Wales can find a way to fly against Ireland if they manage to dump their baggage
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<p>Thinking only of winning may be having a detrimental effect on Steve Tandy’s side according to sports psychologist Dr Stephen McIvor</p><p>It’s unlikely Steve Tandy got to this point in his coaching career without ever alluding to the joy of playing with no baggage. Between club and country over the years he must have reminded his players that the lads down the corridor would be bearing the load, so that’s one thing less to worry about. And with that realisation comes a cert
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Wales can find a way to fly against Ireland if they manage to dump their baggage Thinking only of winning may be having a detrimental effect on Steve Tandy’s side according to sports psychologist Dr Stephen McIvor I t’s unlikely Steve Tandy got to this point in his coaching career without ever alluding to the joy of playing with no baggage. Between club and country over the years he must have reminded his players that the lads down the corridor would be bearing the load, so that’s one thing less to worry about. And with that realisation comes a certain lightness. We’re not talking about the freedom of skipping around the park, picking out faces in the crowd and drinking in the atmosphere of a Six Nations tie, rather getting some value from being spared the burden of expectation. For Wales this has come at a price. When you dip into your emotional bank for a run of 14 Championship fixtures, all of which end with getting your face slapped, it’s expensive. That kind of price makes you wonder about the value of it all. In which case the power of togetherness is critical if you hope to tip the scales, even slightly. The former Munster and Ireland scrum-half Dr Stephen McIvor, a sports psychologist working with teams in high performance, suggests that’s where Wales may start. “The truth of it is that as humans we’re better when we’re connected and if you’re Steve Tandy then you’re emphasising that to your players,” he says. “It’s key for Wales that their coach takes away the baggage but it’s also important that he lowers their expectations. “It’s funny, from the pro game down to under-12s you have any number of coaches telling their players how important it is to get the win. And it holds true across that broad range that it just doesn’t work. All of us already want to win – we don’t need it emphasised. Why would you want to cloud the importance of joining the dots, of sticking together and standing up for each other, by worrying about the outcome?” The obvious thing in t...
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