Very interesting Will Greenwood Article on match preparation for big games.

By Will Greenwood for The Telegraph


Preparations
Do not deviate from your normal preparations. If you are a non-talking, music-listening, headbanging nut job, that is who you are. Embrace it. If you prefer to wave at mum and smile at the hand gestures from our Welsh friends on the way to the stadium, then revel in that. The key is not to cross over into other people’s territory because today is no different from any other game. True, millions will be watching, reputations are on the line, and there is a Lions tour up for grabs. But in reality, it is a game of rugby, same as all the others. Go out and enjoy it.

Calm before the storm
It will be key for backroom staff and coaches to exude calm. They must keep talking about the positives, the shape players are in, the way they have developed, and reinforce the plans they have made. Nothing delusional – just key messages the boys know are tangible. Senior players are not the long-term veterans that England once had. Few of the team have been in a situation like this before. That both helps and hinders. England will quickly find out which players are the ones to build their future around.
Embrace the fear

Ask Graham Rowntree, Andy Farrell or Mike Catt about pre-match nerves. They will tell you that some of the bravest rugby men they know used to be pig-sick before games, not wanting to be there. Bravery is not the absence of fear, it is the triumph over it. Talk about it, accept it and then go about dealing with it. If you are not buzzing with adrenalin, excitement, fear and about 200 other emotions by the time kick-off comes, then you are in the wrong business. Fear is your friend if handled right.
Deal with the crowd

Cardiff is going to be full on by late afternoon – even the coach trip in is going to be colourful. This is not a city that does rugby by halves and it has the best stadium atmosphere in the world, my favourite bar none. The noise is like nothing you have heard before. There is an intensity to it and yet a beauty as well when the singing chimes in. Put simply, it is unnerving and there is very little you can do to prepare for it. All you can do is react. Take a breath, drink it in, then go about shutting it out and focus on your job. In 2003, as England were in a huddle before the match, the roof nearly lifted off when the Welsh team came onto the pitch. Martin Johnson did not blink. All he said was (I paraphrase for the younger readers): “Won’t it be great when this lot go quiet and leave early.” It really is that simple. Don’t be rattled, execute your plan and shut the crowd up.
Go on the front foot

Wales will come at England. If the visitors sit back, or kick poorly, they will invite Wales to run again and again. They must take a leaf out of Ireland’s book and go after them, playing with real tempo. That means hitting the breakdowns and tackles hard in defence. And when they attack, do whatever is needed to make sure that there is quick ball. The speed of moving the ball between contact area and open space has to be lightening fast. England can do it, they just need to do it all the time. Mike Phillips is another area to challenge. He is coming back into form but if you get under his skin he will still try to take everyone on. He is strong, but if you can get him involved then you can slow down Welsh ball. Also, hit their midfield hard. Wales use decoys to bring North and Cuthbert in and around Roberts and Davies. They are four heavyweight men and a lot of the Welsh game plan revolves around them making the gain line. Hit them hard and low, stop them breaking the line and you can squeeze Wales. Finally, starve Leigh Halfpenny of his kicks at goal. Disrupt the breakdown, match them in the scrum, go after the line-out, but always do it in a way that does not get the referee involved. Be confident you can repel 20 phases of play and you become the stronger, more patient team.
Win your personal battle

You can get caught up with head-to-heads and matchups, but the truth is that every single player matters – from the starting XV to the bench. It is down to how they all perform against their opposite numbers at key moments. They will all have decisions that can change the outcome at some point. How the collective deals with these turning points is all that matters. Both sides are built on the work ethic of the group. Wales and England have special players, they are just used in a way that is all about promoting cohesion rather than putting the “me” in team. Want proof that the personnel does not matter? Then look no further than my son Archie. He loves to watch videos of old games, and when he was ill a few weeks ago, he pulled out the Wales v England game from 2003. It was not the decider but one of five legs of the Grand Slam. I am willing to bet a sizeable chunk of change that you cannot name the backline that finished the match. Wilkinson, Robinson, Tindall, Catt, Bracken, Lewsey? Would make sense; but guess what? Not a single one of them was on the field when the final whistle went. The back line that finished the game was Matt Dawson, Charlie Hodgson, Phil Christophers, Will Greenwood, James Simpson-Daniel, Andy Gomarsall on the wing and Ben Cohen at fullback. Do not tell me that winning today is about having a world XV. Ultimately it will come down to which team has the strongest belief system built into it. We all hug in changing rooms, we all shout “come on”. But which team believes 100 per cent that they will win? Which team, when they look into each other’s eyes, see into their souls and deliver an unsaid message that says: ‘We will not break?’ Today is about mettle not shine.
Get these things right ...

1 Restarts: Against Italy they were one of England’s worst areas. They struggled to get out of their own half and that brought pressure. Italy had line-outs from the kicks and it meant they were attacking from either inside the 10m line or just outside England’s 22. It gave them a tremendous platform. England need to make kicks that either gain a lot of ground or allow chasers to compete. They need to have two kickers in place: Mike Brown offering a left-foot option and Farrell the right

2 Breakdown: England need to recapture the bark that made them rabid dogs against the All Blacks. The game is going to hurt and they need to be willing to go as far as is needed in terms of pain and commitment. Your body belongs to the team, so hit things. In the last two games, England have been bumped too often.
3 Ambition: A delicate mix between carefree and scared of losing. Offloads will decide the match, but so will the precision in how they are done. Turnovers will hurt a side today so players need to be realistic. They won’t suddenly wake up, think they are Sonny Bill Williams, and be able to pass better than they could the day before. If it is not on, it’s not on. Hold, recycle and go again.
Share the pressure

The pressure is not just on England here and the players need to understand that the bloke opposite them is under just as much scrutiny. Wales have to beat England at Cardiff – the public demand it, Grand Slam or no Grand Slam. Wales can still win the Championship and they know it. They also want to get on the Lions tour and a few of the nailed-down players have struggled to find their form. The world is not just looking at England. The spotlight is just as bright on the 15 blokes in the other half.

At least he makes no bones about writing from an English point of view as an ex-England player.

Looking at his day job, it's no surprise he spends a lot of his column writing a technical analysis, but I'd say he's not far off the truth in his closing summary. Regardless of this turgid weeks forum posts mainly consisting of 'no, YOU'RE the team with pressure on it ...' between WUMs, there's pressure on both sides, for completely different reasons.

Listening to Dallaglio on Sport Wales last night, Guscott in the BBC articles and Greenwood above, there is a great deal of concern by former players on this england team feeling the pressure. Constant reminders that the pressure is not on them it is on Wales...

Surely dealing successfully with the pressure of the final result today is exactly what this game is about. Wales have been there before many times and invariably have not succeeded.

Today is a huge test for both teams to "step up another level".

Fair play this is a huge game for England 1 Grand Slam in 18 years is humiliating if one considers the so called might and strength they should have. Wales seem to take Grand Slams in their stride with 3 GS in 8 years.

Plenty of pressure on both teams and if either team lets it get to them then, in all probability, it will be all over for them. At the risk of going over old ground who do you think will be under the greatest pressure at the MS today?

Ye I get the feeling that Greenwood, Dayglo, Guscott and numerous other Englishmen are very nervous of a pretty young and inexperienced England pulling another 2011!!!

England IMHO are favourites, Wales aren't playing well but have won 3 awfull away games, there is no reason Wales should step up and outplay England today except that the English may be constrained by inexperience and fear.

For the first time in a long time I think this game is all about England, both teams on top for and fully fit and firring I'd give Wales the edge, but they are not, England are the form team and if they turn up and play how they have in recent weeks they have the ability to beat wales outright, if Wales turn up and play above anything we've seen from them in 12 months they'll win, but I don't see them turning up and playing like the GS team last year.

Good luck to both teams, if nothing else I hope this game does the fans, teams and tournament proud!!![u]

thebluesmancometh wrote:Good luck to both teams, if nothing else I hope this game does the fans, teams and tournament proud!!!

+1,000,000

And to you Blues, the amount of vitriol that some posters have been puking onto this forum, or felt the need to react to, it's good to see just a glimmer of sportsmanship.

Your point about 'the game' is a good one, and one that I'm the most wary about. Almost every game since the first weekend has been negative 'play not to lose' rugby (all discussions about that on another thread!), as opposed to playing to win. The only team I've seen truly play all out Rugby to win for since the opening salvo's was Italy last weekend.

On paper, this game is an absolute belter with potentially technical displays on hand that, we as the fans, should expect to see in a world top-5 game. My inner-pessimist says it'll be turgid sh1te.

AlastairW wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:Good luck to both teams, if nothing else I hope this game does the fans, teams and tournament proud!!!

+1,000,000

And to you Blues, the amount of vitriol that some posters have been puking onto this forum, or felt the need to react to, it's good to see just a glimmer of sportsmanship.

Your point about 'the game' is a good one, and one that I'm the most wary about. Almost every game since the first weekend has been negative 'play not to lose' rugby (all discussions about that on another thread!), as opposed to playing to win. The only team I've seen truly play all out Rugby to win for since the opening salvo's was Italy last weekend.

On paper, this game is an absolute belter with potentially technical displays on hand that, we as the fans, should expect to see in a world top-5 game. My inner-pessimist says it'll be turgid sh1te.

I really think the game could go one of 2 ways, if either coaching team have the balls to say to their players 'go out and execute someone, get on the scoreboard from the off, run the trick plays early' we could have an 80 minute belt fest the likes the world has never seen before.
Unless both coaches are brave enough to say it and then we'll get huge errors, massively flawed plans and both teams will resort to risk free rugby.

My head says though both teams will be cagey early on, feel each other out and the odd mistake will make the difference. both teams are happy to go into the last 10 minutes with no score difference, then it's all to play for do or die type stuff, but you have to be in it to win it.

I hope I'm wrong and one of the coaches have the guts to throw the playbook out the window, and rock up to play the occasion, go for it hell for leather, like boxer do when theyve been overhyped and over sold to each other, I don't want to see the dance around the fringes testing each other out, I want to see the full on rage of 2 guys wanting to knock each other on their bum and a proper slugfest (in rugby terms obviously)

I can't imagine that the match will be that open and attractive but hopefully that doesn't mean it won't be a cracker! Blues - I'm sure that there will be plenty of one on one (rugby) slugfests this afternoon!

bluesman, please never, ever, ever use the term "rock up" again.

Never!

Five and a half hours....

Cyril on 606v2 wrote:bluesman, please never, ever, ever use the term "rock up" again.

Never!

Why not? thats what England are trying to do!

It's an awful phrase. I know you like it.

It's why I'm glad you don't coach and the kids don't have to hear it

Cyril on 606v2 wrote:bluesman, please never, ever, ever use the term "rock up" again.

Never!

I also find it quite hilarious Cyzil that at a time before a huge encounter, I try to open arms to all fans and WUMs alike in a sportsmans embrace and all you want to do is have a petty argument. It hails a lot about your character and why you rock up on these boards!

Come on blues, a little bit of entente cordiale at this time doesn't make up for all your wumming for the other 364 days!

Cyzil in 'I'd prefer to argue than discuss anything tangible' shocker!!!

thebluesmancometh wrote:Cyzil in 'I'd prefer to argue than discuss anything tangible' shocker!!!

bluesman, the problem is you get a bit too aggressive and don't let anyone else have an opinion.

Just admit that you are wrong sometimes and things would go a bit more smoothly on here for you.

Time out

Cyril on 606v2 wrote:

thebluesmancometh wrote:Cyzil in 'I'd prefer to argue than discuss anything tangible' shocker!!!

bluesman, the problem is you get a bit too aggressive and don't let anyone else have an opinion.

Just admit that you are wrong sometimes and things would go a bit more smoothly on here for you.

Time out

Ahhhh, cyriiiill!!! Wind your neck in man! bluesman just ignore him. I suspect you're right and it'll be a bit of a turgid slugathon. I also hope they 'rock up' and decide to give it a lash.

Who rattled your cage hoody?

Yeah, it'll no doubt be a nail-biting, slugfest. We can only hope for a bit more open play all round.

Jonno 2003
All he said was (I paraphrase for the younger readers): “Won’t it be great when this lot go quiet and leave early.” It really is that simple. Don’t be rattled, execute your plan and shut the crowd up.

Yes, well that was a great side, the best. I wonder if it can be repeated 2013 with this young less seasoned side ? I fervently hope so. Most keenly anticipated game in a long while for me.

Maes, thanks for posting. Best NH teams fated to meet at last for a great 6n finale. One of us will lose today,one of us will win. I hope we each will face the twin 'imposters' with rugby respect !