BELFAST - Swirling snow flakes offered rugby's All Blacks a chilly welcome to Belfast today at the start of their first tour under coach John Mitchell.
It took 30 hours for the All Blacks to reach the Northern Ireland capital which will be their base for eight days, and scene of the first of their five tour matches.
Security measures in the United States added to the length of the trip, with luggage having to be off-loaded at Los Angeles for checks imposed since the September 11 attacks in New York and Washington.
Less than two hours after the All Blacks reached their central Belfast hotel, Mitchell had them out for a light training run in temperatures hovering around 1degC.
``We've got plenty of thermals in our training kits and it's something we'll just have to get used to,'' Mitchell said.
Manager Andrew Martin described the session as ``just a stretch and a jog, to get the biorhythms into this time zone, to get the journey out of the bodies.
``It's a bit colder than we expected, but that's part of coming to the northern hemisphere in autumn or winter.''
The stated aim of the tour of Ireland, Scotland and Argentina is to win all five games, and blood younger players to international football.
It will also allow Mitchell and coaching coordinator Robbie Deans to immediately stamp their mark on a squad of 30 containing 11 new caps.
``This is the first time to the UK for some of our lads and it's a fantastic opportunity for them to progress their careers, '' Mitchell said.
The first tour to Ireland by the All Blacks since 1989, will bring Mitchell head-to-head with former flatmate Warren Gatland, who coaches an expectant Irish team.
Gatland and Mitchell played more than 270 games for Waikato between them, helping win an NPC title and lift the Ranfurly Shield from the great Auckland side of the 1980s and early 1990s.
- NZPA
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Latest from Sport
NBA star diagnosed with Bell’s palsy
Embiid says it has affected him since before the playoffs.