Gatland will trust his Lions to drink... but stay out of trouble

WARREN GATLAND has ruled out imposing strict curfews or alcohol bans on his British and Irish Lions players in New Zealand, despite England’s scandal-hit World Cup campaign in the same country in 2011.

The New Zealand-born Lions coach, well aware of the potential pitfalls facing his players on tour in his rugby-mad homeland later this summer, will allow his players to police themselves when it comes to drinking and staying out late after games.

England’s players were widely condemned for a string of alcohol-related scandals on tour to New Zealand in 2008 and again during their failed World Cup campaign under Martin Johnson three years later.

But Gatland, who toured New Zealand with Wales last year and was in charge when they reached the World Cup semi-final in 2011, is confident the Lions will find not overstep the mark.

He said: ‘For Wales they were all night games so we got back to the hotel at about 11 and we just said to the players, “You can go out for a few hours but be back at the hotel by 1am. The bar will still be open if you want to have a few drinks in the bar”.

‘It won’t be my call but the players might say, go out for a couple of hours — no one is going to mind them having a couple of beers — and return to the hotel, be there at 1am.

‘I just think we will probably say that to the Lions players.’

England’s World Cup campaign in 2011 was derailed by a series of scandals which included players getting drunk and an infamous Queenstown nightclub where dwarf throwing was popular. Unfounded allegations of sexual impropriety also dogged the tour.

‘You have got to feel sorry for the English in 2011 because there were other teams that did the same things and some very well-known individuals got up to some stuff that wasn’t reported,’ said Gatland.

‘But look, you have got to be right. We had some friends staying with us and one of the girls staying with us said, “We were out with the team on Saturday night and we had a great night. We were out there until 4 o’clock in the morning and it was fantastic”.

‘I said “Oh yeah” and the next comment she said to me was, “You have to wonder how serious they are about the World Cup, being out at four in the morning”.’

Gatland’s words were echoed by Lions captain Sam Warburton, who will be part of the senior players’ group responsible for setting disciplinary standards on tour. ‘As long as you’re responsible it will be good to go out and enjoy the fans’ company,’ he said.

‘What’s great about Lions tours is that players are accessible and they’re able to engage with fans and I think that’s all part of it.

‘The thing I really enjoyed about 2013 was that there were so many fans out there.

‘Whether it was in the foyer of a hotel or in a restaurant, they can share that journey with you.

‘I’d never want to keep the boys locked up in a hotel and tell them you’ve just got to focus on the tour. A happy camp tends to be a successful camp.’