Wallabies check into 'boot camp'

[travelling_gerry]

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2...06/1997608.htm

Australia are roughing it in a self-styled 'boot camp' monitored by former SAS commandos to prepare for next month's rugby union World Cup in France.


The Wallabies are emulating Australia's cricketers - who went into camp before last summer's 5-0 Ashes sweep of England - to bond over five days south of Brisbane.

They are being guided by a group of former SAS commandos and other ex-servicemen in a camp where food and sleep deprivation, tough hikes and other outdoor activities toughen them over five days.

On Sunday's first night out, the players were forced to leave camp at 10:00 to be taken on a three-kilometre march before swimming 300 metres across a lake in chilly temperatures.

All but three players from the 30-man World Cup squad are taking part, with only forwards Guy Shepherdson (knee), Wycliff Palu (shoulder) and David Lyons (leg blood clot) excused with injuries.

Most of the Wallabies' support staff are also taking part, but head coach John Connolly and team manager Phil Thomson are observers.

"In Australia's rugby history there has been great spirit in our sides and these four or five days will go a long way to building that," Connolly told reporters.
"It's not the preseason, but we haven't made it easy either."

The Wallabies were scheduled to abseil down some cliffs later today before another long hike.
-AFP

[hopep]

I see Connoly is doing much of what he did at training sessions ... sitting around saying "Good show chaps" or words to that effect.

[frontrow]

Could you imagine connolley doing anything remotely strenuous, not without an ambulance nearby, anyway, his job as coach is to watch and advise anyway, so he should be well suited....

[travelling_gerry]

We could help him FR

[frontrow]

I believe you are right TG, we are definately suited to assist connelly in his role...

[goony]

it does seem that teams with coaches that get physically involved with their players do bond better as a team, almost in every sport! connolly is unable to do this and that is why he relies on camps like this. i hope he doesnt eat pies as much as that other bloke who died overnight, or else australian rugby might have another dilemma to deal with...

[RuckNMaul]

I believe you are right TG, we are definately suited to assist connelly in his role...

chicken salad roll??

We all scared of the pies now?

[frontrow]

If it was that sort of roll, it'd be roast beef and gravy mate...

[slomo]

it worked for the cricketers prior to their world cup earlier this year, lets hope it does the same for us.

[jazza93]

but didnt some get injurd in that camp

[The Lone Hydrangea]

May of done, but they are cricketers, not rugby players. I feel this camp is a load of bull. If they arent a tight knit group by now......i will eat my hat.

[Jehna]

May of done, but they are cricketers, not rugby players. I feel this camp is a load of bull. If they arent a tight knit group by now......i will eat my hat.

Not to mention that I highly doubt 5 days of boot camp will actually bond them together if the bonds of friendship aren't already there. In fact, its more likely to piss people off and highlight differences and tensions when people get tired/cold/wet/hungry etc.

But I think it would be fun. Larkham seemed to be looking forward to it in the interviews and they are your boys boys rugby players

Oh man...i take it all back...not sure this is fun


Wallabies suffer on boot camp

By Jim Morton on Stradbroke Island, Queensland
August 06, 2007

AUSTRALIA halfback George Gregan struggled with the cold during a forced midnight swim as Rugby World Cup preparations turned nasty in the name of team-building.

Gregan and 26 squad-mates swapped skin-tight jerseys for camouflage gear as below-zero conditions and arduous bush challenges replaced five-star luxury and routine training.

Welcome to boot camp, Wallabies style.

For five days the World Cup squad is toughing it out in a series of gruelling tasks in south-east Queensland to build spirit for its RWC campaign in France starting next month.

There was no easing into it as players and support staff were dumped in Moreton Bay and forced to swim 400m to North Stradbroke yesterday.

A sandy 4km hike and a one-hour rugby skills session followed before another trek into the bush finished with a can of braised steak and onion for dinner.

The squad's early night in bed was rudely disrupted at 10.30pm when forced to strike camp in 10 minutes in heavy fog for a 3km march to make a 300m, chilly 12-minute swim across a lake.

Nurses were on hand to check for hypothermia afterwards and cleared everyone. But coach John Connolly, spared from the exercises as an official observer along with team manager Phil Thomson, had his concerns.

"George (Gregan) and (forwards coach) Michael Foley struggled," said Connolly.

"Greegs almost turned white, it was that cold."

With the temperature dipping to minus one, players who managed to sleep out in the open on a nearby airfield woke feeling frostbitten.

"Everyone had frost all over their faces and all over the sleeping bags, no one has taken to it that well," said lock Nathan Sharpe with a laugh.

While it isn't exactly Camp Barbed Wire, the infamous South Africa pre-2003 World Cup drill camp where players were stripped naked and spent nights in ditches, Sharpe's wondering whether Australia's five-day camp could get much worse.

"I've had an hour and half of sleep and been swimming through the night and woke up with frost bite in my toes so I'm not really positive about anything at the moment," he said.

"I think the hardest thing is not knowing what's coming up. We came on this camp having no idea what's in store for us and we still don't."

Some teammates started the camp on the wrong foot, punished with push-ups for breaking strict protocols by bringing contraband.

Berrick Barnes tried to hide chocolates in his beanie, Rocky Elsom had vitamins confiscated, Stephen Larkham anti-inflammatories and Sean Hardman toilet paper.

Mark Gerrard got a nasty surprise after his double-bagging efforts to keep spare clothes dry during the swim came unstuck.

"All my spare gear was no good so I pretty much slept in the wet, freezing, ice-cold last night," he said.

Like Australia's cricketers before last summer's Ashes, the Wallabies has employed the BLP Group, containing former SAS commandos and other ex-servicemen, to run the camp with players referred to only by numbers.

But Connolly's coaching staff have tailored the week to suit the Wallabies' needs just a month before the World Cup kicks off in France, reducing the chance of injuries or weight loss.

Forwards Guy Shepherdson (knee), Wycliff Palu (shoulder) and David Lyons (leg blood clot) were excused from the camp, which continued on the mainland near Beaudesert this afternoon, due to their existing injuries.

"We spend so much time, with rugby things as well, looking for little things that will make a difference," Connolly said.

"History shows Australian sides have always had a great spirit and these four or five days will go a long way to building that.

"It's hard at the moment but it's one of those experiences you look back on with fond memories."

Connolly wasn't letting the chance to stir his players slip, complaining this morning he burnt himself serving them hot milo after the freezing swim.

"The (freezing first night night) wasn't planned, you can't plan those things, but we weren't disappointed," he said.

[travelling_gerry]

I dont think the purpose of the camp is so much make them all mates and have a love in...the involvement of the SAS is akin to the selection camps that the SAs do around Perth and Bindoon....it shows the person how deep they can reach into their own inner strength in times of stress...

I can recommend 2 great books on the subject....

"The Amazing SAS - the inside story of Australia's special forces" by Ian McPhendran

and

"18 hours: The True Story of an SAS War Hero" by Sandra Lee about "Jock" Wallace an SAS soldier from Swanbourne who sat under Taliban fire for 18 hours.

He recalls constantly in the book how his "boot camp" selection at Bindoon was what gave him the strength to hang on...