HORSES FOR COURSES

Bleyendaal has rare insight into Munster's Kiwi coach

- BY MICHAEL SCULLY

HORSEPLAY has been a feature of Leinster and Munster games in the past but here's a new one.

The first time Leinster attack coach Tyler Bleyendaal spent some time with Munster's head coach Clayton McMillan was on a NZ rugby leadership course in Manawatu, in the lower half of the North Island.

Bleyendaal was a coach with the Hurricanes, MacMillan was coaching the Chiefs and the Kiwis were thrown together into an unusual situation.

"It was a leadership course where you have to train horses, of all things," recalled Bleyendaal, who played for Munster before injury prematurely ended his career.

"It was different, challenging, and it created some good self-awareness. You're given your horse and you're told what you need to do.

"You try to lead it around, you're videoed doing it and it shows your body language and your communication, how you react to a stubborn mule or a big stallion.

"Then you got the hang of things and the next day they swap your bloody horses with someone and you've got to start again!

"Yeah, it was good. We got to see it and we gave each other feedback. It was interesting."

Bleyendaal said the left-field course highlighted where coaches could be more assertive or be more caring, and even how they communicate in general.