The coaching staff at Stade Santander have ‘signed off’ with departing players – despite contracts not officially expiring until 30 June – and have begun welcoming the class of 2021 via remote group chats and training schedules.
On-field recruitment, play-book creation and baseline player conditioning have kept Biljon and his team busy throughout the coronavirus-induced lockdown, which brought the 2019/20 season to an abrupt end with the Reds sitting in seventh.
‘We have set a pre-season start date of 1 July but if we need to bend and work around that we will,’ said the director of rugby. ‘We would hope to be seeing light by then though.
‘I’ve been really impressed by the staff here. The rugby staff, the strength and conditioning staff, the medical team – they have all been working hard with the players and coming up with some really inventive ways to get the programmes out and monitor them.
‘For the “S and C” guys it has been a challenge because they’re dealing with professional athletes whose bodies are their tool. So looking at their size, nutrition, skin fold tests, conditioning for those without weights equipment … we’ve seen them come up with some inventive stuff.
‘The analysis department have been pulling everything together in terms of footage and preparation for next season and we’ve been getting our play book sorted. Everyone has been on video calls regularly as well. So many video calls … I think we’re all going to get square eyes.
‘That’s all the serious side but there has been a fun side too. The new guys coming in have all been introducing themselves and setting a fun challenge for everyone, from ice-bucket challenges to kicking tea bags into tea cups from across the room.’
Full report in Wednesday’s JEP.
