Life Lessons from a Rugby Player
By Graham Smyth
With the Rugby World Cup upon us, Graham Smyth gives us an insight into what we can learn from the men who compete in one of the fastest, hardest-hitting sports on earth.
I used to play rugby. At a height of 5'8 and weighing in at a colossal 11 and a half stone it may be hard to believe, but I did indeed don an oversized cotton jersey and chase after an egg-shaped ball for two years while at school in Northern Ireland.
The appreciation I had for rugby union in my early teens is nothing compared with my love of the sport at the ripe old age of 24, perhaps due to my current involvement in the sport being no more than viewing a game from the comfort of my own home, the pub or the stands - rather than from the bottom of a pile of mud-caked gargantuans.
I love the World Cup. International rugby at its finest - bringing together the most talented, the strongest and the most courageous players from all over the world.
So what could we possibly learn from a man who scrambles around in the mud to gain possession of a leather bag of wind for a living?
Lessons from the world of a rugby player are brought to you by a man both shorter and lighter than myself, Ireland's pint-of-Guinness-sized scrum-half Peter Stringer.
1. SIZE DOESN’T MATTER
In a sport where you have to be able to hit other men as hard as you can with your own body and take them to the ground, not to mention the ability to withstand a tackle from a six foot plus behemoth, Stringer not only survives - he thrives.
The 29-year-old punches well above his weight, getting stuck in to rucks and mauls when much bigger men are trying to keep him away from the ball and despite his size he never shirks a tackle.
Peter Stringer teaches us that what matters is not the size of the dog in the fight, but the size of the fight in the dog. Peter has a heart as big as a Lion and displays this each and every time he pulls on the green jersey of Ireland (the little man has represented his country 79 times). What he lacks in physical stature he more than makes up for in bravery.
2. FOCUS ON YOUR STRENGTHS
Stringer's success is a classic case of the underdog and proves that no matter what size of obstacle you're facing, a dedication to the things that you CAN do will help you overcome. Stringer may not be able to stand in the way of a 6'4, 18 stone second row forward, but he is an expert at the art of the 'tap tackle', when a player dives and taps the ankle of an opposition player from behind, to trip him. Instead of his weakness being apparent, Stringer has become renowned for a strength. Don't make your weaknesses the main thing, focus on your strengths and let those be what people associate with your name.
3. HAVE THE RIGHT PEOPLE AROUND YOU
When pundits talk about Stringer's place in the Ireland squad, they rarely fail to mention his almost telepathic partnership with fly-half Ronan O'Gara. Stringer is the man who picks the ball up at the back of the scrum or ruck and O'Gara is the man who receives Stringer's pass and distributes it to the rest of the backs. The pair have played together since they were schoolboys and their understanding of each other's game has played a big part in Ireland's development and success over the past several seasons.
Success does not have to be achieved on your own. Surrounding yourself with the right people is a simple yet effective way of ensuring that someone will be there to help you recover from losses, celebrate in your victories and help to keep you on the right track. O'Gara needs the ball presented quickly and at a comfortable height so that he can either kick for territory or find a pass to set another Ireland attack on its way. His expectations mean that Stringer has to be at his best, but at the same time he has the ability to cover for his partner's mistakes. We need people who keep our standards high, people who revel in interdependence and people with whom we can have balanced relationships, whether professional or personal.
Ireland are currently in action in the Rugby World Cup and whilst Stringer won't feature in the crunch clash with France on 21st September, if he features in the final group game with Argentina or indeed in the latter stages of the competition should Ireland progress, look out for the strengths I've highlighted in this article. He will show courage, he will play to his strengths and his partnership with Ronan O'Gara will be key to Ireland's potential success.
Graham Smyth is a news and Sports Reporter for Look Local Newspaper, Stocksbridge. Graham is from Northern Ireland and now lives in Sheffield with his wife Maria.