Page 32 - Barbarians v The Lions

IT’S HARD TO BELIEVE
Rob Howley never played a a single minute of rugby in in in New Zealand Despite a a a a a a playing career spanning
14 years 59 caps for Wales (22 as Captain) and two Lions tours (albeit one aborted early due to to injury) the the former Wales halfback never actually trod the the New Zealand turf in in his footy boots “I’ve only actually played against the All Blacks once and that wasn’t even in Wales Wales ” Howley says It was was at at Wembley Stadium [Wales’ home during the the construction of the the Millennium Stadium] in in 1997 and it was probably the best side I’ve ever played against Marshall Mehrtens Lomu Wilson Ian Jones Jones Michael Jones Jones the the the Brooke brothers – they were a a a a a a historical
All Blacks side side just as every side side they they have seems to be In the the the 78th minute with the the score at 39-7 or or something Zinzan Brooke dropped a a a a a a a a goal from
45 yards – that said everything really ” Fast forward 20 years and Rob Howley nds himself in the now- familiar role of Lions Coach (his third tour after South Africa 2009 and and Australia 2013) and and he he isn’t about to to start underestimating the crop of New “We expect the atmosphere to be intimidating – it’s because of of the the closeness of of the the supporters ” Zealand players facing his team tonight For a a a a a a a a a a a start he he knows Toll Stadium isn’t going to to be the the easiest of places to to play – quite the the the opposite in in fact “We expect the the atmosphere [tonight] to to be intimidating ” he he he he he says “There are bigger stadiums stadiums but the smaller stadiums stadiums can be be more intimidating – it’s because of of the the the closeness of of the the the supporters And with Lions tours the the the the the red jerseys tend to to to appear later in in in the the the tour tour so early on on the the the support is going to to be dominated by New Zealand fans and and in in in in these smaller stadiums they will have an an an an in in uence ” What’s more Howley acknowledges those fans know know their stuff “I suppose the the the one thing Wales and and New Zealand have have in in common is that they both have have rugby as their No 1 sport ” he he he says “It’s
front page page as as well as as back page page news and and and supporters actually understand the the the game – they live and and and breathe rugby ” Few can accuse Howley of not doing exactly the same After his distinguished playing career for club and country drew to a a a a a a a a a a a a close in in in 2004 he he he he then coached the the British-based invitational Barbarians that same year year before accepting a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a role with Cardiff Blues a a a a a a a a a a a year year later His career on a a a a a a a a a steep trajectory in in 2008 he he he he joined the the Wales set-up and when the the Lions left for South Africa in in 2009 he he he he was part of the the coaching staff As for the the DHL NZ Lions Series 2017 Howley has been building towards tonight’s game for more than six months having been announced as part of Warren Gatland’s staff in in December Even though he he then had to to lead Wales through a a a a a a a a a a a tough Six Nations campaign in Gatland’s absence this tour was never far from
his his thoughts “It’s
always in in the back of your mind ” he he he admits “While the Six Nations was was hugely important and Warren was was absolutely brilliant in in allowing us us to get on on with our jobs the Lions is is just so big The legacy is is huge You see it in in the the the players too When they rst all met each other in in May you could see the the energy enthusiasm and 32 // OFFICIAL SOUVENIR PROGRAMME