RWC With Peter Wheeler and Josh Kronfeld
By Ian Birks
October 9 2003
Member Evening 08 October 2003
Chair: Sam Rossiter-Stead
Guests: Peter Wheeler and Josh Kronfeld
SRS. Josh, a good start to the season.. until Saturday, though there have been some good come backs. How is the season going so far from your point of view?
JK. Pretty confident, we have had a few knocks, like to think we are ready. We are notorious this season for only playing for 20 minutes. But I think I'm saying the right things to the lads and Deano thinks I'm doing the right things, but we are confident that we can turn season around.
SRS. And the young players coming through the ranks?
JK. There is a good feeling in training, all pretty excited as a team. May not be apparent on the field, but a good feeling in training.
SRS. Will Skinner: how do you rate him?
JK. Not wanting to revive the thing about size and Backy, Will is a small, man. This makes it hard in today's rugby, but keeping fit and healthy helps. Looks good. Wish him well.
SRS. Peter: off field, we have the AGM tomorrow. How are the finances?
PW. Looking well.
From the team point of view, we have the whole pack out plus injuries. Some youngsters have done tremendously well against Newcastle and Sarries. Unfortunately, we pay the price for having so many good players who are involved RWC. We have 18/19 year olds playing against likes of Mark Andrews, vastly more experienced players, and holding their own.
AGM? Fine, we are in our fourth year of profit. We need this to provide coaching and facilities. Getting to the HEC finals, of course, give more money, but we have fantastic support. Still have good season ticket sales and companies continue to support the club. We have stability.
Yes, we need a new stand, all-round better facilities, drinking, eating, parking etc. But we also need to continue to invest in players. We recently spent £1m at Oval Park on training and fitness equipment.
SRS. How do you feel about the decision to play through RWC?
PW. We as a club cannot close down for 11 weeks; same as when we play pre season internationals.
We cannot expect the players to play Saturday - Wednesday - Saturday (Josh looks over, bemused) ('or even Saturday - Saturday..'). England needs to play to raise cash for English rugby.
I am reminded of the last RWC. We saw the same situation four years ago: then it was the likes of Ben Kay and Lewis Moody who came through for us.
SRS. Is the pressure on Dean? Especially selection {for Tigers} when the England lads return from Australia.
PW. If you perform, you are in! If you are not, world star or not, you will still need to perform to earn your place.
SRS. The question of releasing players for international duty, rather than play for their club? Is this an issue?
PW. Never in question. We have a continuing battle with RFU about losing our best players for international games, but it happens in every sport. We are both trying to use the same players to generate the revenue. England needs strong ZP, we need strong England to promote the sport. Stars do tend to get overplayed.
SRS. Josh: Swapping and changing from international to ZP to HEC and Power Gen. How do you cope with this?
JK. I can't keep up. I just tend to ask Wellsy: 'Who are we playing this week and what competition are we in?' The Southern Hemisphere has small breaks between various competitions.
SRS. Do we suffer because of players missing?
JK. Well, it's a 'Catch 22':fortunate that we have them in the first place, but also good to blood the young players; makes them grow quicker in this type of environment. Moody has grown tremendously, maybe Skinner the next one.
SRS. Peter: A question on your playing days. Would you enjoy playing in today's professional game?
PW. Our international tours felt like being professional. I'm envious of the guys that I see training every day. What a wonderful environment to make a living!
JK. There are lots of new issues for the lads who know nothing else other than professional rugby. I came from the amateur scene to professional game. Kids don't realize what a hard day's work is.
SRS. We have an education officer for those who don't make it to the top flight.
PW. I have 3 sons, rugby daft. They see the stars, and just want to be players, but only small percentage make it. Gustard got a law degree while he was training. We are now seeing players who have only played looking for opportunities, courses a few years before they come to finish playing.
SRS. Josh: When you hang up your headgear, what do you fancy doing?
JK. TV, of course! I'm keen to go back to school, and I'm excited by the prospect. I have wanted to be an osteopath for some time, now.
SRS. After your RWC appearances, what are your feelings about international rugby games?
JK. Not the top thing I’ve ever done, certainly remember some games. Maybe I'm diff, I like playing the rugby.
I remember the RWC in South Africa. Black kids just wanted to touch you, but adult white fans just hated you: this was something new to me. I was surprised at the armed guards: when you went into a bar, they would ask if you were carrying any weapons - coming from NZ, I had never seen a gun before.
The French Barbars: an incredibly different style of rugby. You just have a bit of a run around before the game, then run out and knock over international teams. And all this after having a beer before the game!
SRS. Peter, have you ever had beer, wine before a game?
PW. Certainly, yes. In you know country all the things you do are the same, but playing in another country, you appreciate the slight differences.
SRS. Was the Lomu final memorable for you?
JK. Hysterical! I remember Matt Brewer, frothing at the mouth before the game, I just thought 'you're nuts!'
SRS. And 'THAT FINAL'. Poison food, beeping horns. Any comment?
JK. Whole time we were there, horns went off out side, probably just noticed more that night. Cannot believe that sportsmen would do that, but I'm pretty naive like that. 18 out of the 22 went down with sickness.
SRS. You were not ill, though?
JK. No. That day, we had a choice of burgers, beef, chicken {green chicken?}. Some had one of each and were slightly ill, but the guys who had two chicken burgers were really sick. I had the beef.
SRS. And the '99 RWC?
JK. We were just not prepared. The team was good enough to win, but kind of young. France just came out and some of their tactics were a surprise to most of us. First 5 minutes I had one eye gouged, and then the other came up a few minutes later. It's not believable that a sportsman would consider doing this, and it does put you of your game.
SRS. England is now joint favorite to win the RWC. In five years, looking back at the improvements made since 'The tour from hell', how confident are you about England's chances?
PW. Well, it has only cost £60m. Woody has put in a set up, coaches for throwing in etc. The last NZ loss was their first game of the season, then England just took Australia apart. Very impressive, especially after winning the Grand Slam. The difference is that they knew they would do it. In the RWC, England might come unstuck against one of the big five: French or NZ, but other than that there should be no problems against the lesser teams.
SRS. Josh: are England being too optimistic in their RWC hopes?
JK. I'll be disappointed if England didn't make the final. Would love to see them do well. A NZ final, well ?? It would be an amazing final if both teams carried on playing the way that they will have to in the previous games. We'll have to sit o the fence and see what happens?
SRS. Incredibly, the host nation, Australia, seem to have been written off?
JK. You cannot write off home team. I would not be surprised if they hook a win
SRS. And France?
JK. I cannot see them winning the RWC, but are the team to unhinge a favorite
SRS. Do you foresee any surprises in the RWC?
PW. SA at 25/1 {SRS: '28/1, not that I spend all of my time in the bookies'.}
PW. SA will be there or thereabouts, so they are pretty fair bet.
Argentina, possibly QF, SF but no one really outside the top 5 should be in the finals.
Georgia, has some good players, good forward pack, 30,000 to 40,000 at their home games, but not a worry for England, maybe only from the forwards in the first few minutes.
SRS. And the other home nations, Wales, Scotland, Ireland: how do you rate their chances?
PW. Got to be careful here!
I remember Wales beating England in '87 at the QF's. England had been given a one-week break to rest up and prepare: the drinks bill cane to £22k. then Wales went on to beat us!
Scotland: probably QF may slip out earlier
Ireland: have quality players - should get them to the QF stages.
SRS. Will southern hemisphere referees and playing conditions cause any problems for the northern hemisphere teams?
JK. Don't think so. Conditions good, weather possibly an issue. Crowds: the top sides are use to it. Refs, could come a little unstuck, but standards are fairly even between SH and NH.
PW .... and Lander is down there or 6 weeks! That's good news.
SRS. Any tips for stardom?
JK. Murphy, if he had been fit. Howlett will shine... O'Driscoll.
Lewis Moody, if he gets a run, will make an impact, because of the crazy way he plays. Of course, Jonny Wilkinson will from start. At the moment though, I'm focusing on Tigers.
SRS. What about Rocokoco?
JK. Yes, sure he will make an impact. Not any more Lomu's out there for a few years, he was a bit of a one-off.
SRS. And Jonno: he is obviously important for England.
PW. Yes, an area of weakness, I believe, for England: we don't have the cover at his level.
But also Lewis Moody: I worry about the time when Lewis Moody actually thinks about what he is doing!
JW ....and Will Greenwood putting people through, making the breaks etc.
SRS. Who is the dirtiest player in the RWC?
JK. Do know, not something I tend to think about. A couple in the England side...
SRS .....moving swiftly on...
Was it difficult for the returning Tigers who didn't make the final 30? Did you do anything special when they got back to the squad?
JK. No. As they are professional players they fitted straight in. Austin Healey, of course, had a few things to say about how he would fit in!
SRS. There is a web site that asks you to answer a few questions then gives you a second team to follow in the RWC: mine turned out to be Namibia! Do either of you have a second side to follow?
PW. Not Wales. I like the Pacific Islanders: tough characters, happy sort of people, would like to see them have some success.
France, have a certain style, captivating to watch and enjoyable to watch when they play well.
........had some nice times in Fiji........
SRS. ......don't think we need to go there.
Neil Back said that Josh was a role model for him. Who as your roll model?
JK. My parents. Michael Jones, but I was born to be a groveller on the ground....
PW. I didn't really have a role model. Chalky White from coaching point of view.
The player I would most like to be at the moment is Steve Thompson, though I may like to feel that I was more mobile in my day.
Keith Wood, struggling with injuries, and does not having the bulk of Steve Thompson, but certainly has the skills ....
Players will stretch themselves in the RWC, especially with millions watching and the amount of money riding on the result.
SRS. Josh, do you wish you were still pulling on the NZ No7 shirt?
JK. No, I left at the right time: sick of same old politics. It seemed right at the time, I'm enjoying my time here, there have been low points, but I am enjoying new opportunities this year with the captain role. It was a good decision at the time and I'm just glad to be here.
SRS. Josh, your warm up routine: it looks like you're either kissing ground or praying?
JK. You create routines that work for you. Playing for 10-odd years, I do not have superstitions, but routines. You know if you do certain things in the right order, things go right for you. I used to warm up in my own in NZ - go for a meal.... now I'm here 2 hours before the game, so I have a nap.
SRS. And you are the only Tigers captain that does not lead the team out....
JK. Yes. I spend time on the guys who need it, those who are nervous, keeping them in the right frame of mind. I tend not to think about the game until the final moment, then shaking out negative energy: something my girlfriend calls my 'rain dance'.
At the home games, I don't think that the mascots would like to be shaken around so Stimmo does it. Usually, I have my eyes closed before we run out, so I like to follow some one. It works for me, so I just want to do the right things for me.
PW. (To Josh) .....it would have been easier to say that you were kissing the ground!
SRS. Who will win RWC?
PW. Australia, NZ or England. The average age of previous winners has been pretty old, and NZ have young team.
JK. Got to agree with Peter.
PW. (To Josh) You couldn't bring yourself to say England then....
SRS. And finally, the Tigers season?
PW. This season is a bit of an unknown quantity. If England wins the RWC, you have to be concerned about the state of player's fitness; if we don't win the RWC, you have to consider their state of mind when they return?
A few more wins, from JK would do us well. We also need to concentrate on finishing in a HEC position and doing well in Power Gen. competition.
Tiny things will make all the difference. We need to win some of the close matches coming up. We should finish in the upper echelons of the table and this will stand us in good stead for when the England boys get back.
