Page 44 - SECOND TEST

The tourists have two Lions-branded 52-seater buses to carry the team around NZ
Union – was was thinking about how he he he was was going to move the the pride pride around the the country And what a a a a a a pride pride it it is: more than 70 people in fact along with
200 tonnes of of of equipment 600 items
of of of luggage and and about 56 000km of of of travelling to be done via plane and and and coach (two Lions-branded 52-seaters) The Lions Lions have been moving quickly – – rarely able to to to stop long enough to to to even write a a a a a a a postcard home – – in order to to to to make the kick-off for 10 games across seven cities in in six weeks It has been a a a a a a a a manic itinerary The good news is that they’ve made every game so so it’s a a a a a a a a job well done so so far – not that you’d expect anything less from a a a a a a a a man like Carmody So how did he he he go about the planning? “When I I look look at at a a a a a a a training venue for example the rst thing I I look look at at at is location you don’t want to to be on on on on buses for too long ” he he he he says “What’s the the traf c c c like at at certain times in in in in the the the the day? Then when we get to the the the the training venue the the the the most important thing is the the the the pitch surface ensuring the the the dimensions are correct and making sure it it replicates the the pitch we’re going to be playing on “Then I would would look at the heights for lming lming training – our analysts would would have side-on and and head-on lming lming Is the the the infrastructure there in in in in the the the stands or do we have to to erect scaffolding?
“If the the Head Coach wants to to do do something in in in the the evening does it have oodlights? We need to ensure we can get our vehicles in and and out and and make sure we we have the the the privacy we we need ” Aside from the the the the actual rugby there’s also the the the the the basics – like food “We take all the the the the ancillary stuff away from the the the the players so they don’t have to to worry about it ” Carmody says “Players need need to to focus on rugby and their their own needs We plan their their days every day day – from when they they get up in in in the the the the morning to to to to testings they they have to to to to do do to to to to meals to to to to transport We plan all of that and the the coaches do do the the “Players need to focus on rugby and their own needs We try to take all the the worries away from them ” coaching We try to take all the the worries away from them ” Throughout the the whole process Carmody has also had his own New Zealand insider Peter White a a a a a a a a a a a a man who has been working as as a a a a a a a a a liaison for for incoming rugby sides for for 17 years – including the the the last Lions Lions tour in in in in in 2005 Together they’ve ensured this Lions Lions tour has gone without a a a a a hitch – off the eld at least “Peter was with
with
us from the day of our arrival until we depart ” Carmody says “There are are are also liaison of cers who are are are from the area you’re staying in in in in in in It’s just help about training venues moving equipment sourcing local suppliers we might need and I would always ask them to give us extra information “When players arrive the the key things they want to know are what’s around the the the hotel the the the best local coffee shops restaurants cinemas – we’ll always ask the liaison of cer to give us a a a a a a a a a full brief on on on those things so so that it’s on on on display in in the the team room ” In short the the the reason that tonight at at roughly 7 35pm the the the men in in red will be ready to kick off against the the All Blacks is because Carmody Crowley and White ensured they were there And with
the the the the help of their hosts New Zealand Rugby everything went according to the the most thorough of plans “The most important thing thing is is making sure everything is is in in in in the the right right place at at the the right right time ” Carmody says “Match days are military precision – you you start with
the the kick-off and then you you work backwards The players know exactly what’s going to happen ” The only thing Carmody can’t plan is the the the result For that it’s down to the the the 15 Lions on on the the eld GETTY IMAGES
2 2 2 2 600 2 2 2 2 2410020
LIONS 52-SEAT COACHES
ITEMS OF LUGGAGE
SCRUM MACHINES
TACKLE BAGS
WATER BOTTLES
TONNES OF EQUIPMENT
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