England’s players camped out overnight subsisting on ration packs as part of a Royal Marine-led bonding exercise in Devon last weekend in preparation for the World Cup qualifier against Scotland on Saturday.
Gareth Southgate confiscated the players’ mobile phones and told them that they were going to a mystery location when they reported for duty at St George’s Park on Friday before taking them to the Royal Marine Commando Centre near Lympstone, between Exeter and Exmouth.
Southgate’s players spent one night camping in the forest on Woodbury Common after pitching their own tents and a second in the marines’ quarters at the commando centre. During the camping exercise they were given individual ration packs comprising of pre-prepared meals including curry and chilli with muesli for breakfast and wore military fatigues throughout before enjoying a more extensive menu at the Marine HQ.
The purpose of the weekend, which Southgate kept secret to all but a handful of his staff, was team-bonding rather than fitness building, although there was a physical element. The players and staff undertook a four-mile hike while carrying 21 kilograms on their backs and several were dunked under water, including Southgate. In addition they were given several talks about Marine culture.
Southgate came up with the idea after spending time with Eddie Jones, the England rugby union coach who has organised similar camps in the past.
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“We wanted to come and put the guys into a different environment, something they weren’t expecting,” Southgate said yesterday. “The Marines talk about a dislocated expectation and that was part of the theme of the camp — how will we be adaptable in moments of difficulty for us as a team? We wanted them to see that there’s another world out there.”
Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford — who yesterday visited children injured in the Manchester attack — Gary Cahill, Eric Dier and Chris Smalling, were given permission to join the squad late and will report today.