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Not only must captains be competent in their playing role, they need to inspire confidence in their players, evaluate the game plan and change it if circumstances dictate, handle pressure well, make tactical decisions and communicate effectively with the referee and the team.
The captain is a player, he is a leader, communicator, key decision-maker, and an important link between team and coach.
What, then, should you as a coach be looking for in your captain?
Each captain is different
The first thing to remember is that there is no one set of characteristics possessed by effective captains.
Consider Chris Robshaw (England), Sam Warburton (Wales), Richie McCaw (New Zealand) and Paul O'Connell (Ireland) – all have been successful captains, but they are all very different in personality.
Mentally strong
All captains need to be mentally strong. Inevitably, the captain will be criticised at some point, both within and outside the team. Equally, the captain needs to remain focused and aware while under intense pressure during a game, so he can make the correct decisions at the right time.
To cope with this requires considerable mental fortitude. All Blacks legend Sean Fitzpatrick believed the mental aspect of captaincy was the hardest part of his job as captain, with the result that he had to concentrate even more on the game than when he was a player.
Excellent communicator
This is another skill required by all captains. The captain will need to encourage and manage on-field communication between all the players, as well as maintaining effective communication both with players and between players and the coaching staff off it.
This does not mean the only voice to be heard on the field should be that of the captain’s. Indeed, the captain should only speak when necessary, being able to keep his communication concise and to the point.
Former Kiwi Zinzan Brooke focused on planting a simple idea in his players’ minds and letting it grow from there. For example, his instructions regarding defence was "make a tackle".
Emotionally disciplined
"Fire in the belly but ice in the brain" is important for three main reasons:
1. The example set by the captain must meet every expectation he has of the players. For example, if the captain becomes angry with the referee and questions his decisions, he cannot expect his players to accept refereeing decisions themselves.
2. If the captain loses self-control and vents his anger or frustration (whether against an opponent, team mate or the referee), he will have lost the ability to make rational decisions. His own performance will also suffer; a loss of emotional control will affect timing, co-ordination and the ability to read the game because awareness becomes more narrowly focused.
3. A loss of emotional control will be seen as a sign of weakness by the opposition, boosting their confidence while undermining that of the team. This does not mean that your captain becomes an emotionless robot, devoid of passion, but rather he plays (in the words of the great Welsh coach Carwyn James): "With fire in the belly but ice in the brain".
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