Denny doesn’t have all the answers just yet
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WARREN GATLAND is plotting to turn his band of nobodies into household names in New Zealand.
The Lions head coach touched down in his homeland to discover Kiwi media revelling in a poll that revealed 78 per cent of those quizzed could not name a single Lions tourist.
But asked if his side are ready to shock an entire nation, Gatland said: “That’s the plan. If we can play some good rugby and make people stand up and take a bit of notice, it’s going to create even more interest.
“Maybe when the 30,000 Lions supporters arrive and they do the poll again, the number might go up.
“I’m hugely excited about it. I know everyone has written us off and that’s a nice position to be in.
“If we leave the tour and we’ve made an impression, that would be pretty positive.” CROSS-CODER Denny Solomona might be a mastermind when it comes to the laws of rugby union, but he has got some catching up to do according to Eddie Jones.
Head coach Jones brought leading referee Wayne Barnes into camp on Wednesday night to talk through some changes to the laws that will come into force for the two-Test tour to Argentina. Assistant coach Paul Gustard then took over the quizmaster duties to test the players on their knowledge – and Solomona’s group scooped the pot.
Solomona, who has been at Sale for only a season, joined a team including skipper Dylan Hartley, George Ford, Nathan Earle and Charlie Ewels to top the charts in the grilling. But Jones says he has a way to go on the pitch before he can be considered the finished article.
“He’s going to have to learn a lot of work off the ball because the role of a winger in union compared to league is massively different in terms of covering the backfield,” said Jones.
“It takes time. [England wing] Jonny May is still learning, he’s in kindergarten, he has still got his short pants on.”
Solomona, 23, is expected to make tomorrow’s Add a finishing touch around your home with these easy fit Radiator Shelves. They will help deflect the heat back into the room rather than escape up the wall. Also reduces heat staining above the radiators. Simply affix the specially designed brackets under the shelves and slip the bracket over the radiator without having to drill into the wall. Made from 1.5cm thick and 13cm deep MDF with a rich wood grain laminate finish. A choice of Oak and Mahogany finish and available in 3 lengths. Helps deflect the heat back into the room flight to Buenos Aires despite struggling with a foot injury. And Jones has seen enough on the training pitch to persuade him that Solomona has got something special. He said: “He has a nice feel for the game, he can sniff out a try and score them. “He does that at training – he has scored a couple of cracking tries where he sees a chance, takes it and makes the right decision. He has enough gas to turn that opportunity into points – that’s the beauty of him.”