We look back to the two day training session held at Harlington (Where Chelsea Football Club train) and anaylse training, the fitness test results and the overall running of the two days. Harlington is an excellent facility and the food is superb ‘sorry sir we’ve run out of chicken, would a steak be ok? er yes please.’
By 11.30am we’ve finished and Juliette and I meet some people from Nike and we discuss the playing shirt for the RWC Sevens. It’s essential that it’s right. We’ll be playing in humidity and its got to be durable and a good cut. They may seem like minor details but they all add up and it’s essential to our preparation.
We also look at the training kit for the Sevens season which has to be adaptable and flexible as we’re playing in a potential monsoon in Singapore or in extreme heat in Los Angeles, the climates vary enormously.
I take a quick break for lunch at 1.00pm and then Damian and I analyse some training tapes and discuss our next training camp, which is going to take place on October 11th and 12th. We agree the themes and content of the two day session and will meet a week later to finalise the structure. Part of the two days will be spent in ‘Player Workshops’.
While we give the players the direction we also empower them to have a view on training and the way we operate. It’s called the ‘guv’nor’ system and senior players like the Sevens Captain Simon ‘Pog’ Amor (Gloucester) give us some good input. This doesn’t just include training as we work on developing the players on and off the pitch.
Damian and I agree that there will be an emphasis on attack for the two days. I then break out and run through budgets with Juliette before leaving the office to go to Imber Court (near Hampton Court) to watch six of the England Sevens squad members playing for London Wasps and Saracens in an ‘A’ game.
Around 1,000 people are there and I try and get to as many of these matches as possible. They’re always played on a Monday so it makes the day a very busy one. Fortunately, Juliette has pulled off a blinder and got me an RFU pool car so I drive myself home and walk in the door at around 10.30pm. Harrison is kipping and after going through my notes from the ‘A’ game, which I also pass on to the coaches for the U19 and U21 teams I also fall asleep at around 12.00am.
