Life is like a rugby ball!

As a rugby fanatic it was with great interest several years ago that I learned that Japan’s then Prime Minister, Yoshiro Mori, took up politics only when it became clear that he could not make it to the top level in his first passion, namely the game of rugby. Nevertheless his devotion to rugby remained and somewhat philosophically he observed in his autobiography that “life is like a rugby ball” on the basis that “you never know which way it will bounce”.

This evening (28 October 2023) the eyes of the rugby fraternity will be on Paris where the rugby world cup final will take place between South Africa (“the Boks”) and New Zealand (“the All Blacks”).  For both teams it has not been an easy journey - for example, the Boks’ margin of victory was a single point in both the quarter final and semi final, games that (with a different bounce of the ball) could easily have gone either way. 

Aside from the skills on display, rugby as a sport has important lessons on leadership that perhaps set it apart from most other sports including the need to embrace teamwork, complexity, agility, innovation, effective communication, diversity, courage, integrity and resilience.

Teamwork is perhaps the most important attribute.  In many other team sports one dominant player can make all the difference - think Chris Gayle or Virat Kohli in cricket, Maradona or Messi in football, or LeBron James or Michael Jordan in basketball. However, the nature of rugby is that it is difficult for one single person to have this same level of dominant influence on the outcome.  It is the effective combination of 15 players in working together to implement pre-agreed strategies - whether complex lineout moves, mauling strategy, attacking back line moves, or dogged defence - that are key to success. In summary, in rugby you can’t get anywhere without help from others.

Complexity defines rugby not just in terms of the rules, but also the actual mechanics of what is done on the field.  Teams that succeed need to demonstrate agility and an ability to innovate in coming up with moves to confuse the opposition.  But effective communication then becomes paramount in bringing this all together.

Diversity is another differentiator.  Different positions have different demands - strength and height are key for the scrum, whereas speed and agility are important for the backs - take the current Boks team, and contrast the wingers Cheslin Kolbe (5ft 7in, 76kg) and Kurt Lee Arendse (5ft 9in, 82kg) with the lock Eben Etzebeth (6ft 8in, 126kg) and hooker Bongi Mbonambi (5ft 9in, 118kg).  Similarly, in an organisation different responsibilities are assigned to people based on their strengths, weaknesses, and personalities. Put simply, rugby, just like life, has a position for everyone!

Courage and determination are key for what is a tough physical game - and this is not just about the games themselves but also the physical demands of training in preparation for the game.

Integrity is also key.  If you contrast with football where professional footballers seem to take any challenge however slight as an opportunity to writhe around in agony, this behaviour is not a normal feature of rugby - if someone stays down, then normally it is for good reason and certainly it is not accompanied by histrionic theatrics (such as extended rolling on the ground).

Resilience is another key attribute - the nature of the game is that it can change very quickly and what might seem like a dominant position can be overturned by a quick couple of tries from the other side. But you still have to pick yourself up and get on with it.  So Prime Minister, Yoshiro Mori, was certainly on point when saying “life is like a rugby ball” on the basis that “you never know which way it will bounce”. 

Given the positive attributes that rugby engenders, it is positive to hear of ongoing moves to develop the game in Tanzania.  And, if your child is thinking of playing rugby, whether here in Tanzania or elsewhere, certainly do encourage them.  They may not make it to the World Cup, but it will certainly develop important life and leadership skills - and who knows they might even reach heights such as Yoshiro Mori!

By David Tarimo (Country Senior Partner - PwC, Chairman - CEO Roundtable of Tanzania, Past Captain of Dar Leopards Rugby Club)