Christchurch picked as Lions South Island base

Sir Clive Woodward

British and Irish Lions coach Sir Clive Woodward has confirmed that Christchurch will be the base for the tourists' three South Island matches on this year's New Zealand rugby tour.

Woodward was in the city yesterday to check out playing and training grounds and meet liaison staff as part of a whistle-stop tour to visit venues, the Press reported today.

The World Cup-winning former England coach was in relaxed mode as he trod the turf at Jade Stadium.

Wearing the "power of four" bracelet in the colours of the four home unions (England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland), Woodward introduced himself all round as "Clive" and even gently chided a Christchurch photographer to "stop calling me sir".

"The stadium looks lovely," said Woodward, on his first visit to the ground since 1983 during its Lancaster Park incarnation.

The former England centre said he could not remember much about his last match there.

Then Woodward was at centre in the British Lions' midweek team beaten 22-20 by a Canterbury team fielding 12 players who were current or future All Blacks.
Woodward coached England teams on tours of New Zealand in 1998, 2003 and 2004 -- but Christchurch was not on the itinerary on any of those occasions.

This time Christchurch will be seeing much more of Woodward and his Lions legion of 44 players and 25 support staff in 2005. He said the city would be the Lions' base for much of the South Island leg of their 11-match tour.

The tourists play Otago in Dunedin on June 18, Southland in Invercargill on June 21 and the All Blacks at Jade Stadium on June 25.

He said the Lions would base themselves largely at three venues -- Auckland, Wellington and Christchurch. Woodward said he had been welcomed warmly by New Zealand rugby officials and the public since his arrival this week.

He said the tour was going to be fantastic and had already created a lot of fervour "back home" with 25,000 to 30,000 people interested in supporting the Lions Down Under.

Woodward said it had been such a long time since the Lions had been here that he was not sure if New Zealanders yet realised how much impact the tour would have.

"It's the biggest sporting event in our part of the world this year and a lot of people will be coming down."

He said British and Irish rugby fans were now planning their travel around World Cups and Lions tours. The last Lions tour to Australia in 2001 was brilliant, he said, and English, Scottish, Irish and Welsh supporters had a great time at the 2003 World Cup across the Tasman.

But the All Blacks were seen as the ultimate test, Woodward said.

"This is the hardest place to come to and win." Woodward travelled to Wellington last night and was to inspect Westpac Stadium today.

- NZPA