The Next Level

Game Changer Number SEVENTEEN: 'Beware 'E' Power '

Heyneke Meyer must have seen a lot in his coaching career, but not much could have prepared him for what transpired in last Saturday's Rugby World Cup opener against Japan. The Japanese running out deserved 34-32 winners.

With many of his players currently plying their trade in Japan of late, Heyneke Meyer must have known exactly what the individual Japanese players where capable of. But what he did not know was what was to come from the 'Brave Blossoms' - as a collective on the World Cup stage. It would be a sneak attack, and not many would see it coming.

The hunter suddenly becomes the hunted. Sometimes the underdog can even become the destroyer. Your opponent brings 'E' Power into play - 'E'motional power .They harnesses it, they leverage it, and suddenly it's not about reaching the next level, but rather about going to a whole new level of performance.

'E'motional power has the effect of quickly closing the talent gap - and it can produce awe inspiring results.

In sport, emotional power is primarily triggered when an individual or a team finds meaning and a higher purpose in winning. Purpose magnifies and multiplies this emotional power. Often charismatic leaders are the ones who galvanise teams into 'collective' inspired action. Sometimes it's just to prove a point. Sometimes it's about someone or some team just having nothing to lose. And sometimes it's a do or die attitude and approach. Either way your opponent catches you completely off guard .It's as if one can prepare and prepare, and then one day nothing seems to go right. That day someone or some team just has your number.

Emotional power can produce devastating results, but like with many things in life 'E' Power also presents a dangerous paradox - as it can be leveraged positively and negatively. On Saturday we welcomed a new nation on the rugby stage - and with the Rugby World Cup to be contested in Japan in 2019 - that can only be a great thing .Well done to Eddie Jones and the 'Brave Blossoms' who announced themselves superbly on the world rugby stage. For us back home, it showed that the nation has something that few other nations have in abundance - an ability to keep smiling and keep laughing in testing times - thanks to our explosive social media networks.

Now, with their backs firmly against the wall, the Boks will have to show that they are still 'the hunters', and not 'the hunted'. It will take plenty of Faith, Confidence and Belief - something we all know as 'Bok Gees'. And somehow it's always been our No.1 Game Changer when it comes to bouncing back. Go Bokke go.

* Rob's new book: The Game Changers: Good to Great to Greater. Is available FREE to The Bugle readers as an instant digital download on his site : https://www.thegameplan.co.za