Jenkins: Jersey boys do have an edge
THE Lions' incoming personnel will be playing catch-up in their quest to face South Africa, according to kicking coach Neil Jenkins.
Only 25 members of the 37-man squad selected by Warren Gatland are present in Jersey for a pre-tour training camp, with the remainder set to join upon completion of the English and French domestic seasons.
“The guys in Jersey probably do have a slight advantage. Getting a good week's prep into them without a game on Saturday, they have got to do stuff they don't normally do in this downweek,”Jenkins said.
“It's tough, it's demanding of them in the way we train and how tough the sessions are.
“But it's an opportunity to put their best foot forward, for the coaches to see them for the first time before the other guys get here next week and the week after.” With Owen Farrell taking part in the Championship final play-off second leg today and Finn Russell still in Top 14 action with Racing 92, Wales' Dan Biggar is the only fly-half in Jersey.
“Owen will be here early next week and then depending on how Racing go, Finn might be too,” Jenkins said. “Dan's been going very well and is enjoying more time in the hot-seat. When the others come it'll be a big plus for us going forward.”
Jenkins is embarking on his sixth Lions tour as a coach and player and believes a key ingredient of the successful tours of 1997, 2013 and 2017 was Gatland's willingness to put every player in Test contention.
“I like that about Warren's style and maybe our opportunity in 1997 was that we were all given a chance early on.
As a player that's all you can ask for,” he said.
