Lions tour: The players still have to stake their claim to make next year's British and Irish Lions but Clive Woodward yesterday named Eddie O'Sullivan as one of his lieutenants for next summer's tour of New Zealand.
Significantly, the Irish coach has been named on the Test team ticket alongside Woodward's right-hand man for so many years Andy Robinson, now England head coach, and defensive guru Phil Larder. Three-time Lions coach Ian McGeechan (1989, 1993, 1997) has been drafted back into the pride to take charge of the Wednesday side, in a clear attempt to ensure the friction of previous tours between the two sides is not repeated.
"We have got the right management group behind the team, that is one of the key factors in ensuring that the Lions can deliver our ultimate aim of winning the Test series. Whether on the coaching, medical, fitness, media, logistics or legal side of things - it's about creating the right blend and a support structure to give us the best opportunity to be successful in New Zealand," said Woodward.
The two sides will be treated like separate squads with player promotion and relegation taking place throughout the tour. Woodward has devised such a scenario to ensure a highly-competitive environment.
Two other members of the current Irish set-up have also been added. Mike Ford will act as defensive coach for the non-Test squad, in opposition to his rugby league mentor Larder, while Dr Gary O'Driscoll will also travel.
Interestingly, retired international referee Dave McHugh tours as a "specialist adviser". Again, this has the hallmark of Woodward's painstaking attention to detail. The Irishman's rigid technical knowledge and experience of refereeing Tri-Nations matches - most memorably the South Africa versus New Zealand match two years ago in Durban, when he was assaulted by a member of the crowd - will also be an asset. He has officiated at international level 29 times and twice refereed the European Cup final, in 1996 and 2001.
"I would like to congratulate Eddie O'Sullivan, Mike Ford, Dave McHugh and Dr Gary O'Driscoll on their selections as key people in the Lions Management group. Their appointments represent another positive statement on Irish rugby and everyone in the game here now looks forward in eager anticipation to many of our players also being chosen for the tour to New Zealand," said IRFU president Barry Keogh.
The 26-strong management team is the largest support party to tour in the history of the Lions, who incidentally will play a send-off match against Argentina (Lions v Pumas) in the Millennium stadium on May 25th.
Lions captain to South Africa in 1980 Bill Beaumont is the tour manager while Woodward, Robinson and McGeechan are all former Lions. Llanelli coach Gareth Jenkins, controversially overlooked for the Welsh national job last year, will act as assistant to McGeechan.
In total, nine coaches are touring with plenty of technical staff - for on-field and off-field activities - and as the professional game demands, Richard Smith will act as the official Lions legal adviser.
This may seen a little pedantic but England, and Woodward in particular, made full use of this outlet during last year's World Cup when England faced disciplinary procedures for fielding a 16th player against Samoa.
The next appointment will be the Lions captain and Brian O'Driscoll is currently the favourite but Woodward may be waiting to see how Jonny Wilkinson, who has picked up another injury, settles back into international duty.
After that all that is needed is the other 43 player's names for the first trip to the land of the long white cloud since the unsuccessful 1993 series.
Lions tour staff
Clive Woodward - head coach
Bill Beaumont - tour manager
Andy Robinson - coach
Eddie O'Sullivan - coach
Phil Larder - coach
Ian McGeechan - coach
Gareth Jenkins - coach
Mike Ford - coach
John Feehan - chief executive
Louise Ramsay - team manager
Dave Alred - specialist coach
Dave Reddin - fitness coach
Craig White - fitness coach
Tony Biscombe - video analyst
Gavin Scott - video analyst
James Robson - head doctor
Gary O'Driscoll - doctor
Phil Pask - physiotherapist
Bob Stewart - physiotherapist/masseur Stuart Barton - physiotherapist /masseur Richard Wegrzyk - masseur
Dave Campbell - chef
Dave Tennison - kit technician
Louisa Cheetham - media liaison
David McHugh - specialist adviser
Richard Smith - legal support
