Rugby, like all sports, can teach anyone how to achieve competitive success and how not to! You can also teach basic principles that apply to success of any kind.

On Friday 28 September 2007, England played Tonga in another must-win group game.

The Tongans have a reputation as the wild men of world rugby, but they disagree with this image of themselves. However, they have received more foul cards than any other team in the 2007 World Cup.

They believe rugby is a contact sport for men and dole out their own form of punishment to the opposition: “You step on the soft tissue but not on the head or the crown jewels.” They believe in limited violence!

Belief in God also plays an important role in the Tongan psyche. They pray as a team every night. Their team preacher tells them, “Our Lord can do anything, especially the impossible things.”

Tongans also believe in angels: “All the angels in heaven support us.”

Certainly the French crowd was rooting for them!

Lewis Moody had returned to the England team. He is called ‘Crazy Horse’. Crazy Horse was the Lakota war leader involved in the Battle of Little Big Horn, where Custer was killed. Every successful team needs an inspired warrior to lead them in competition or in battle.

Martin Johnson, England’s world cup-winning captain, was pleased with Moody’s return:

“He will bring a huge amount of energy to the game. We showed against Samoa that we can beat these guys too. At some point tonight, he will go toe to toe. It’s all about winning those collisions. We need to step up the intensity and pace of this one. game. We need to work harder and hit these guys and then they have nowhere to go.”

The Tongans performed their haka o siva tau and advanced looking directly into the faces of the England team. England fans chanted “Swing Low Sweet Chariot!” at the same time and nearly drowned out the sounds of the siva tau.

It was a case of England winning or going out. If they won they would go to Marseille in the quarter-finals to take on Australia as the underdog but an underdog starting to bite.

Tonga scored from a penalty to make it 3-0. Jonny Wilkinson then scored one for England 3-3. Tonga then slides over the line on the greasy surface to score a try. 10-3

England came from behind with an incredible try when Wilkinson kicked past Paul Sackey, who caught the ball after it hit him in the face. Paul landed on his knees and brought the ball down just before it slid over the dead ball line. 10-8

Barkley missed a drop kick but Wilkinson missed. 10-11 to England. Wilkinson then scored another three points with a penalty kick. 10-14. Things were going like England. Wilkinson rarely misses because he practices kicks.

for hours. Successful people realize the need for consistent, regular practice.

Sackey, the England winger, intercepted a ball and shot off to score. It’s fair to say that he was enjoying his world cup. He had rediscovered his ability to zip and try.

England led 10-19 at half-time but Tonga never gave up. Greenwood was concerned: “We are inviting Tonga back into the game. No wonder Brian Ashton has no blooming hair left.”

Tonga kicked a penalty. 13-19 Tonga still believed they could win. They had good reason to believe. They had beaten the USA and Samoa and pushed South Africa all the way.

Mathew Tait scored a try for England which he converted. 13-26.

Tonga looked tired. Andy Farrell scored another try for England between the posts. This was the first try for this former Rugby league man. Jonny converted it. 13-33

Jonny then scored a drop goal. 13-36. Tonga ended the game with another slipped try that was brilliantly converted. 20-36

Australia would now be waiting and vengefully licking their lips at the chance to defeat England in the quarter-final. They had waited four years to avenge their loss to England in the final of the last World Cup.

The Tongan players gathered to pray. They could leave this world cup with their heads held high and their reputation improved.

Jonny Wilkinson commented on England’s win: “It’s satisfying, but we’ve got a long way to go.”

Lewis Moody nearly knocked himself out multiple times chasing the ball and tackling ferociously. He had fully justified his ‘crazy horse’ name and had inspired the entire England team and spectators with his courageous example.

England had maintained their record of always reaching the quarter-finals of the world cup and it seemed that the team had begun to enjoy rugby again.

When you reach the round of 16, anything is possible.

Wales, however, did not reach the quarter-finals. Fiji beat Wales in one of the most exciting games of the world cup. The final score was Wales 34 Fiji 38.

Wales was left out of the world cup. Gareth Thomas, the skipper, felt he had let the nation down and the manager, Gareth Jenkins, was fired the next day.

Scotland did better than Wales in their next game against Italy. The astute Scots manager who had rested his best players against the All Blacks said a good start gives you the confidence to do well in the rest of the game.

The Scots started strong and finished with a narrow victory thanks to constant kicking from their main kicker, Chris Paterson, who is probably one of the two best kickers in world rugby. He took six penalties to allow Scotland to win 18-16 despite Italy being the only team to score a try.

Scotland were now in the last eight.

France soundly beat Georgia 64-7 on Sunday, September 30. They had scored nine tries. France were now top of Group D but needed Ireland to beat Argentina if they were to stay there and avoid playing the All Blacks in Cardiff next week in the quarter-final.

Another key match took place that Sunday. Ireland’s underperforming came up against Argentina. The Irish had the full support of France. Thomas Castaignede wore a green hat: “Argentina can send us down the road to hell.”

If Ireland didn’t beat Argentina, France would end up enduring the hell of playing a fiercely talented All Black team in a foreign country (Wales).

A French sign read: “Allez Les Verts!”

An Irishman commented: “We have to play a lot better than we have been doing and we have to take our chances when they present themselves.”

The Irish captain, O’Driscoll, said: “If we are to die, we must die fighting.”

However, Argentina has the best defensive record in the World Cup and won the battle of the anthems. They were singing with tears streaming down their faces. Back home, the entire nation followed his progress.

Ireland did it in the first seven minutes. Her mind was focused on scoring the four tries they needed to reach the quarterfinals. He camped in the Argentine medium but did not score.

Now Argentina came back and had a good run. They scored a try that was a gamble at the heart of Irish ambition. 5-0 Then Ireland scored a penalty goal 5-3. Argentina responded with a drop goal 8-3

Argentina was starting to look good. The public was in favor of Ireland, but the Argentines did not care. These were difficult times for Ireland. They had to stay positive and hope that things would open up for them later.

The Irish had to chip away at Argentina’s self-confidence, as well as ignite their own. O’Driscoll did just that by scoring Ireland’s first try.

Ireland 10-8 Now there was a totally different feel to the game. You could almost see the Guinness flowing and feel the belief in the Irish camp.

Hernández, the brilliant Argentinian kicker, scored a drop goal to puncture the Irish bubble. 10-11 Argentina won by a narrow margin.

Argentina scored a try. 10-18. The pumas smelled the sweet scent of being in the last eight teams in the World Cup. They were halfway through four tries and the bonus point that would put them into the quarter-final, whatever Ireland did.

For Ireland, this game was always going to be a cliffhanger. Her fingertips were being removed from the edge of the cliff one by one.

After halftime, Argentina scored another three points 21-10

Then the Irish running back, Jordan Murphy, scored a try. 21-15 Once again the dream came to life for Ireland.

Argentina must keep up their momentum and win if they want to go far in the world cup. They scored a penalty.

15-24 for Argentina. Another penalty for high entry 15-27 to Argentina

Hernández scored a drop goal with his left foot: a hat-trick. 15-30

Argentina could already return to its hotel believing that everything was possible. This has been a definite victory and they had laughed in the face of the D word (the pool of death).

Ireland had never been beyond the quarter-finals of a world cup before. They didn’t even get that far this time. France would now have to play the All Blacks in Wales.

Thomas Castaignede said: “We’ve done it before, eight years ago. I hope we can do it again. Argentina has sent us down the road to hell. So let’s do it.”

Eddie O’Sullivan, the Irish manager, commented: “It’s been a tough World Cup for us. Not to want to try, but that’s the way it is.”

Augustin Pichot, the Argentine captain, summed up their achievement: “We just wanted to win all four games and we did it.” Successful people make a plan and stick to it.”

Paul Wallace commented: “The Irish can go away with their heads held high. They just need to get back on their horse and then start looking towards the next world cup.”

Seam Fitz Patrick, the former All Black captain, was not so kind: “They’ve been living on past glories and they haven’t made it on the pitch. They had a chance and they lost it.”

Successful people continue to seek new glory instead of depending on past victories for their reputation.

Francoise Pienaar, a former South African captain, was equally blunt: “They were not facing the truth and looking for excuses.”

Successful people ignore possible excuses and focus on winning.

Several lessons of success can be learned from the rugby games described above.

God or the Universe can do anything, especially impossible things. With God’s help you can too.

If you believe that God and the angels are on your side, they will be.

Dr. Robert Anthony wrote: “All of our experiences have led us to believe certain things about ourselves. Whether these beliefs are true or not doesn’t really matter because if we accept them as true, then they are true for us.”

Every successful team needs an inspired warrior or “crazy horse” to guide them through competition or battle. If necessary, become the ‘crazy horse’ and fight like crazy to achieve your goals and dreams. Others will follow you.

If you’re the underdog, make sure you’re an underdog that bites hard.

Realize the need for constant and regular practice. Daily repetition, even if it is harsh and boring, brings mastery.

If you’re facing death and/or disaster, you might as well go out and fight!

Stay positive in difficult times and hope that things open up for you later on.

Dent your competitors’ self-confidence, but ignite your own.

Make a plan and stick to it.

Look for fresh glory instead of relying on past glories.

Do not make excuses for your poor performance. Get back on your horse immediately and try again.