Why there is room for pie hunts, cuddly toys and fines committees
Behind-the-scenes high jinks help Lions cultivate the spirit needed on long tour, writes Gavin Mairs
In 1965, the American educational psychologist Bruce Tuckman devised the model of group development known as “forming–storming–norming– performing”. Listening to the tales of the behind-the-scenes high jinks of the Lions squad suggests Warren Gatland’s men have already advanced to the ‘storming’ stage in under a week.
Tuckman’s theory was that each phase is necessary and inevitable for a team to grow, face up to challenges, tackle problems, find solutions, plan their work and deliver results.
The ‘forming’ phase is about agreeing goals, tackling tasks, and considering opportunities and challenges, something the Lions did during their two training camps in Wales and Ireland. ‘Storming’ is when the group form opinions about the character and integrity of the other participants before a spirit of cooperation emerges in the ‘norming’, including “tolerating the whims and fancies of the other team members”. If the group reach the ‘performing’ stage, with norms and roles firmly established, then an “unexpectedly high level of success” is possible.
We will have to wait until the third Test against the All Blacks in Auckland to determine if Gatland’s squad are able to reach the fourth stage again, but the signs so far are that the class of 2017 are already forming strong bonds behind the scenes with their pranks.
Take, for example, the fate of ‘BIL’, the tourists’ cuddly mascot, who has already gone missing twice. That is not good news for Saracens and England lock Maro Itoje, who, as the youngest member of the 41-man squad, bears the responsibility to carry the soft-toy lion during the next six weeks.
It is one of the traditions of the Lions tour and the player tasked with carrying the mascot faces the constant battle of his team-mates attempting to hide it behind his back.
Conor Murray, the Ireland scrumhalf, revealed that the 22-year-old Itoje was now almost certain to appear before the squad’s fines committee, which Leinster and Ireland flanker Sean O’Brien has apparently chaired with great enthusiasm. “With Maro, half his time is spent studying the opposition and the other half looking after players. It’s a good distraction for him,” said Murray, who has had his own responsibilities to deal with, as have Wasps and England flanker James Haskell and Saracens-bound Wales wing Liam Williams, who are running the music committee.
“I am an announcer on the bus,” added Murray. “I actually had to call a guy up to tell a joke so it was very easy for me. I think they’ll make something up eventually, so you’ll have to have one ready. I had a joke this morning and it went down like a lead balloon. Tomorrow is a new day for that.”
Meanwhile, the players not involved in the match-day 23 for the opening game against the Provincial Barbarians were also tasked on Friday with finding the best pie in New Zealand after meeting locals in Whangarei.
The joker in the pack so far appears to be Kyle Sinckler, the Harlequins and England rookie, who is proving a hugely popular tourist and even spent time offering a security guard scrummaging tips.
Murray may not be a devotee of Tuckman’s work but he knows what makes a successful Lions tour work as he was part of the series victory over Australia four years ago.
He knows, too, what it takes to beat New Zealand, having delivered the finest performance of his career in Ireland’s victory over the world champions in Chicago last November.
He is adamant that getting the team dynamic right off the pitch will be a critical element of the Lions’ hopes of success, particularly given the unique challenge of touring the world’s most dedicated rugby nation.
“This is such a hotbed of rugby, it is absolutely everywhere, so to be able to switch off with each other and have a laugh is massive,” said Murray, who is in pole position for the scrum-half position in the Test side ahead of Rhys Webb and Greig Laidlaw.
“You need to be able to switch off because when we go on the pitch we do work really hard and when we’re in the gym we work really hard. It’s massive because it’s six weeks of intense rugby.
“The lads are getting on very well so far, so it’s a good start.”