Look out for the huddles after a try is scored
Watch the deciding third Test in the enthralling series on Saturday and you may notice it after a try is scored by either side – France and Wallabies team breathing exercises in a huddle. But what is it all about?
For those who watch either side regularly, you will have seen it before.
Wow – love that @FranceRugby took a moment to do some team breathing after scoring a try #Mindfulness ??? #sixnations2020 pic.twitter.com/pP2hjMGdkt
— Tom Hollyer (@tomhollyer) February 9, 2020
France kicking coach Vlok Cilliers has told Rugby World that the thinking behind it for them is: “just to let the guys relax, get their normal breathing back and some teams use it to give messages as well.”
According to a spokesperson from the Wallabies, it’s something a number of teams are doing not just in rugby union but also in other football codes in Australia.
At 44min – is the mindful breathing part of a new psychological approach? @therugbyruckus #AUSvNZL #BledisloeCup pic.twitter.com/zmxWRWXmf5
— Matt Hall (@cispt2) August 11, 2019
Which leads you to Rugby League – and once you dig into the practice there, you realise that things may actually lead back to the All Blacks…
At Brisbane Broncos in the NRL, their coach Kevin Walters introduced what they term ‘breathing for warriors’. As their full-back Jamayne Isaako explained in March 2021: “We spoke about having a trigger point when things didn’t go our way. We stuck to what we set out to do, I don’t know if you have seen the Warriors’ breathing technique but we introduced that to the team this week and getting our blue heads on instead of our red heads when things don’t go our way.
“We did that when we scored tries, just re-focused our mindsets to get to our next set and get to a kick which is crucial against the good teams.”
The Warriors gather in a huddle, 2018 (Getty Images)
But if you notice that it’s Warriors in the quote, not warriors, it leads you to the story of the NRL’s New Zealand Warriors side, who started using team breathing. And where did they get the idea? Apparently it was former All Blacks captain Kieran Read.
In 2018 the NRL side were seen breathing as one unit. Asked about it, then-Warriors skipper Roger Tuivasa-Sheck said: “It’s something we got off Kieran Read when he came into camp over the trip in Papamoa.
“It’s just to bring everyone back in, refocus and get ready for what’s next.”
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