What Japan, England & South Africa Rugby Teams Taught Me about Victory

As a newbee in rugby, I really enjoyed watching the recent World Cup. In particular, I learned so much about victory by watching Japan, England and South Africa. They demonstrated how to win by setting your heart on a higher cause.

I'm neutral about who won the Cup. I thought many teams had their moments of glory. But in this article, I just want to share with you my observation about the 3 teams that made an impression on me and what I think made them play a great game.

I want to start with Japan. What a performance! Who would have thought they would beat Ireland?! I love seeing the men in green (especially my favourite #10, Johnny Sexton), but I was completely taken by surprise at how Japan defended their line and scored try after try. Ireland faced a formidable defence. No one could break through the wall of red and white jerseys. But I can imagine the motivation talk in the locker room. "Boys, we are the host of this world cup. We've got to show them what Japan can do. We are the only Asian country in this tournament." It's not just about winning medals, in my opinion. It was about actualising oneself as a nation and leaving the Asian mark on the world stage. And then they went on beating Samoa and Scotland. But winning those games perhaps was driven by a different force: Typhoon Hagibis. Perhaps the locker room pep talk shifted to, "We've got to do this to honour those affected by the Typhoon. To show that as a nation, we stay strong despite disasters. Let's win it to bring their spirit up!" Of course, I wasn't in the locker room. I don't know the real reason. And I'm risking criticism from you readers because this article is full of my opinion. But many people would agree that Japan's performance was pleasantly surprising. So I would love to hear from you: What do you think drove them to excellence?

And then there was England in the semi-finals against the All Blacks. There they stood watching the All Blacks do their famous Hakka. But this time, instead of standing in a straight line, they formed a V and Owen Farrell had this smart smirk on his face as if he was saying, "Bring it on! You think I'm scared of you?" (Ok, they later got fined for crossing the line during the Hakka, but that didn't take away the fact that their response to the Hakka was, in my opinion, brilliant.) A few days later, the All Blacks Coach told the journalists that if we understood the history and the purpose of the Hakka, it is a challenge that deserves a response. He was glad to see how England responded to it. The game went on. Most people would agree that the All Blacks is the toughest team in the world to beat. They won the past two World Cup tournaments and perhaps some of us had expected that they'd win it again this year. But England delivered a fantastic game against the All Blacks, winning more and more points through tries and penalties. England fans roared when Sam Underhill tackled (not one, but) TWO All Blacks players at once. Whoa, what a machine! And as all this is going on, the commentator repeatedly said this about the All Blacks: "They're human after all!" Obviously, they're human! But imagine professional commentators having that reaction. In my observation, it wasn't just about medals. It was about self-actualisation. It was about England proving to themselves that they can beat the All Blacks. The fire in the eyes of everyone in the England team was apparent at the start of the game, during the Hakka, and all throughout until the final second. 19-7 is the score England will always remember... a 12 point lead against the "best team in the world." At this point, I just want to shout out to the All Blacks. Their reputation didn't come from nowhere. They have set the bar for many teams around the world to reach. And that's really something. And I believe, these "humans" will be back!

Finally, let's talk about South Africa's victory. They're still celebrating today. It was a game that made me want to watch the movie "Invictus" all over again. Rugby was one of the things that united the whites and the blacks in South Africa. (Sorry if you're not comfortable with the terms "white" and "black" but these are terms still used today in South Africa.) Honestly, when I saw South Africa play Wales in the semi-finals, I was convinced they were going to lose against England. All this box kicking and faffing around. I was bored. But when I saw them play England, oh... what a force to be reckoned with! We all knew that they had strong scrums, but was Sinkler's injury early in the game the thing that gave the Bokkes advantage throughout the game? I don't think so.

Think about it. Amidst all the political, racial, and economic tensions in South Africa, winning the World Cup meant so much more than just bringing home the gold. It was an event that united South Africa, once again, despite their differences... just like it did in 1995 and in 2007.

And this year was even more special, because it was the first time they had a black captain, Siya Kolisi, who incidentally came from the slums and (by a twist of fate) attracted the attention of the prestigious Grey High School that propelled him out of poverty and into professional rugby. Now he is leading a mixed-race national rugby team. This was the manifestation of Mandela's vision of a Rainbow Nation: collaboration between blacks and whites, and a system that gave a way out to a disadvantaged majority.

I love Kolisi's words after the match: "We have so many problems in our country. But to have a team like this, we come from different backgrounds, different races, and we come together for one goal. I have never seen South Africa like this. We were playing for the people back home. We can achieve anything if we work together as one." Well said. South Africa played for a higher cause... for their country... for unity... for empowerment... not just for a gold cup.

I don't know much about rugby. I don't know the history of the teams, the inside stories of the players and coaches, the detailed rules of the tournaments... but I have learned one thing from the World Cup this year: having the right WHY is so important to achieve victory. Japan, England, and South Africa have demonstrated that in various stages of the tournament. And if I had more knowledge of the game, more examples from teams all over the world can be included.

So that's rugby. Now what about you, your life, your business? Are you achieving the victory that you desire? What is the WHY that you're using to drive you? Is it just to get recognition... get money? Are you driving your teams to achieve targets & profit bottom lines? Or have you identified a higher cause? A meaning for what you do?