Warren Gatland is determined there will be no repeat of England's World Cup disciplinary issues when he leads the British and Irish Lions on next year's tour of Australia.
Gatland's players will be encouraged to extend the 125-year traditions of the Lions, to be open and accessible to the public, to visit schools and hospitals. To leave a positive mark on the country.
In 2009, the players did all those things and the tour of South Africa, led by Sir Ian McGeechan, was praised for restoring the very ethos of the Lions despite a 2-1 Test series defeat.
But England's World Cup campaign, book-ended by a drunken squad night out in Queenstown and Manu Tuilagi's alcohol-fuelled leap from a ferry, has left its scar on the professional game.
That scar serves as a warning to Lions tour manager Andy Irvine, who expects the touring players to be targeted by members of the public when they are in Australia.
Inevitably, that leaves the Lions having to tread a fine line between upholding the best of their traditions while also being on their guard.
"Discipline and character are massively important things," Gatland said.
"We are all aware what happened in the World Cup and the issues that arose from that.
"Our conduct on and particularly off the field will be paramount."
While England sloped home in disgrace from the 2011 World Cup, Gatland's Wales squad reached the semi-finals and were praised for their conduct and professionalism.
Irvine believes Gatland, who enjoyed mixing with Lions supporters in the hotel bars on the 2009 tour, is the perfect man to strike the right balance.
"In the good old amateur days, some of the antics players got up to were probably worse than what happens now," Irvine admitted.
"But it is a different ball game now. These players are professionals, they have their reputations at stake, the reputations of their clubs, their countries and the Lions."
NZN
