They may be some of the biggest names but that doesn’t prevent them from falling into the routine of ritual and repetition, all in hope of having the best possible chance of heading onto the field and emerging victorious.
Some deem superstitions in rugby a waste of time, others swear by it, but one thing is for sure – superstition won’t be leaving the world of rugby any time soon.
Superstitions in Rugby
1. Mark Cueto’s recipe for success
Former Sale Sharks and England international Mark Cueto had a culinary superstition during his playing days, yet not quite the type of cuisine worthy of a Michelin star. The humble classic of beans on toast was a staple part of Cueto’s pre-match preparation and the winger would not take to the field unless this had been consumed. It didn’t stop there – Cueto also religiously endeavored to put his left boot on first before every match, along with being the last man off the coach and the last out of the changing rooms. Anything for success though, right?
2. Lewis Moody enjoys film night
The flanker always went to the cinema on the night before a game and insisted on wearing his match shirt underneath his warm-up kit. Also, which is one of the stranger superstitions in rugby, he used to have two cans of Red Bull before every game.
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3. Simon Taylor the Dragon
The former Scotland back-row forward, who played for Edinburgh, Stade Français and Bath, possibly wins the prize for the most unusual pre-game quirk. “As far as superstitions or pre-match routines go, I must confess to having a strange habit,” he wrote in 2007. “Ever since I was a kid I’ve always done the Bruce Lee kung-fu wavy hands in the changing room before games. I loved the film Enter the Dragon and thought he was really cool, so I’ve been doing it ever since.”
4. The habitual vomiting of the Welsh national team
According to ex-Bath and England international Michael Lipman, the players within the Welsh national team used to collectively vomit before a key international clash, as a way of clearing their stomach and being 100 per cent ready for what lay ahead.