Editor leaves voicemail Monday afternoon. Greg Feek is giving a scrum clinic at the Aviva stadium tomorrow. Go do a colour piece about being a prop. Make it funny or interesting.
Or both.
Up we get on a lovely Tuesday morning to cycle over to Lansdowne Road. See Rob Kearney driving to work. He waves at us.
The solid All Black prop tells us about body position, staying square. “Strong, neck, strong trunk.”
No hassle, Feeky.
“You guys are going to get a taste of what is required,” he says. “Get to know your bodies a bit too . . . hopefully have some fun with it.”
Looks easy. So long as you have a strong core. No problem, once you bank a lifetime of Pilates and possess natural balance and brute strength.
And mobility.
The Clinic was supposed to be conducted on the pitch. Rained off. Not sure why (what journalist in his right mind would take a claim against the union for an injury?). Better to be safe than sorry though.
There was also an impromptu press conference with Feek but we didn’t realise this until it was happening.
Bad knees
We asked a question anyway: Is Ireland better stocked with looseheads or tightheads going on to 2019? Question wasn't really answered. So we stayed quiet. No point rocking the boat. Still not sure if it was a press conference or not.
Should also point out we neglected to take any part in said scrum clinic. Bad knees. Very bad knees. Leaned against wall. Observed everything, admired nothing.
Afterwards we got a treat. Got to watch Ireland train on said greasy pitch. Thirty seconds into the training game (spying Conway and Madigan with Zebo on the probables), our good shepherd insisted we cast our eyes elsewhere so we left the stadium quietly and without any fuss.
Like a good little gaggle we headed away to wait for press releases that would tell us about the great deals the IRFU were offering supporters in November. Minus the specifics about prices and numbers. That’s “commercially sensitive” we were told.
Then there was some bad news about Dave Kearney’s knee. Very bad news. Surgery next week. Shame.
Injury report
In the same Leinster missive there was good news about Brian O'Driscoll and Fergus McFadden who will both resume training tomorrow. Not a mention of concussion or mild head trauma. They must be fine because Leinster tell us they are.
Then, just before we start writing the colour piece on the scrum clinic, Munster unveil their all-Munster born and bred coaching ticket.
Some great names there. Like the prodigal Jerry Flannery, back from Arsenal duty to run the Munster scrum (might tie that into scrum piece).
Even better, Munster are having a press conference to celebrate this great news.
Go to Limerick tomorrow, says editor.
‘What coaches are available?’ we enquire of Munster. None. Not going to Limerick anymore.
The boss man will be there though; Garret Fitzgerald answering question on a top table in UL is nothing to be sniffed at.
And sure the coaches are away. Away from the media glare.
But we had some craic at Feek’s scrum clinic. Learned about the importance of Pilates. And your core.
Plenty of press releases too, drip feeding us just what we need.
Take Kane Douglas, Leinster’s newest foreigner, who arrives any day now. We just don’t know when. Or for how long he will be staying.
But don’t worry about that or the pillars of journalism. Sure we have been promised another Feeky clinic in August.
