An NPC preparation is a lot different to the Premiership. In England we had a squad of around 44 players and had over a month together before the championship started. This has been a lot different and more challenging in some ways, but I've enjoyed the change. |
An NPC preparation is a lot different to the Premiership. In England we had a squad of around 44 players and had over a month together before the championship started. This has been a lot different and more challenging in some ways, but I've enjoyed the change. |
But one thing Canterbury have got, even though they are still missing some players, is continuity, |
He's tried for the last two weeks to get back .... |
I also see my role over the next three years as developing players who can go to the highest level. We want all our NPC squad to be able to play Super 14. |
I also think the English are maligned ... they are made to feel guilty about being patriotic and supporting their teams. But I found them really good to deal with, fair and honest and straight up. |
I don't think if you bring back the All Blacks back into that Auckland side they'd make a massive difference in improving that Auckland performance, ... But those key individuals make a huge difference to us. |
If that happens then everything else takes care of itself. |
It has been a big lift and good for the other senior players in the squad. We have noticed there is a little bit more authority, a little more chat during training. It rubs off on the others. |
It is great to be able to include such talented players, their mere presence has lifted the intensity this week, |
It's a starting point. There were some pretty good glimpses in terms of character, and a pretty good second-half performance, |
On paper our team look strong and probably some of those players coming back are a bit of the element we've missed in the last couple of weeks in terms of experience, game breakers and players able to do something a bit special on the field, |
So the results on the Lions tour were pleasing for me, but the thing I liked were the Lions supporters. I think New Zealand learned a lot from the way they behaved. I hope they did, |
So we've really concentrated on the positives to work on -- keeping our shape and just making sure that defensively we're right. |
There are so many youngsters in the game, |