Davies gets to heart of mind matters

WHAT is the most important part of a rugby player’s body? His hands? Quick feet? Upper body strength?

None of the above, according to Scarlets head coach Nigel Davies. Instead, he believes the most important part of his job is fine-tuning the minds of his players.

That is because Davies does not deal with ready-made and well-rounded internationals. Rather, the financial constraints placed upon him mean that the former Wales international has to create superstars, convincing youngsters of their worth and desperately hoping they fulfil their talent and reward his belief.

This year, they have started to do exactly that. Indeed, the Scarlets could claim to have one of the most exciting back divisions in Europe, with the World Cup the perfect stage for a potential golden generation to announce their arrival.

Ultimately, what side wouldn’t like to have the talents of Rhys Priestland, George North, Scott Williams, Jonathan Davies and Tavis Knoyle — all aged between 19 and 24 — on their books?

Yet the arrival of such a wealth of talent has come about partly through design, and partly through necessity. Since Nigel Davies was appointed at Parc y Scarlets in 2008, some 26 full internationals have departed, with only four coming in to replace them. That has meant a huge reliance on a burgeoning youth system, which is far more impressive than a club with a debt of €6.4m should have.

And the impact of that upon Davies is clear. The 46-year-old views himself is more than a coach; and as the Heineken Cup hoves into view, he makes it clear that his work is bearing fruit at last.

“In my job I’m a mentor, a father figure, a psychologist and a social worker,” laughs Davies, who won 29 Welsh caps as a player.

“More than any other profession my job is about people, and you can’t coach them the same. Some of them need a kick up the backside and some need different coaching. Every player we have is unique, has different requirements and you have to identify that and work with it. I’ve been involved with professional psychologists and they all have a certain value.

“I wouldn’t even call rugby coaches amateur psychologists because they work in a professional environment and are trying to get the best out of their players; it’s what they need to be able to do.

“Take Rhys Priestland, for example. I always believed in Rhys, even when he didn’t believe in himself — that was the challenge for him. We went through some really rough times, a lot of low points, and there were a lot of people criticising me for continually selecting him.

“Rhys would be the first to say there were times he cost us games because of his mental frailties. His goal kicking was affected, for instance. But I stood by him and ultimately he came through for us. My experience suggests that if you’ve got somebody you believe in and you stick with them, then nine times out of 10 they will come through for you.

“With Rhys it was about staying with him and showing faith — ultimately he has repaid us and he has been great for Wales as well.”

And Davies has a clear example to follow as he tries to build a culture and a dynasty in the west of Wales. To him, Munster and Leinster are the benchmark; sides that are about a region and an identity, rather than simply another badge on a shirt to be kissed.

That his side, imbued with a culture repeatedly drummed into them in Llanelli, take on Munster in Pool 1, as well as Castres and Northampton Saints, simply makes it easier to judge how far his team have progressed.

“Munster have shown what can be achieved,” acknowledges Davies. “What they have done is create a winning culture, a culture of belief. Often there isn’t much between players, and the difference comes down to what they believe in and the values they belong to. We are working very hard to do that at the Scarlets, and Munster have been great role models.

“People say Munster have been on the slide for a few years, but my view is that when you belong to the set of values they do, it is impossible to think that. The people that come into the Munster side will add to it, and they become better individuals because they belong to something that is a little bit special.

“Teams can be beaten before they play Munster, and the mental side of this sport is huge. People put limits on what they can achieve, and that sticks with certain individuals. My job is to ensure the players believe there is no limit to what they can achieve. Beating Munster would be the ultimate evidence of that happening. The proof would be if we can go to places such as Thomond Park and get a result.”

Davies is well aware of how difficult that will be. His side have stood up remarkably well to the challenge of losing a raft of players to the World Cup, but the Heineken Cup will be rather more difficult. In recent years, the Scarlets pack has simply not got enough of the ball for their talented backline — which includes Stephen Jones, do not forget — to cause enough damage. Davies but acknowledges that for all the progress made by the Parc y Scarlets kids, now is the time for tangible success.

“Ultimately we have to be successful in the big competitions and to win trophies,” he adds. “For me the next stage is to get into a play-off in one of the competitions that we’re in.

“The one thing that we know we have to do is to front up as a pack of forwards and give ourselves a chance. In my view, there’ll only be one team going through from this pool, so if you win your home games, who knows what we can achieve?”

The world saw what his youth system has achieved so far. Now they can test themselves against the side they modelled it on.