Woodward To Link Up with Irish Squad

British and Irish Lions coach Sir Clive Woodward is to link up with the Ireland squad during the week of their 2005 RBS Six Nations clash with reigning champions France, next spring.

Speaking at this morning’s Lions press conference at Dublin’s Portmarnock hotel, Woodward confirmed he will tour each of the home nations’ set-ups during the tournament.

Ireland clash with Bernard Laporte’s French side at Lansdowne Road on March 12th next – one month ahead of the naming of Woodward’s final Tour squad and captain.

The squad – expected to be in the region of 44 – will be confirmed on either April 11 or 12. No preliminary list will be drawn up.

“I’ve spent the last three or four weeks following New Zealand around Europe. I’ve been working with the Italian team, French team and Welsh team, seeing how they have been preparing.

“I think what has happened is my thoughts have been more crystallised about what the Lions is all about,” admitted the former England coach.

“More than ever I’m so pleased with the strength and unity of the four countries. It’s critical we’ve got the four top coaches. Eddie (O’Sullivan) from Ireland obviously, Andy Robinson, Ian McGeechan from Scotland and Gareth Jenkins from Wales.

“The Heineken Cup has also been great but I think the Six Nations is going to be something very special this year, especially because it’s a Lions year.”

Woodward, when questioned on the captaincy debate, failed to comment on the two front-runners for the position – Ireland’s Brian O’Driscoll and England fly-half Jonny Wilkinson – preferring to praise the leadership prospects of others, most notably Munster and Ireland lock Paul O’Connell.

“It’s a big decision and I want to be sitting down with Eddie and Ian McGeechan and Andy Robinson to make sure we are all in agreement for who we choose.”

He also heightened the prospects of players on the periphery of the home nations’ squads, adding: “I want to fundamentally pick players who are available for international rugby.

“They don’t have to be playing for their country. They may be back up players who don’t make the starting 15 who still go on the Lions tour. The best example is 97 when Will Greenwood was uncapped.

“But I would never say never. I want to go with the strongest team but that player really has to want to go on the Lions tour. Then we will consider him.
I want players playing in the Six Nations to know they are playing for a Lions place and no one is going to come in from outside that selection criteria, unless there is a compelling reason to do so.”