Kerry V Cork: Plámás, picardia, and penalty pain

Before the 2011 Rugby World Cup, the All Blacks did an exercise with control circles called The Attention Seeker. Two circles were drawn on a white board, one titled ‘Can Control’ and another titled ‘Can’t Control’.

All of their performance issues were aired and then categorised into one of these two circles. The theory was that they would focus their attention solely on the things that were within their control and not waste energy on the things outside of their control.

Two things they initially relegated to the ‘Can’t Control’ circle were ‘The Past’ and ‘The Ref’.