Cold, wet but Wilkinson on the mark

Jonny Wilkinson is relentless. Picture / Greg Bowker

His work ethic is already legendary. It was evident in his recovery from a cluster of injuries to make this Lions tour, and yesterday Jonny Wilkinson reinforced that formula.

As Auckland sheltered from the wintry rain blasts sweeping across the city, Wilkinson was working on his skills on the practice ground at Northcote.

Locals who peered into the screened-off Onewa Domain could see Wilkinson and a team-mate, watched by several officials, going through a training checklist.

Not for him the hit and giggle of the sponsor's golf day at Formosa or the clay-pigeon shooting, even though the first five-eighths is not playing in the tour opener this weekend.

This was a perfect chance for Wilkinson to test his techniques in conditions that may become more prevalent the deeper New Zealand gets into winter.

While Wilkinson was a medical bulletin between the 2003 World Cup final and this tour, his reconditioning coach has been Steve Black, a man who helped the Lions out on their fateful 2001 tour of Australia.

"Jonny's mental toughness and concentration are incredible," he said in a recent interview.

Newcastle soccer player Lee Clark, boxer Glenn McCrory and triple-jumper Jonathan Edwards had all impressed Black as disciplined trainers, "but I've never met anyone with Jonny's relentlessness".

Meanwhile, the Lions' charm offensive moves into another phase today with the first of only two public training sessions set for this tour.

"These things take a lot of planning and preparation," media boss Alastair Campbell said in defence of the minimal public trainings.

"We will see how this goes and then assess what to do.

"We want our guys to get out into the community, though. We do not want these things to be an add-on. We do not want them sitting in their hotel rooms or developing a bunker mentality.

"We want New Zealand to see us and the changing nature of rugby and the march of professionalism," Campbell said.

Since their arrival, the Lions have set the agenda with polished performances in public as the shadow-boxing continues before the tour start against Bay of Plenty in Rotorua on Saturday.

Thousands are expected to be at North Harbour Stadium today, where 20 talented schoolchildren will be invited to share the final part of the session.

Lions coach Sir Clive Woodward said his squad's priority was to win their matches, but they were also determined to meet the New Zealand public.

This will be a public training with a difference - a kind of interactive instructional tutorial with big-screen pictures and soundbites delivered by BSkyB.

Commentators Miles Harrison and Stuart Barnes are expected to be involved, with Murray Mexted in pitchside interviews with players, trainers and officials.

The Lions squad will split into various sections to display a range of skills such as their lineout drills, defensive style and kicking repertoire.

The Lions' other planned public training is in Christchurch on June 13 on a tour where they use bases in Auckland, Christchurch and Wellington, and for games away from those centres, travel the day before the matches.

Non-selected players and the manager will be involved in community activity on the day of the matches.

Meanwhile, Campbell said screening off Onewa Domain when the Lions trained at the ground was nothing unusual.

"We are trying to balance media and public access with the needs of a professional team to prepare properly for a match," he said.

"I think that goes for any other professional sporting organisation."