Page 40 - SECOND TEST

Lienert-Brown carries the ball during last week’s encounter with the Lions
“There were a a a a lot of meetings going on on and there was a a a a a a a big week in in preparation but we we we knew we we we had to to get all that hard work done to put a a a a a a a a a performance out there on on Saturday night ” Lienert-Brown says “It was similar [to Dublin] because of the hype ” ” Running onto Eden Park it helped he he he was playing alongside former Chiefs teammate Sonny Bill Williams “He’s a a a a a a a a comforting guy and gives you you con con dence so that when you you you run out there you you you feel con con dent and comfortable in in in in your surroundings ” he he says Williams was almost like a a a a a a a a a a ninth forward in in in in in in an an outstanding game taking on on the Lions’ mid eld and and Lienert-Brown felt his partner-in-arms had been “magni cent ” The pair both enjoy a a a a a a a special relationship with former Chiefs Assistant Coach Coach and and All Blacks
Defence Coach Coach Wayne Smith and and there’s a a a a a a a a a lot of banter about where they stand with him “His [Williams’] old man Smith Smith or his stepdad was really proud ” Lienert-Brown jokes “He and and Smithy are pretty close and and he he he tries to put it it it on me but the the truth behind it it it all is that he’s Smithy’s rst stepson and I’m just the the the guy in in the background ” Behind it it all however it’s not hard to see that there’s a a a tremendous
level of respect there “Smithy’s done a a a huge amount for me me ” Lienert-Brown continues “I rst met him at Christchurch Boys’ High School and he asked me me if I would be keen to to to come up to to to Hamilton Ever since then he he has looked after me me pretty well I’ve been really fortunate to to have have Smithy’s backing and to to have have his support around me ” “I’ve been really fortunate to have Smithy’s backing and to have his support around me ” He also feels fortunate to be playing alongside his Chiefs teammate lock Brodie Retallick Retallick “The way he he [Retallick] played was unreal – just his his work rate and and his his razzle He’s a a a a a a a a a a a a a bit of a a a a a a a a a a a a a back at at times and and and it it does amaze me me But he works incredibly hard each week and and there are no surprises to me that he he plays so well ” Lienert-Brown says Similarly he he marvels at the play play of his skipper Kieran Read Read “Reado was massive and for him to come back after eight or or nine weeks without playing was huge ” he he he says “To come back and play play one of the the most physical games there’s been is pretty amazing ” Having learned something of of the the history of of Lions
encounters with the the All Blacks
Lienert-Brown says it it was pleasing for the the the side to have their their game plan executed so well in in in in their their rst rst outing “It’s a a a a a a a a really good feeling First of all all the the coaches come up with a a a a a a a a plan and we we work hard during the the the week week to implement it it at at the the the the weekend ” he he he he he says “All the the the the boys are really diligent with their chats amongst each other and when we we we we were were out on on the the the eld we we we we we we were were were working hard to make sure we we we we were were in in in in the the the right right places and running the the the right right lines so it all comes down to to to that preparation leading up to to to the the Saturday As a a a a a a a a a a a a team we we we were able to to to nail that and it showed out there on the the eld ” But in a a a three-Test series over two weeks there is no no respite “It will go up another level and again we’ve worked really hard hard this week ” he he says But hopefully we’ve worked hard hard enough and got the prep right so we we we can implement what we we need to to do again ” Whatever is asked of Anton Lienert- Brown you can be be certain he’ll be be focused and ready 40 // OFFICIAL SOUVENIR PROGRAMME
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