Stuart Lancaster, in his latest revelation, has taken the wraps off an innovative method he employed at Racing 92 to snap his players out of complacency and kickstart their drive for improvement. In a candid discussion with former professional, Ross Neal, Lancaster detailed his strategy for handling players who seemed content to merely show up rather than show off their potential.
Lancaster described a disheartening scenario at Racing 92, where players on lucrative contracts were merely going through the motions, neither disrupting the team nor actively pushing their limits. “There were a group of players on good money turning up, checking in, checking out, happy if they’re playing, happy if they’re not playing," Lancaster lamented. Frustrated by this lackluster attitude and spurred by a defeat to Stade Français, Lancaster devised a plan to confront the issue head-on.
"I’ll tell you what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna line you up in contractual order, highest paid player to lowest paid player and stand you in line. Then the next thing we do, we’re gonna vote who’s the most respected player, and we’ll stand you in the most respected player to the least respected player."
While he didn’t implement the initial ranking by contract, Lancaster did introduce a respect ranking system where players rated each other across four categories: technical, tactical, physical, and mental capabilities. Each player received an average score based on feedback from 44 team members, ranking everyone from the most to the least respected.
"Gael Fickou, number one, Owen Farrell, number two, all the way down to 44," Lancaster disclosed, pointing out the mental category—which included resilience and leadership—as particularly telling. The feedback was eye-opening, especially for those who perceived themselves as leaders.
Lancaster’s approach was subtle yet impactful. He met with players individually, sharing where they stood in the hierarchy but kept the details within the team. "I didn’t publish it. It landed because there were certain players who believed they were senior players, believed they were leaders, believed that they had the right mindset," he reflected.
The strategy seemed to have struck a chord, as Lancaster noted, "As much as I told them 10 times, 'there’s more in you', it took the 360 degree feedback from their teammates to realise, 'oh, Stuart thinks it. Everyone thinks it. I need to up my game here."
This bold move by Lancaster not only challenged players to reassess their self-image but also ignited a more competitive and self-aware environment within the team, proving once again that sometimes, unconventional methods are what it takes to propel players to new heights.