Place-kick routines getting quirkier
Source: Agencies |
October 6, 2011, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
BEFORE taking his place kicks, England flyhalf Jonny Wilkinson squats down, clasps his hands and bows his head as if in contrition.
Then there's Australia's Quade Cooper. He looks like a matador holding an invisible cape as he addresses the kicking tee. When teammate James O'Connor steps in for his kicks, his pre-kick ritual could resemble somebody showing a kid how the choo-choo trains work.
At this Rugby World Cup, there's been no shortage of quirky place-kicking routines. Some players, like Irish kicker Ronan O'Gara, incorporate graceful turns into his. Others look like they're playing a flute, or dancing a jig.
With each progressive tournament, it would seem, the place-kicking routines get a little more... idiosyncratic.
But these highly rehearsed routines can also bring success. Wilkinson has been unusually out of form, successful with less than half his shots at goal at this World Cup, but he remains within striking distance of becoming the most prolific scorer ever in rugby.
So what is the rationale behind these routines?
Ken Hodge, an associate professor of physical education at the University of Otago who also trains top athletes to help enhance their mental skills, said it has little to do with biomechanics.
"From the outside, it looks like a physical routine - which it is - but it's much more than that," he said. "Kicking is a lot more controllable than general play. It's a repeatable skill. The challenge is to maintain concentration and let the body do what it's good at."
He likened goal kicking to golf. Hodge said the physical routines help players stick to parallel mental routines. He said it's imperative for kickers to eliminate thoughts that might intrude - like crowd noise, a recent muffed play, or self-doubt.
"It's all about keeping the mind quiet," he said. "It's keeping the chatter out of it and sticking to useful, positive thoughts."
When the Australian place kickers were asked how they developed their odd arm movements, Cooper laughed, turned to O'Connor, and quipped: "He copied me." O'Connor shot back: "He thinks he's Superman."
O'Connor then added seriously: "It's to get you in the right position to strike the ball."
Then there's Australia's Quade Cooper. He looks like a matador holding an invisible cape as he addresses the kicking tee. When teammate James O'Connor steps in for his kicks, his pre-kick ritual could resemble somebody showing a kid how the choo-choo trains work.
At this Rugby World Cup, there's been no shortage of quirky place-kicking routines. Some players, like Irish kicker Ronan O'Gara, incorporate graceful turns into his. Others look like they're playing a flute, or dancing a jig.
With each progressive tournament, it would seem, the place-kicking routines get a little more... idiosyncratic.
But these highly rehearsed routines can also bring success. Wilkinson has been unusually out of form, successful with less than half his shots at goal at this World Cup, but he remains within striking distance of becoming the most prolific scorer ever in rugby.
So what is the rationale behind these routines?
Ken Hodge, an associate professor of physical education at the University of Otago who also trains top athletes to help enhance their mental skills, said it has little to do with biomechanics.
"From the outside, it looks like a physical routine - which it is - but it's much more than that," he said. "Kicking is a lot more controllable than general play. It's a repeatable skill. The challenge is to maintain concentration and let the body do what it's good at."
He likened goal kicking to golf. Hodge said the physical routines help players stick to parallel mental routines. He said it's imperative for kickers to eliminate thoughts that might intrude - like crowd noise, a recent muffed play, or self-doubt.
"It's all about keeping the mind quiet," he said. "It's keeping the chatter out of it and sticking to useful, positive thoughts."
When the Australian place kickers were asked how they developed their odd arm movements, Cooper laughed, turned to O'Connor, and quipped: "He copied me." O'Connor shot back: "He thinks he's Superman."
O'Connor then added seriously: "It's to get you in the right position to strike the ball."
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