ALL THE COACHES ARE ENERGISERS
Paul ‘ Bobby’ Stridgeon, the Lions’ head of strength & conditioning,
What’s the Lions experience like for you?
It’s massive, bigger than any international team or any World Cup I’ve been involved with. You have 40 guys not knowing each other, meeting each other after the Premiership and Pro12 finals for the first time, then playing a game a few days later. That’s unique in itself. It presents challenges and you need to gel as quickly as possible.
How do you do that?
We do things as big groups, so forwards and backs in the gym rather than smaller units. We do a lot of group activities and sing songs. I spend as much time as I can in the team room, having a laugh with people.
How much say do you have on your strength and conditioning team?
It’s discussed between me and Gats (Warren Gatland). They’re all coaches I’ve worked with – Phil Morrow from Saracens, John Ashby, who I worked with at Wasps and now with Wales, and Brian Cunniffe, who was on the last tour.
They’re all winners and have been part of winning cultures, so they know what it takes to win. They will do anything to help the lads perform and they’re all energisers – it’s all about energy. If the boys are a bit down, you’ve got to pick them up.
What’s the training style been like on tour?
Short, sharp, intense. We’ve focused on decision-making under fatigue. For example, we might work on power endurance – wrestling, pushing or pulling for ten seconds on and ten seconds off, five times for two sets – then the forwards have to hit four lineouts and the backs do a skill drill. So they get fatigued, then have to execute under pressure. It’s about creating game intensity, so when it’s the 70th minute and you’re tired, you can execute. There isn’t any fitness testing – this is the end of the season – but we work hard on doing things fast and accurately, and doing it again and again with short rests. From the data we had from the home unions playing against New Zealand, we knew before arriving here that the matches would have more intensity, the contacts would be bigger and the speed of the game would be higher.
How do you manage player welfare?
There’s a big focus on recovery – the logistics of this tour mean there are a lot of flights after games and that presents a challenge, but we manage the intensity around that.
We spoke to all the club and national conditioners before the tour to get data on the boys and to find out the things that they prefer. We talk to the boys, too, because they know their bodies inside and out. We want the boys to get the best of themselves at the end of the week and to have no regrets, so if they want to get something into the programme we listen.
How do the back-room team relax?
I never see anywhere because if I have time off I’ll get my head down or sleep because I want to be switched on for the boys. We laugh all the time, though. Gats, Faz
(Andy Farrell) and Graham Rowntree like a laugh. It’s high pressure and we work hard, but we banter with each other constantly too.
Who’s the prankster?
Prav (Mathema). His favourite is to have an air horn, hide behind a door and then get someone to film it. It’s horrible.
What’s the funniest thing you’ve seen on the pitch?
At Wasps many years ago, the sprinklers came on in the middle of a game. It was at Adams Park and it took a while to get them turned off.
What’s been your worst job?
I’ve loved all my jobs. My first job after doing my GCSEs was cleaning fridges at M&S, which meant being up at six, so that was probably the worst but I loved it as well.
Who would be your three dream dinner party guests?
John Taylor because I like his music, Eddie Jones for the banter and then a female singer as well – Mariah Carey. if you could have one superpower, what would it be? To fly – I like getting around quickly and that would take me places faster.
Who’s the fittest player you’ve worked with?
Probably Jonny Wilkinson – he’s an absolute machine. Part of it is natural ability but it’s mostly down to his dedication.
any phobias?
Horses. I’m proper scared of them. They’re massive animals. I took my daughter horse riding and the teacher said I should have a go. I made a video for Gats while I was on the horse saying I was scared to death. It hasn’t cured me!
What’s your bugbear? any superstitions?
Lateness.
What do you do away from rugby?
I don’t have time for hobbies. I go to the beach with my kids. I plan to go back and forth to France when I start full-time with Wales. My family are happy there and the kids will be speaking French in a few years.
I always set my alarm for one minute past or 11 minutes past the hour, never five or ten minutes past. So 7.11am for example.
What’s your biggest achievement outside rugby?
Wrestling for England at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester (in 2002).
How would you like to be remembered?
Good at my job, trustworthy and having good banter. n