Wales team manager Martyn Williams is hoping the that two weeks spent at altitude in the Swiss Alps and eight days in the sun in Turkey will prepare his side for an assault on the World Cup in France.
The ‘sleep high, train low’ camp in Fiesch – the hotel is at 2,869 m and the training pitch is at 2,212m – has already seen 46 players pushed to their limits over the past week.
New Zealand recruit Taine Plumtree has had an interesting introduction to his potential new teammates, while Taulupe Faleatu joined the squad yesterday for the second week. “It is so unique living on top of a mountain and getting a gondola down to training 1,000 feet below every day. It is an unbelievable setting,” said Williams.
“I was speaking to our defence coach Mike Forshaw about the number of training camps we’ve been on before in our careers, but there has been nothing like this.
“John Ashby, our head of S&C put it all together and he has done a phenomenal job. Logistically it has been an absolute nightmare. They didn’t have a rugby pitch, so we had to bring our own posts and create one, and the red tape associated with getting our equipment here because of Brexit has been difficult.
“But once you are here it is all worth it. The players have been working unbelievably hard, but when you wake up in the morning and look out of your window it gives you an immediate lift because it is so scenic here.”
The view from the top of the great Altesch glacier – it’s 14.5 miles long, is 900 metres deep and is estimated to weigh 27 billion tons – for the often breathless players is breathtaking. On a good day they can see the summit of the mighty Matterhorn, which peaks at 4,478m, in the distance.
“You can be stuck in the Vale of Glamorgan Hotel for weeks on end, so it is absolute gold to be able to come to a pace like this to break things up,” added Williams.
Wales enjoy the high life as they get set for France
“But they don’t come here because it’s pretty, they’re here for the physiological benefits. It has worked for the last two World Cups, so the proof is in the pudding.
“When we go to Turkey everything is on site. Everyone is under the pump on budgets these days and the national team is no different.
“We are mindful of that, but with high performance at this level you have to be very careful what you cut. It is about ensuring the players get everything they need so they can have no excuses.
“World Cup camps do cost, but everything we are doing has been in the budget for two and a half years. The amount of effort and work that goes on behind the scenes is amazing because it is such a big group – attention to detail has to be spot on.”
After three tournaments as a player in 1999, 2003 and 2007, this will be Williams’ first as a manager. It has been a steep learning curve
“As a player I was lucky enough to play under Graham Henry, Steve Hansen and Warren Gatland and I’ve taken bits from everyone I’ve worked with down the years into my new role as manager,” said Williams.
“What I did learn very early on is that as a player you have no idea what goes on behind the scenes, even if you think you do. I played international rugby for 16 years and by the end of it I thought I was an expert – ‘Why aren’t we doing this, we should be doing that’.
“Then you come to the other side of the fence and you suddenly realise why certain things happen and others don’t.
“It is well documented that the Six Nations was tough. It was the hardest one I’ve ever been involved with as a player or manager because of what was going on around it – it was brutal.
“Everyone went back to their clubs and regions and turned up for our mini-camps six or seven weeks ago. They’ve parked all that stuff now they are loving each other’s company.
“They’re all in a very good place and training unbelievably hard. For the management team it’s about trying to strike the balance between enjoying yourself and getting the work done to win in France.
“Nobody wants to come here and enjoy themselves, and then lose at the World Cup.”
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