Like all sports, rugby provides success lessons which apply both to sport and to life in general. The World Cup has been an event full of shocks, incidents and comments which teach success lessons that could apply to anyone.
England showed again that miracles are possible by defeating France, who had defeated them in their last few meetings, in the first semi-final. Next day, on Sunday Oct 14th 2007, Argentina, the Pumas, faced up to South Africa, the Springboks, in the second semi-final.
One of the South Africans was Brian Habana, the man who races cheetahs in public. Another was Percy Montgomery, one of the greatest full backs and goal kickers in world rugby.
Montgomery has received considerable flak for his film star looks and an alleged tendency to leave the difficult kicks to other kickers. Like all successful people, he has proved his critics wrong by achieving excellence in his field of expertise. I cannot remember seeing him miss a kick.
Argentina fielded the same team that had beaten Scotland. The Pumas had several injury concerns but Juan Martin Hernandez, Felipe Contepomi, Ignacio Corleto and Captain Agustin Pichot had been passed fit.
Argentina were playing in their first World Cup semi-final to become the first team from outside the Tri-Nations and the Six Nations to reach the last four in the rugby world cup.
They had lost all eleven previous meetings with South Africa. But they have won ten of their last thirteen matches of world cup rugby and are now an established force in world rugby. Their ten victories had given them enormous confidence and the belief that they could win the cup.
All successful people experience growing confidence and power when they achieve one success after another. South Africa had the right to be even more confident as they had experienced success after success for years.
South Africa emerged from the home changing room used the day before by the winners - England. Both teams sang their national anthems with great feeling.
Since 1997, the South African national anthem has been a hybrid song combining new English lyrics with extracts of the hymn "Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika" and the former Union of South Africa anthem "Die Stem van Suid-Afrika/The Call of South Africa".
The lyrics employ the five most popular of South Africa's eleven official languages - Xhosa, Zulu, Sesotho, Afrikaans and English.
Mandela's attitude of embracing all nationalities as one in South Africa may well have helped the success of the Springboks in the current world cup. Any great and successful leader understands the power of unity and team work.
The Argentinian national anthem was born out of their fight for independence against Spain in 1810. The chorus sums up the attitude of their current rugby team:
Sean eternos los laureles
Que supimos conseguir.
Coronados de gloria vivamos
O juremos con gloria morir.
May the laurels be eternal
That we knew how to win.
Let us live crowned with glory,
Or swear to die gloriously.
Pumas' coach, Marcelo Loffreda, insisted that the side that won the mental battle would book their berth in the final to play England:
"This World Cup is where one's head plays a big part...apart form the physical side; against South Africa it's fundamental," Loffreda said.
Argentina will go into the match at the Stade de France as underdogs but their English director of rugby, Les Cusworth, said their spirit and passion could surprise people.
"What no one should under-estimate is the collective will of the Argentina players," said Cusworth, a former England fly-half. "They have a real pride in playing for their country. I have been involved in rugby for forty years and I have never seen anything like it.
"We also have a base of players that other countries would die for. We go into the semi-final with a side that has been developed over the last six or seven years and that gives us every chance. The players are warriors."
Courage is another hall mark of success. This includes the willingness to fight until death stops further action. Successful people are usually warriors in the sense that they fight for what they believe in. Even if they seem to be losing they will keep fighting until the end - juremos con gloria morir.
The game began evenly but South Africa were a little quicker to take action. Then Argentina did some exciting running and passing. Unfortunately for them Fourie du Preez intercepted a pass and ran in for a try.
The intercepted pass was one of several mistakes by one of the best Argentinian players Felipe Contepomi. Percy Montgomery converted the try. 7-0 to South Africa.
In the last eight world cup semi finals the team that has scored first has gone on to win. Hernandez, another of the Pumas' best players then missed a drop goal.
Francois Pienaar, the South African commentator and former world cup winning Springbok captain, said: "Apart from the interception Argentina have had the edge."
Felipe Contepomi kicked over a penalty. 7-3 after 15 minutes. Montgomery kicked one over too. 10-3 Contepomi just missed a penalty. Still 10-3.
The Springboks nearly scored a try but Argentina cleared their lines skillfully. Twenty minutes had passed.
Corleto, one of the Puma backs, is always keen to have a run but he ended up meeting the brick wall of the Springbok defence. However, Contepomi scored with an excellent penalty kick. 10-6
At thirty one minutes, Habana took a long pass, chipped the ball ahead skillfully, caught it and ran at cheetah speed to reach the try line. Montgomery added two points 17-6.
There is no professional rugby in Argentina. Only three amateur players from Argentina were in the squad. Nearly all the professionals play in Europe. Successful people transcend the limitations of their country and local environment even if they have to travel thousands of miles to do so.
The big names of Argentina were making the errors that were helping South Africa to lead the game. The top Puma professionals were probably trying too hard. An element of self doubt began to creep into the Argentinian team.
Possibly, the Pumas were thinking too much about an open bus tour through Buenos Aires as world champions instead of doing their best in the current game. Successful people focus on doing their best whatever else happens.
If they do their best consistently, successful people will usually win whatever it is they are doing since so few people do their best on a regular basis. Even if successful people do their best only occasionally they will probably win as so few people ever do their best!
The great Hernandez failed to do his best by dropping the ball and the Springboks picked it up gratefully. After some brilliant passing Rousseau scored for South Africa. Montgomery converted just before half time. 24-6
The mistakes had killed Argentina. Argentina needed zero mistakes and they were now looking a tired team. South Africa, on the other hand, had been taking all their opportunities and looked full of confidence and the energy that goes with confidence.
However, suddenly the tide changed. Manuel Contepomi scored a try for Argentina. Felipe converted 24-13. A commentator said: "Anything is possible from here. We know what is likely but what is likely hasn't happened so far in this tournament. Do Argentina have enterprise? We know they have but there are tired bodies out there."
The Argentinian fans found their voice and were out of their seats cheering as Argentina moved up the field.
Felipe kicked a penalty with confidence but not with accuracy. Missed kicks along with handling and passing errors were not helping the Pumas. The clock was ticking but the scoreboard was not. 60 minutes had gone.
Habana seemed to score a try but had been given a forward pass. No try. Pienaar was still nervous:
"South Africa need to put Argentina away before they score a try." Successful people do not believe in half measures!
Francois Steyn, the adventurous, tried to kick a 60 metre penalty. He was on target but a few yards short. Montgomery, the reliable, kicked a penalty. 27-13 at 70 minutes
Argentina might as well go out in a blaze of glory. They had looked so certain but were now looking tired and fragile. They gave away another penalty. There is no luck about Montgomery's kicking. He scored another three points. 30-13
Brian Habana intercepted a pass from Hernandez, the golden boy, at 75 minutes. If a cheetah has trouble catching Habana, when he has a head start, no one else will. Montgomery converted. 37-3
A minor riot broke out at 77 minutes as Smit tackled high. Felipe Contepomi threw a fist at a Springbok who was grabbing him unnecessarily.
"He is a surgeon. I hope no one irritates him before he operates!" commented Will Greenwood.
At full time, South Africa had achieved a well deserved victory. They had done their best. The Argentinians had not and were in tears.
An interviewer spoke to the Springbok captain: "You are a ruthless team; you punish people."
"You have to," said John Smit.
Next Friday, France, the hosts, will play Argentina in the play off for third place. The Pumas will have another chance to shine on a world stage.
Several success lessons emerged from this semi-final:
Prove your critics wrong by achieving excellence in whatever you do.
Enjoy growing confidence and power as you achieve one goal after another.
Use the power of unity and team work. Even two heads are better than one.
Keep swinging until you have clearly lost the ball game. Fight until the end even if you seem to be losing - juremos con gloria morir.
Transcend the limitations of your local environment even if you have to travel miles to do so.
Do your best consistently or, even inconsistently, and success will take care of itself.
Avoid half measures. Take massive but focused action to achieve your goals.
John Watson is an award winning teacher and 5th degree blackbelt martial arts instructor. He has written several ebooks on motivation and success topics. One of these can be found at http://www.motivationtoday.com/36_laws.php
You can also find motivational ebooks by authors like Stuart Goldsmith. Check out
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