Woodward keen to stage Lions training days

CLIVE WOODWARD will seek to raise the contentious issue of international training days with the home nations in a bid to ensure the Lions head on their journey to New Zealand as the best prepared squad ever to leave these shores.

The issue of player control and player access was central to Woodward's decision to stand down as England coach because he felt the Rugby Football Union had failed to build on the World Cup success.

The agreement over training days between the RFU and the Zurich Premiership clubs had played a huge role in England's victory, but a frustrated Woodward felt the process had moved backwards, to the detriment of the national team.