Mud Will Come As Shock To Lions

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31080, 8 June 1966, Page 19

Mud Will Come As Shock To Lions

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.) INVERCARGILL. A muddy ground at Invercargill on Saturday would come as quite a shock to the British Lions, the team manager, Mr D. J. O’Brien, said yesterday. The Lions play the first game of their New Zealand tour at Rugby Park on Saturday.

Although used to playing on wet fields in Britain, the Lions have become accustomed to the hard and fast grounds of Australia.

Three of the Lions W. D. Thomas, D. Williams and D. Rutherford yesterday morning looked at the notorious Rugby Park turf and expressed surprise at its fair order. Later, the team had its first training run on a damp and well-grassed turf at Southland B.H.S. The session took the form of exercises and general limbering up, and was described

by the coach, Mr J. H. Robins, as “ a light work-out." However, to onlookers it appeared a most strenuous 50minute athletic training session.

No Rugby movements were practised, except that the 27 players participating moved at leisurely pace up and down the field a few times passing the ball. Three Injured The three players who did not take part in the training were p. Grant (twisted ankle), R. A. Lamont (bruised elbow) and K. F. Savage (sore knee). All other players were reported fit, although at, the end of the run the captain, M. J. Campbell-Lamberton, was favouring his right leg. For many of the team the training session appeared to take its toll. They were obviously fatigued and had to be constantly harassed by Mr Robins.

The most unusual exercise was a type of running crawl. If anything, the players resembled giant spiders rather than Lions.

Today will be a rest day for the team and it is expected that the first full-scale training session will be held tomorrow.