Warren Gatland has joked that any fishing trips on the Lions’ pre-tour camp to Jersey next month will not drift too far out into the Channel, after the government deployed the Royal Navy over a row with French fishermen.
Th Lions will have a training camp in Jersey next month before playing Japan at Murrayfield ahead of their departure for South Africa for the three-Test tour.
“I wasn’t expecting that,” said coach Gatland, who does not believe the Channel Island trouble will change his team’s plans.
"I’m only concentrating on the rugby side, not the gunboats and the other stuff that’s going on.
“We’ve just got to make sure that if we do go fishing we don’t go out too far.”
Gatland also explained the plan for the trip, which will act as valuable bonding time as the group come together from four national teams.
“They’ve got a fantastic facility over there,” he said.
“The way things are at the moment we’ll get some sort of normality for a week or so, while making sure we’re really conscious and safe in doing what we do.
“But the big challenge for us is being in the bubble in South Africa and potentially having to quarantine when we come back.
“If you add in the two week camp before we go it could be up to 10 weeks away from home and in a bubble.
“The rugby side takes care of itself so it’s important we get the other stuff right and think about the players’ wellbeing and mental health.
“I think the rugby’s going to be the easy part. We need the other stuff right and then we’ve got a chance of performing on the field.”
