Scott Mathie: The pressure is on us
Leeds Carnegie scrum half Scott Mathie says the pressure is firmly on his team ahead of an important Premiership clash against Sale.
Leeds has started the Premiership season in terrible form. The club currently sits bottom of the table with just a single point from five games. Mathie says the club has created the pressure the players
are under.
It is very important that Leeds gets a win on the board soon in order for the club to slowly start climbing the table. However, the standard of rugby in the Premiership is very high and Sale will be looking
to push closer to the top four.
Pressure can have a number of positive and negative effects on a team. The result is more important than anything else in this game because another defeat could mean Leeds stays at the bottom for the rest
of the rugby year.
Positive impact
Pressure can have a positive impact on players because it keeps every individual on edge. This means that the players in the Leeds team will be concentrating and focusing a little harder than they otherwise
would do.
Pressure can rub off from the players to the fans, which means more noise and a hostile atmosphere for any team that Leeds plays. Fans are responsible for providing players with bursts of inspiration in
the middle of a tight game.
Pressure can create a nothing-to-lose attitude within the Leeds team. This means Leeds can take a very aggressive and attacking approach into the game with Sale, which is more likely to produce a positive
result.
"Every game you don't win, then more pressure builds up on the next game. This is a massive match for us, but we are playing good rugby and just need to put the final touches on that. We are very confident
this weekend. I've felt very confident coming into this season, but it's been a bit of a struggle team-wise as we've tried to gel," said Mathie.
Negative impact
The main danger of pressure is that it can intensify the feelings of anxiety within the dressing room before a game. This means players may be more willing to back off at the start of a game. This can
lead to the opposition scoring and getting their noses in front quickly.
The importance of getting a result for the vital points can counter a player's concentration. This is something that coaches and fans can do nothing about but more mistakes are likely if a player isn't
completely focused on the game.
"Initially we struggled with what was our game plan and what works best for us. But over the last few weeks, as we've gelled and got guys fit again, we definitely identified what works best for us and
it's only going to go from strength to strength now. We are very confident in what we are doing and as a scrum-half I feel very confident about how we are going forward," he added.
Betting advice
The best thing to do with Leeds' game against Sale is bet in play. It will become clear within the first five to ten minutes whether the pressure is going to have a positive or negative impact on the Leeds
team. This can save a lot of wasted money.
Backing players to do well is a much better and productive option than backing the side. Mathie and the fly half in the team should both be scoring a few points in every game. Remember the fly half will
have more chances to kick points.
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