Bring me my chariot of fire... Lions on song
Choir practice helps bring the squad together as they hope inspirational hymns will help them roar on field
When the British and Irish Lions rugby team beat the All Blacks in New Zealand in 1971, one of their secret weapons was song. Now, 46 years on, as they seek to replicate that series win, they are again turning to music. The squad has received singing lessons from conductor Haydn James and is confident of putting on a performance to match the All Blacks’ haka. The players have selected four anthems to represent each of the Lions nations.
WHEN the British and Irish Lions rugby team beat the All Blacks in New Zealand in 1971, one of the secret weapons they deployed was song.
In order to help players from the four home nations bond, they formed a choir, choosing the folk classic Sloop John B as the team anthem.
Now, 46 years on, as the Lions seek to replicate that famous series victory, they are again turning to music to help lift team spirit.
The squad has been receiving singing lessons from conductor Haydn James and is confident of putting on a vocal performance to match the All Blacks’ inspirational haka. The players have selected four anthems which they believe best represent each of the constituent Lions nations.
English players opted for Jerusalem, the Welsh chose Calon Lan, the Irish went for The Fields of Athenry and the Scots favoured Highland Cathedral.
The squad will perform each of the anthems at official functions during the tour and also before each match. The plan was the brainchild of New Zealand-born Lions coach Warren Gatland, who believes the camaraderie of choral singing will help forge an extra bond between the players.
Mr James held three practice sessions for the squad before they departed for New Zealand and admitted he had been impressed. He said some had shown huge promise as vocalists and collectively made for a professional-sounding choir.
Mr James said: “I have been on four Lions tours with professional choirs but after the last one we had talked about coming up with an anthem for the squad. It trickled along for four years until I was invited along to a training camp in south Wales. I was asked to suggest songs to represent each of the four countries. “The Scots slightly threw me by going for a song I didn’t know, Highland Cathedral. I had to go on to Youtube to learn it, but it is a gorgeous song. Because
Calon Lan is in Welsh that had to be writ- ten out phonetically for the non-welsh speakers, but everyone involved took the whole thing very seriously.”
Each of the four home nations had to nominate a player to act as musical leader with Wales selecting hooker Ken Owens, Scotland scrum half Greig Laidlaw, Ireland centre Robbie Henshaw and England prop Kyle Sinckler.
Mr James said: “The guys were really out of their comfort zone, so I took a group of singers with me from Cardiff and I said ‘have a listen and then join in’. It was not only the players but the whole squad, the backroom staff and everyone going on the tour. Eventually by the end of the first evening they were all singing together really well.
“The atmosphere was fabulous and it was an absolute privilege. Music and singing can really help the bonding and the camaraderie. You have Englishmen singing The Fields of Athenry and Irishmen singing Calon Lan in Welsh.
“I really hope it can play a small part in helping the squad to success. At the last session we had together I said to the squad ‘sing well, but play better’.”
The Lions sang Calon Lan when they arrived at Auckland airport and Fields of Athenry and Highland Cathedral at their farewell dinner in London.
Welsh lock Alun Wyn Jones said: “I’ve been loving choir practice. Jerusalem is the most tricky as it has more words. It’s harder to learn the choir than the lineouts but we’re getting more confident, so watch this space.”