Leinster squad train at Navan

HE stood in the middle of the Balreask Old pitch, directing operations like he was conducting an orchestra, imparting a little advice to one player, telling another a few seconds later how it should be done. Michael Cheika was at work putting the Leinster rugby squad through their paces at the home of Navan RFC on Wednesday afternoon of last week. It was just another day at the office for the Aussie who is in his third year as Leinster"s coach. Cheika dispensed his advice and supervised players in what passes as their daily grind. It was difficult not to envy these professionals, time on their side, playing the game they love - and getting paid for it. Leinster were in town as part of their drive to bring the game to the people in various rugby clubs around the province. The aim is to increase the fan base, to establish a connection between the team and the people. It"s a natural connection that exists in the GAA, at club and inter-county levels. The rugby fraternity want to tap into that and it"s a strategy that appears to be working. Last season Leinster were the best supported side in the Magners League with an average attendance of 14,000 for their home games. At Balreask Old, the Leinster players had mentors with considerable pedigree to show them how to do it. Assisting Cheika was recently acquired forwards coach Jonno Gibbs who was capped eight times by the All-Blacks. There were plenty of smiles from all and sundry before the session. Once work started on the pitch it was down to the serious business of preparing for a new campaign that gets underway early next month. The Leinster training session lasted for two hours and was watched by what Navan RFC"s new deputy president Gerry Williamson estimated was approximately 200 people. And then there was the kids, hordes of them, who lined up at the end with their notebooks and pens eager to add to their autograph collection. If they had no notebook, their tee-shirt or newly acquired Leinster jersey did fine. The youngsters appeared unperturbed by the absence of the big stars of Leinster rugby. Brian O"Driscoll, Shane Horgan, Gordon D"Arcy, Luke Fitzgerald, Rob Kearney, Girvan Dempey, Malcom O"Kelly among others were down in Munster attending Ireland"s training session under new governor Declan Kidney. Out-half Felip Contepomi was on duty with Argentina. A few other big-name signings such as Rocky Elsom and C J Van Der Linde were conspicuous by their absence. Present and correct was Chris Whittaker, the former Australian international scrum-half. Also there was Devin Toner, the lock from Moynalvey who is in his second year as a contracted player with the province. Even among a group of towering forwards, the giant figure of Toner stood out, literally head and shoulders above the rest. Toner is one of 34 professionals contracted to the province with another 21 up and coming players making up the academy, including Seneschalstown"s Brian Sheridan. Cheika"s predecessor as Leinster coach was Kidney, who lasted less than a year in the job before returning to his spiritual home in Munster. Before Kidney was another Australian, Gary Ella, who allegedly didn"t hit it off with some of the top players and departed after a string of poor results. Despite all that went before him, Cheika took up the baton in 2005 and has helped to improve Leinster"s fortunes with last season"s Magners League success and the rousing 21-12 win over Munster, proof positive that progress is being made. Matt Busby never tired of telling his Manchester United players that a football was made round to go around. It"s a simple game and those who do the simple things well will prosper, was his contention. Cheika adheres to the same philosophy. The drills that he, and his coaches, put the players through at Balreask Old were short, sharp and intense. Whether tackling, passing or running with the ball, the same routine was repeated again and again. There was no scrummaging as the technical aspects of the game were left to another occasion. If he was in charge of a local junior side Cheika would be utilising the same routines, taking a similiar approach. At this time of the year it"s about getting the physical preparations right. A successful businessman in the rag trade, Cheika also feels the principle of hard work can go a long way. 'Basic skill work, that"s all we do, they"re the core elements of the game, the handling, the defence, quick thinking, good footwork, staying on your feet when needed, they"re all basic elements,' he told the Meath Chronicle. 'Yeah, okay, there"s the game-plan and all that stuff, but for us still, if the basics are done well we"re a very hard team to beat and we"re very focused and I think it"s a good model for the junior teams, 'It"s all about the small skill base and making the individual player better and eventually that will pay off for your team.' Winning the Magners League was all very fine for Leinster supporters, but they must be wondering when the big breakthrough is going to be made on the Heineken Cup front. The apparently easy-going Cheika says he feels no pressure to deliver. When he does he will know he"s in the wrong job. He"s confident his team can do the business and isn"t going to lose any sleep over it. 'I won"t be feeling any pressure, you"ve got to enjoy the game and I really enjoy what I do. We understand our place and what we have to do and that"s part of the enjoyment of it.' Once he has O"Driscoll, D"Arcy, Horgan and the rest back, the genial Aussie feels he has the makings of a team that can perform against the best that is out there. Cheika says he is delighted to bring his players to places like Navan, and help establish a bond between the players and people. Anything to give his team an edge in the hard, demanding business of winning games in the professional era. The eager, young autograph hunters at Balreask Old appeared to appreciate the efforts made by Cheika and his players.