- Title: SOUTH AFRICA: RUGBY UNION: British and Irish Lions train in Johannesburg
- Date: 27th May 2009
- Summary: JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (MAY 26, 2009) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS FORWARDS COACH, WARREN GATLAND, TELLING NEWS CONFERENCE: "We've got to be as competitive as we possibly can; we've got to gel together really quickly. I think that one of the things that we have become pretty aware of is that you're bringing a group of players together, you're really starting from scratch, so all the calls are new, you have got no continuity, you know. When you've got an international team and the coach has changed and players are the same, you do get that continuity. So that's probably the most difficult thing is, to really come together, put a side -- starting right from the beginning, everything is new" MORE OF BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS FORWARDS COACH, WARREN GATLAND, ASKED WHAT'S TOUGH ABOUT FACING THE OPPOSITION, SAYING: "With the South Africans? I think they are always strong, you know. You look at the Bulls this weekend, with their home final with the Super 14. I mean, they are always tough. There is a huge amount of depth and talent in South African rugby. So I don't think it matters really what team they put out. They put their green jersey on, you know, they die for the cause, and that's -- you don't expect anything less, not just from the Test side, but any South African side. We know it's gooing to be tough, it's going to be physical and we know how passionate they are about their rugby as well" BRITISH AND IRISH LIONS TRAINING, THEN WALKING ACROSS PITCH TOWARDS GATLAND
- Embargoed: 11th June 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: South Africa
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: Sports
- Reuters ID: LVA6A3I9R0AFWQAMMRK1F22XKFQ0
- Story Text: British and Irish Lions forwards coach Warren Gatland said on Tuesday (May 26) that the tourists' toughest task in South Africa will be developing the cohesion that characterises other international teams.
The Lions held their first on-field training session on Tuesday morning and Gatland reported that everyone was well and practising, including centre and Grand Slam-winning Ireland captain Brian O'Driscoll, who the assistant coach said had "a shoulder that is a bit tight and sore, but he trained fully".
Gatland told a news conference in Johannesburg on Tuesday: "We've got to be as competitive as we possibly can; we've got to gel together really quickly. I think that one of the things that we have become pretty aware of is that you're bringing a group of players together, you're really starting from scratch, so all the calls are new, you have got no continuity, you know. When you've got an international team and the coach has changed and players are the same, you do get that continuity. So that's probably the most difficult thing is, to really come together, put a side -- starting right from the beginning, everything is new."
Gatland was in South Africa last year coaching the Wales team, who were handed 43-17 and 37-21 defeats by the Springboks, although the 2008 Six Nations and Grand Slam champions improved in every outing and were edged out 20-15 by South Africa in Cardiff last November.
The 45-year-old former All Blacks hooker was part of the Waikato team that inflicted one of the Lions' most sickening defeats, a 38-10 hammering in Hamilton in 1993, with Gatland scoring a try. He was quick to talk up the Springboks as formidable opposition.
"I think they are always strong, you know. You look at the Bulls this weekend, with their home final with the Super 14. I mean, they are always tough. There is a huge amount of depth and talent in South African rugby. So I don't think it matters really what team they put out. They put their green jersey on, you know, they die for the cause, and that's -- you don't expect anything less, not just from the Test side, but any South African side. We know it's gooing to be tough, it's going to be physical and we know how passionate they are about their rugby as well," Gatland said. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
