LIONS TOUR:WARREN GATLAND hasn't packed any verbal incendiary devices for the Lions tour to South Africa. The forwards' coach couldn't quite suppress a smile when responding to a question as to whether he intended to indulge in a little opposition baiting, a line of inquiry that dates back to the Six Nations Championship game between Wales and Ireland earlier this season.

It was just a gentle raking of the coals, mischievous rather than bearing any malice or seeking to embarrass. The New Zealander shook his head: “(There’ll be) no grenades coming from me. I’m not saying anything controversial at all. I have already said that I probably regretted what I said then.

“That’s part of sport isn’t it? Sometimes you try and wind a few people up and say a few things to see if you can get a reaction. You guys love it.”

He’s right there. The media are pining for anything that would distract from the torpor of long-range playing forecasts. It’s like visiting a fortune teller’s booth every day to try to map out the future.

The only outlet for media curiosity at this point is the daily press conference, a lightly-stocked trading post of views for players, management and press. That’ll change tomorrow when the team to take on the Royal XV in Rustenburg is unveiled and the Lions tour begins in earnest.

Gatland confirmed the Leinster contingent joined their team-mates for the first time in pitch sessions and that Brian O’Driscoll is “still a bit tight and a bit sore but he trained fully this morning. He’ll take part in the afternoon.”

The Wales coach is enjoying his new role as assistant to Ian McGeechan, a dynamic with which he is comfortable. “I think it has been seamless at the moment. From a rugby point of view Ian (McGeechan) is incredibly approachable and he’s very comfortable with other coaches leading at times. I’m very much (of) the same (opinion).

“It’s as much a partnership as anything, taking certain aspects of training and leading and the other coaches helping in support. That’s the way it has been working at the moment. Basically Ian has the final say on everything; he makes the calls. I’m more than happy for it to run that way.

“For me personally it is a massive honour. As a coach you are really motivated to be here. You have an opportunity to work with the best players in the Northern Hemisphere, which is really exciting. One of the good things about this as a coach is how open the players have been. If we can share ideas and information, it is going to help club rugby and international rugby in the Northern Hemisphere.

“Too often in the past we have been so closed, not sharing so that has been the positive about the last 10 days. It’s the only way to get better is to challenge yourself by sharing information and ideas and then taking the game and moving it forward.”

The emasculation of the maul under the ELVs has been reversed, a change that will percolate into several facets of the game. Gatland agreed: “The lineouts became just ball off the top and then hitting it up; playing off that.

“Bringing the maul back into the game will see more variation. Teams will use it as a weapon but they’ll also be able to use shorter lineouts. In the initial few games I don’t think you are going to see a lot of changes but it’s important that it is something that we have in our repertoire. The other thing is being able to defend the maul. We have to do enough work and enough practice on it.”

Without betraying too many secrets the New Zealander confirmed the Lions had identified the breakdown and specifically the way the Southern Hemisphere sides aggressively competed for possession there as an important tussle in deciding matches.

They used video analysis to underline to the players the type of contest they can anticipate. “You have to be very dynamic. I know from playing South African teams in the past you have to get numbers to the breakdown and clear bodies out of the way. You have to be very physical in that area.

“It’s the only way to get on the front foot and create quick ball. If we don’t get low and are not dynamic we’re going to come up short.

“That is one of the things we were working on last week and again this week. It’s a hugely important facet of the game.

“We’ve taken a few clips and shown the players what’s been happening at Super 14 level; making sure that we match that and be prepared to be very physical. Every tackle, every hit is 100 per cent and if you’re not prepared to do that you’re going to come up short.”

Inevitably the bitter aftertaste of the 2005 Lions tour to New Zealand will linger until the composite side produce something more palatable. The scars are still livid. McGeechan, who was one of the more assistant coaches, has tried to address some of the shortcomings by going back to the future; so to speak.

Gatland explained: “Ian has gone back to more traditional values of a smaller squad and smaller coaching staff, players rooming together again: back to the old, traditional values. We are a group of players that have to gel together quickly, get to know each other and create some team spirit and an environment that hopefully when it matters can become successful. That’s been the whole theme of this Lions group so far.”

The mission statements have been laid down over the past few days and the time is approaching to more clearly evaluate their accuracy.