Coaches - Rugby Drills Coaching Library

Categories > Under 8's

Lions Memories - Part 2/2

Video Subtitles

When you look at the development of lions tours, or certainly the ones I've been involved in over the last 35 odd years the first tour I went on as a player in 1974 was 30 players a manager and a coach if we got injured as physios. We had to go find a local Physio and Q in the in the waiting room with the locals and get and get treatment. We did. We were given 75 Pence a day communications allowance to pay for stamps to write letters home. And basically we're on tour for four months. So you your lifestyle became completely different you had to think differently now, you know, if you think about the last tour seven weeks, you know, you're looking at 10 games. And certainly in Australia coming forward looking at 10 games instead of 26 games. Then the tours are very professional support staff of 26 or more now 35 players, but most importantly I think in the professional is the support the lines now gets from sponsors and people who are interested in the Lions and what they bring and somebody like first Cape have so important because they actually bring that lines Community side also into the public eye that when we were in South Africa at someone diem with weed produced training field or of first Cape had and supported it and supported Community programs. And of course the line It's very much part of their role is to backup what's happening in the countries that they they visit and the way that players work with each other. So now they have a natural rapport with sponsors which which I think is so important and couldn't be done without first Capen and and others being very supportive in what the Lions is about what the tour is about and what makes success. And it's great to think now we've come to a point where with the with the Lions and with first Cape. We have a lion's wine club where you can have all the information about the Lions supporters and people can get involved and that here is the sponsor and the Lions working together to give information about what's happening before the tour as well as as on it and and share that enjoyment. I think of just having that involvement.