| Interview with Coach Pat Lam (31st October) | |||
(Background:
The warmup game prior to the three tests has been cancelled and
two players have had to pull out of the tour and have been replaced.....) |
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We
asked how preparations were going for the upcoming tour.... |
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| "Obviously
it was disappointing to lose the warmup game and the extra time due
to the fact that the Northern Hemisphere Clubs weren't releasing the
players until the international window opened, I suppose they've gone
back into a bit of the dark ages where we don't assemble fully as
a team until November the 5th, which is this Sunday coming and then
we play the Welsh the following Saturday, so we're only going to get
about four training runs really, to get everyone into the same systems
and structures, whereas the Welsh team are already together, they're
preparing to play the Aussies this week and then will carry on with
us, so they have got an ideal buildup. We don't have the ideal buildup,
but I suppose Pacific Islands teams are used to this, and that's the
challenge we've got and we've just to get on with it" |
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Regarding
this challenge we noted that nothing seemed to be an easy track
for any Pacific Island team going anywhere in the world... |
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| "It's
not made easy, but in saying that, if there's a race of people or
a team that can cope with this it will certainly be the Pacific Islanders,
the boys, when backs are are against the wall, that sort of thing,
they come together. It makes it difficult, but we will rise above
it and do the best we can to get up to song and onto the same wavelength
as quick as we can." |
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| Supporters
in the UK are expecting exciting and entertaining Rugby, we asked
how the two new replacements would fit into the mental toughness and
set-piece aspects of the plan. |
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| "The
guys who are selected are all fine individual Rugby players.But what
it's really going to come down to is us fitting in as a team , keeping
it pretty simple, making it pretty clear what we are trying to achieve
as a unit, as a group of people, and then just go out and entertain
and do our best, we are playing in different countries, with different
coaches and different systems and we just need to come together and
make it happen as quick as we can" |
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We
asked how the Coach thought history would look back on the team
in fifty years time.............. |
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"The challenge for us is to continue the dream of the Pacific Islanders team, because the boys in 2004, while they didn't win a test match, they performed credibly and now this is our time and our responsibility to keep it going so it can continue. |
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We
wondered where supporters could review or see the matches ( on TV
or Radio) |
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"I
know that the games are live in New Zealand and Australia on TV,
they will be played live on Sky TV and Fox TV. |
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We then asked how supporters could actively support the team while they were away on this important tour.... |
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"I
think anyway possible to show their support. The boys know that
they have their support and that's what has always pushed the Island
teams to do great things from tough situations and we know certainly
that we have a huge challenge ahead of us and all the support we
get, it means a lot to the boys, to the team. Through the website,
it's fantastic that we will be able to receive news, and Families
and supporters sending faxes, emails to where we are, any news while
we're away, particulary in the Northern Hemisphere which is a long
way from home, will be greatly appreciated and I know will make
a big difference to the way that we perform." |
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We once again thanked the Coach for his time and wished the entire team God speed on their historic journey. |
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Note: Email addresses
for the team in their various locations will be posted on the site
for you to send your messages. |
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 |
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Pat
Lam ©Auckland Rugby |
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©
Pacific Islanders.co.nz 2004-2006 |
Pacific Islanders.co.nz - The Rugby Team and the People.. | |||||