of.

The axiom “only a Ninja knows another Ninja” comes to mind which in our case would only be fitting if we keep it local.

Tabai Matson has tonnes of previous experience as a player and high-level coaching and is also accustomed to the gravity of the world cup environment.

Matson as head coach with Senirusi Seruvakula and Naca “Nat” Saumi as assistant coaches with Rev Rinakama as team mentor, and a qualified sports psychologist to impart mental skills such as composure, focus, intensity and trust to further enhance our performance and motivation.

Leading teams have this specialist mental skills coaches in their midst and this is how sides claw their way back in and preserve their focus ‘til the final whistle, case in point our duels against the Wallabies, Uruguay and Wales. We led in the beginning and they just came sailing past and waving “moce Jo”.

The All Blacks had Dr Ceri Evans for the 2011 and 2015 WCs.

They also have renown Gilbert Enoka a specialist mental skills coach with the ABs for the past 18 years.

These are very important people who have contributed in shaping what the ABs are today. Let’s take cue from this. We already have the goods, the knowhow, the speed, and the what not but our psychological strength needs to be worked on as shown in all our games in the later stages of the game where we just couldn’t maintain focus.

BEN KUSH

Canberra, Australia