Warriors captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has revealed a breathing technique from one of the world's most successful sporting teams is helping his side remain focused during matches.
Typically following a try, most sides in the Telstra Premiership will huddle together to hear words from the captain, other senior players and a message from upstairs.
Often the television microphones pick up shouting, swearing, emotion and encouragement.
It can be a loud and ocasionally hostile place.
But on Saturday night in Perth, the Warriors huddle was silent.
Following all six of their tries in the 30-20 win over South Sydney, the Warriors linked arms on halfway and went through a breathing exercise.
In unison, the team inhaled and exhaled several times before Tuivasa-Sheck gave his players a brief address.
The idea came from All Blacks captain Kieran Read, who was brought into Warriors camp during the pre-season to talk about what it takes to achieve at the highest level - the breathing exercise just one of the many takeaways Tuivasa-Sheck said had stuck with the squad.
Match Highlights: Rabbitohs v Warriors - Round 1; 2018
"Yeah that's something we got off Kieran Read when he came in to give us a talk over the pre-season. It just brings everyone back in," Tuivasa-Sheck said.
"Scoring tries you know we tend to get a bit excited as a group and in previous years we do that and we've been ahead then lost in the last 10 minutes.
"The breathing is just about coming together to reset, re-focus and get ready to go again. Focus on the next task."
Match: Warriors v Titans
Round 2 -
home Team
Warriors
2nd Position
away Team
Titans
10th Position
Venue: Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
Coach Stephen Kearney said the breathing exercises were a team-driven decision, but one that he supported.
"I'm not out there breathing with them so I can't speak to it too much but it helps calm themselves down. In life whenever you take a deep breath you slow things down so I believe that is the thinking there," Kearney said.
The Warriors play their first home game of the season against the Gold Coast Titans on Saturday, from Mt Smart Stadium.
Kearney is expected to name an unchanged lineup this afternoon with Simon Mannering still "a week-to-week proposition" at this point, but unlikely for Saturday's game.
A handful of other players, including Blake Green and Solomone Kata, missed training on Tuesday due to illness but were expected to be alright come Saturday, Kearney said.
