The All Blacks have moved into their new hotel and training ground called The Lensbury to prepare for the match against Argentina this Monday. Gregor Paul and Patrick McKendry review the All Blacks tactic of a charm offensive to be the second most loved team at RWC 2015.
The All Blacks' new World Cup base in London includes reminders from home as well as a substantial dose of the old enemy.
Lining the walls of the newer section of The Lensbury, a four-star hotel complex on the southern bank of the Thames in Teddington in the south west of the city, are rugby team photos, including those of the 1979 All Blacks captained by Graeme Mourie who toured the United Kingdom, and the 1983 All Blacks captained by Stu Wilson. In the case of Mourie's team, the All Blacks beat England 10-9 at Twickenham, but Wilson's lost 15-9 in what was the last of the wing's 34 tests.
One of the rooms at the Lensbury Hotel. Photo / http://www.lensbury.com
There are also signed Kiwis rugby league jerseys on another wall, along with the familiar white of England's strip. Perhaps most significant of all as far as England are concerned are the names of the conference rooms - they are all named for former players of the host nation at this tournament, including one Johnny Wilkinson, who helped his side win the 2003 World Cup with a dropped goal in the final seconds of the final against Australia.
The 171-room hotel, a 1930s complex originally designed to cater for the sporting pursuits of Shell employees, includes a full-size rugby pitch - fenced off for privacy - a gym, 25m heated indoor pool, 19 tennis courts (it has hosted former tennis professionals Steffi Graf, Chris Evert during Wimbledon) and two squash courts. It is all set on just over 10 hectares of manicured grounds.
L-R All Blacks Luke Romano, Liam Messam, TJ Perenara, Aaron Smith, Codie Taylor, Sam Cane, Wyatt Crockett, Kieran Read attend the Haka 360 Experience Launch Event in London. Photo / Getty Images
The All Blacks travelled to their home - at which they will prepare for their matches against Argentina at Wembley on Monday NZT, and Namibia at the Olympic Stadium four days later - from their central city base today. Following the Namibia match they will travel to Cardiff for their pool game against Georgia and then Newcastle for a game against Tonga.
An Executive Double room at the hotel. Photo / http://www.lensbury.com/
There is a quiet and relaxed feel about The Lensbury, a far cry from the busy hotel full of tourists and conference goers near Tower Bridge, where they spent their first three nights.
The Lounge and Bar. Photo / http://www.lensbury.com
Assistant coach Ian Foster told the assembled media in a press conference held in a large and fully equipped lecture theatre that the self-contained nature of the facility was just what was required.
"Obviously we've just go here today and I think it took us about an hour and 10 minutes to get across town so we were very very thankful after that bus trip to actually get changed and just walk two minutes across the driveway to the field. I know Shandy [manager Darren Shand] and Steve [Hansen] were here earlier in the year and did a lot of good work and chose it for a reason. At this time of the tournament, not having to do a lot of travelling during the week I think is going to be a real bonus.
The Lensbury has 19 tennis courts. Photo / http://www.lensbury.com
"It's fantastic and we had a good training today, so no issues at all with the facilities." Foster, sitting alongside wing Waisake Naholo, added: "It has been a good couple of days. We've had a reasonably busy programme but it's been good for everyone to settle in. But coming here today to The Lensbury and getting out on the park, you can see the excitement building."
The All Blacks do not have their own team of travelling chefs, but the team nutritionist is believed to be working in accordance with hotel staff to manage the players' meals.
A full English breakfast is available in the hotel's Thames View Restaurant and the hotel lounge and bar is open all day for a coffee, snack or three-course meal.
The Terrace Conservatory has views over the landscaped grounds, which sweep all the way down to the river Thames.
Waisake Naholo in the grounds of the Lensbury
For starters, players can get stuck in to an all-day menu which includes a selection of salads and flash fried prawns for an entrée, as well as chicken wings, Scottish salmon, or a Middle Eastern platter.
There is a salad bar and variety of other snacks available, including a Mediterranean platter, jacket potatoes, or olive and herb focaccia gourmet sandwiches.
The generous menu of mains has everything from gnocchi and South Asian curry, to British classics like fish, chips and crushed peas.
There is a charcoal-cooked burger, slow roasted half chicken and a pulled pork bun, as well as a selection of Buccleuch Scotch beef steaks.
If that's not enough, there are pizzas and desserts available, including raspberry crème brûlée, homemade ice cream and British apple and pear crumble.
For a more formal dining experience the All Black players and management team could sit down at The Lensbury's Dunbar Restaurant, set inside the main lounge.
The restaurant menu has everything from Morteaux sausage and Gin and juniper cured salmon gravlax for starters, to ravioli, traditional steak pie and herb crusted rack of English lamb for a main.
On Sundays, the hotel's popular Sunday Carvery is served in the afternoon.
It has a conference centre, a health club and spa, 19 tennis courts - including grass courts, a mini tennis zone and two squash courts.
The 171-room hotel has a gym with 77 stations of cardiovascular, resistance and free weight equipment, as well as two heated indoor swimming pools - a 25m pool and a learner pool. It also has a thermal suite.
There is a hotel water sports centre with sculling boats, kayaks, canoes and sailing dinghies, plus small motor boats.
The lounge and bar area of The Lensbury is in the centre of the ground floor and overlooks the hotel lawns and the river Thames.
