Two recent groundbreaking QUT studies interviewed Australian Rugby legends David Campese, Gary Ella, Glen Ella, Stephen Larkham and dual international Michael O’Connor to shed light on the significance of creativity in rugby union and how it can be cultivated. The studies conducted by QUT’s SPRING Research Group members Carl Marshall, Associate Professor Brendan Moy and Associate Professor Adam Gorman were published in Sport, Education and Society. The other authors are Associate Professor Ian Renshaw and Dr Scotty Russell.
The first study highlights that creative play in rugby is more than just spontaneous; it is nurtured in environments that support cultural security and innovation. Campese, the Ella brothers, Larkham and O’Connor all emphasised that creativity emerges as a playful rebellion against conventional strategies.
O’Connor noted “I think it’s important to have risk takers in your team, and to be able to give them support and the confidence to try things … I think you’ve got to be a risk taker to be creative, and I was happy to have a go”.
This suggests that coaches should create an environment that encourages unorthodox and imaginative play to help develop creative athletes.
The second study delves into the developmental histories of Campese, the Ella brothers, Larkham and O’Connor, and demonstrates that both social and physical environments play a vital role in nurturing creativity.
This highlights how important it is to have fun at training. Campese confirmed this by stating “It’s about enjoyment … We were lucky that we came through an era where it was all about entertaining, and we played a style of rugby [that] was fun … training was [our] fun”.
The research highlights the importance of providing athletes with opportunities to be creative during training tasks, which help them develop unique skills.
This research offers significant insights for coaches and athletes in all sports, encouraging them to create training programs and environments that inspire and develop creative talent.
Let’s hope that some of the Wallabies can be as creative as these rugby legends this Saturday when they take on Wales at Allianz Stadium.