Training Day – the Sequel

After walking out on the England coaching job over the issue of ‘training days’, Clive Woodward looks set to fight for access to players before the Lions tour.

“Lions training days are something I will have to look at. I am not saying we can, but I am going to try and get some time with the key players.

“It’s not only training, it’s calls, moves, communication. I am hoping I will get some time with the players, even sitting down in the room.

“The important thing is that I get out there and meet players, not so much watch them play but make them understand what I believe needs to happen between now and next June for us to win.

“I have to make sure the attitude England took into the World Cup is the same with the Lions – that there are no excuses, we are there to win.

“It won’t be about players that are tired or ill-prepared. We have got to do things a little bit differently and that is my job. It’s a huge challenge given the criteria we work in.

“I will definitely be the best-prepared Lions coach ever. I have time now to go round to some of their training sessions, work with Mike Ruddock, Eddie O’Sullivan and Matt Williams. Just go to training sessions and say: ‘Can I just have 10 minutes?’

“If we can’t, I have got to work other ways of doing things, which I think I can achieve by doing something differently to before.

“But if the Lions are all shaking hands, meeting up for the first time at the end of May, it’s going to be very difficult when you are up against an experienced Test team like New Zealand.”

Wales have responded to Woodward, saying that they ‘would love to cooperate as much as possible’, while Scotland have said that there would need to be a formal approach before a decision could be made. With ian McGeechan, Scotland’s Director of Rugby, and Eddie O’Sullivan on the Lions coaching ticket, one can expect cooperation from the Scots and Irish. But it’ll be interesting to see how he’s received at Twickenham.