Australia & New Zealand
Loughborough Grammar School organised a Rugby Tour to Singapore and Australia in July and August 2009.
We recieved the following message from OL John King '53 following the games at the Manley Oval
I was not able to attend the Saturday August 1 matches in Sydney but did attend the Monday August 3 matches where honours were evenly shared between LGS and St. Paul's Catholic College at Many Oval. LGS lost the first match, despite LGS scoring the first try, and recorded a good win in the second match. The four teams played entertaining rugby; the second game was a very workmanlike performance by LGS. The matches were played in the right spirit and blessed with a fine Sydney winters day (English summer!!!) a very enjoyable afternoon for me and for the other spectators.
The following is a report from various touring members.
Loughborough Grammar School: Singapore & Australia
Day 1 - Greetings from a very hot (32c) and humid Singapore. We landed safely after a long journey and are now residing in the Peninsular Hotel. Boys are fed and watered and have checked in for the evening. No major dramas to report, all are well and looking forward to our sightseeing trip tomorrow. Tom Broadley first recipient of the 'Where's Wally Award' and all you need to know is that it was fully justified! Lots of contenders though! Early days but tour party is doing us all proud!
Its now Day 2 I think! Some boys out running at 7 this am - great breakfast.....mountains of the stuff, boys will not starve this trip! Sightseeing now, then an afternoon of shopping before SCC this evening. All are well......
Day 2 and we started with a sightseeing trip and river cruise in the morning. The afternoon was devoted to leisure and most of the guys shopped and swam in the hotel pool. Training at St Andrew's was hot and sweaty but a vital part of our acclimatisation process for the first game later tomorrow - the ball was like a bar of soap!
Wow, the evening was spent sitting on the 'Stumps Terrace' of the Singapore Cricket Club - a great end to the day and a huge thank you to Ashish Raivadera (OLA) for his superb hospitality in a great cultural setting.
Match 1 - St. Andrew's, College, Singapore. Super setting and great conditions for our first run out. Two excellent wins for both teams and details will follow on www.schoolsrugby.co.uk .
Pool this morning, matches and pool straight after the games. It's not like this in Loughborough! Checkout in the morning and flight to Brisbane in the evening - no rest for the wicked!
Sincere apologies to you all - seems like we lost 48 hours somewhere.......now safe and sound at the SSC here in tropical QLD where its winter and sunnier and warmer than back in the UK! Surrounded by bush, weird animals (not the boys) and superb sports facilities.....everyone a little jaded after much travelling and lack of shut eye!!! One or two missing home just a little but rising to the challenge of being on a major sports tour...training at 10 this morning then the small diversion of a Whale Watch this ‘avo' as they say in these parts.....we miss you all and send much love......more in time....matches tomorrow....
Day 4,5, 6 or is it 7 - So what does your typical teenage boy do after a day of QLD sunshine, watching the Gold Coast Titans train, team training, lunch, whale watching (outstanding!), beach volleyball and dinner? Well you snuggle up with yer mates, settle down and watch an old fashioned movie.....where's the hot milk and cookies mum?
Day 9 - Hi from a very sunny Airlie Beach in the Whitsunday Islands....after 50 years of searching I now know where I want to retire! Glorious sunshine and a cloudless sky with aquamarine sea and rain forest down to the waterside.....it doesn't get much better than this. Boys are being a real credit to themselves and to you...long may it continue. Compliments everywhere we go which makes you feel that it is all worthwhile and that we must be doing something right. A party of 21 have gone on a cruise today with the Hatfield family and the rest have chosen to chill out by the lagoon and recharge depleted batteries so this has been a good breathing space for us - though I have to say it has been a real joy to be associated with a great group of young men!
Townsville tomorrow and the first billet experience......fingers crossed....will be good for the boys to experience authentic Aussie life and compare it with the caricatured versions of 'Home & Away' and 'Neighbours'!
Townsville - Streuth, ripper and bonzer are not words we use too often back home but they seem absolutely appropriate to describe the time everyone is having at the moment. Played our first really hard rugby yesterday with the youngsters getting a real wake up call and suddenly realising that they are here to play rugby as well as enjoy this beautiful and hospitable country.....seniors were tested fully but emerged victorious with a very satisfying performance. Long journey today up to Cairns, Whitewater rafting and Barrier Reef tomorrow......
Cairns - Arrived safe yesterday after a long coach journey of 327km and a breakfast of burger and chips or fish and chips at 10 in the morning! By the time the White water rafting came around everyone was good to go....Nicky Hatfield thought it was all rather tame and wants to go again......boys had a blast which seems to have involved taking out the staff at every opportunity and I thought we were getting on so well.....hotel great and it was the Reef trip this morning that everyone was really looking forward to. Cloudy rain laden skies reminded us of home though with air temps of 27c and water temps of 24c the reef did not disappoint! Many highlights too numerous to mention but black and white tipped reef sharks and a huge Wrasse(?) called Wally made it an unforgettable experience for all....when can we come back? Early night tonight and Sydney's bright lights tomorrow.........time passing all too quickly now............
Friday 31st July - To those of you who know and to those of you who don't, you really must see Sydney at some time in your life. These boys of yours are so so fortunate to be here and to experience the delight that is Sydney. Australia. Jet boating yesterday morning and a Harbour cruise in the avo - fanflipintastic! This afternoon its the climb of the 'Old Coat hanger' and then we shall wend our way through the beautiful 'Rocks' to ' Wolfie's' restaurant for a squad meal looking out over Central Quay, with the Harbour Bridge to our left and the Opera House to our right! Of the many many highlights of our tour today should be a biggie.
We have managed to cram in so much into such a short time, its been amazing and the boys will sleep for England upon their return....thanks to many of you we have managed to add to our itinerary meals out, transport to the Whale-watching, Harbour Bridge Cruise, 'Wolfies' and tomorrow morning a guided tour of Homebush Bay the scene of the Olympic Games in 2000 and England's World Cup victory in 2003 and I don't think we have finished yet!!! Thank you every one.....
Joey's - The end is nigh.....having been on the road for what seems like months, the end is in sight...we have had the most fantastic time while away and have received great hospitality wherever we have gone. The weather has been wonderful (sorry folks!) with a typical winters day in Sydney matching anything we get at home in the summer....we have been very lucky.
Everyone enjoyed the bridge climb and many thought it the highlight to top highlights....none will be able to look at it in quite the same way again. We enjoyed a wonderful harbour-side meal with boys taking full advantage of the $40 dollar steaks on offer! Sublime.
The matches at Joey's were very well contested and the boys were certainly motivated to succeed which they achieved in fine style. We were honoured to play on the 1st XV Oval watched by many spectators in glorious conditions.....boys performed with style and made a really good impression on our hosts.
The free day was spent with many enjoying the delights of the northern beaches of Sydney and the new day will dawn with the final set of matches at St Paul's. This will probably be my last post before we see you. Hope you have enjoyed the updates and no doubt the boys will fill you all in on the details in due course. Many many thanks from us all for making all this possible. The tour has been an outstanding success and exceeded all expectations......
All over bar the shouting - Greetings from steamy Singapore were the temp is a balmy 28c. All well and in transit. Final few days went well with fantastic hospitality and two superb wins to round off what has been a very memorable tour for us all. We have been complimented where ever we have been and this will go down as one of my most satisfying tours and I've done a few! See you all real soon.......
The End - Always difficult to single out individuals in what is essentially a team game, but in our final tour party meeting held at Manly beach with the sun shining and a pod of dolphins performing in the surf the following awards were made:
Quote of the Tour: Sam Allen for emptying the mini-bar in his hotel room of its supply of chocolate and munchies "I thought all the stuff in the room was free!"
Tackle of the Tour: Fergus Liggins v St Joseph's College, Sydney
Best Tourist: Ed Allen
Most Improved Player: Jashan Johal
Best & Fairest: Tom Summerscales
2nd Team Award: Sam Allen
1st Team Award: Dan Holmes
Player of the Tour: Greg Littlewood
Wally Award: Sam Allen (ask him why!)
Played: 10 Won: 9 Lost: 1
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Sat 18 Jul 2009 | |||||
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1stXV |
Away v St Andrews College, Singapore 1stXV |
17:15 |
Won:55-0 |
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2ndXV |
Away v St Andrews College, Singapore 2ndXV |
16:00 |
Won:15-3 |
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Wed 22 Jul 2009 | |||||
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1stXV |
Away v AB Patterson School 1stXV |
15:45 |
Won:55-0 |
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2ndXV |
Away v AB Patterson School 2ndXV |
15:45 |
Won:44-0 |
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Sun 26 Jul 2009 | |||||
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1stXV |
Away v Townsville Select 1stXV |
15:15 |
Won:29-17 |
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2ndXV |
Away v Cathedral Sch, Townsville 2ndXV |
1615 |
Lost:0-40 |
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Sat 01 Aug 2009 | |||||
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1stXV |
Away v St Joseph's College, Sydney 1stXV |
14:00 |
Won:28-5 |
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2ndXV |
Away v St Joseph's College, Sydney 2ndXV |
15:00 |
Won:8-0 |
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Mon 03 Aug 2009 | |||||
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1stXV |
Away v St Paul's Catholic College, Manly, Sydney 1stXV |
14:00 |
Won:28-12 |
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2ndXV |
Away v St Paul's Catholic College, Manly, Sydney 2ndXV |
15:15 |
Won:31-7 |
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Thank you to all who took part and sincere thanks for the support of parents, sponsors and colleagues: Rob Doyle, Steve Hatfield and Craig Blackman.
One to remember!
