2009

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Junior Bulls Rugby Union players Cameron Sheales, Taylor Smith and Russell West, who attend Blackheath and Thornburgh College, recently returned from a 3 week Rugby Union tour of the UK. Following is their report...

On the 17th of September, we departed Townsville airport with an unknown team from the Cathedral school in Townsville. After landing in Townsville we had a few hours in the Brisbane airport before setting off on a 21 hour flight broken into three 7 hour lots to London. Upon arrival at six o clock in the morning we were then required to stay up all day and even practice. The next day we headed off to Churchers College about and hour and a half drive south west of London. We were billeted and had the next two days at leisure and then played the day after that. Unfortunately we lost our first game 26 -18 but it was an enjoyable game. We headed off to the Dorset region to arrive at Corfe Hills School and were billeted again. The next day we trained and saw some sights of the region including castles and the Poole quayside. We played Corfe Hills School the following day and came out on top 18-12. We then travelled up and across to Christ College, founded in 1541 in Brecon, Wales. We stayed in the schools dormitory and went sightseeing to see an interesting Welsh underground mine. The countryside was beautiful and the roads were difficult to travel as they were barely wide enough for a bus and a car to inch past. After being defeated by the College 26-0 we went to the capital of Wales, Cardiff and saw Millennium Stadium and an old but preserved castle right in the middle of the city. After a short flight to Belfast in Ireland we travelled to The Royal School in Armagh to be billeted. The following day consisted of travelling to the Giants Causeway, an amazing natural wonder of thousands of tessellating hexagonal rocks all together in one spot. We then played the Royal School and drew 12 all. The proceeding day consisted of travelling to bonnie Scotland via a ferry that looked more like a floating mall. Upon arrival in Stanraer we travelled to Dumfries Rugby club and met our new host families. Sightseeing included traveling across the border into Carlisle in England to see the town and another castle. The game against the Dumfries Rugby Club was an experience as we played in the freezing cold and horizontal rain. We played three times. Unfortunately we went down in the first game 10-7 and the second and third games we won convincingly. After leaving Scotland we traveled to Oundle School, a wealthy school that is very committed to rugby. This would be our hardest game as their first fifteen team last year beat the Nudgee team. We went to Cambridge University to enjoy the day before facing the Oundle team to come off second best with a score of 12-3. A score that we could live with as we played very well. The last two days of the tour consisted of sightseeing and shopping in London before boarding a plane to come back home. We all immensely enjoyed the tour and made so many new friends on the Cathedral team. Although we thoroughly enjoyed the tour, it was a great feeling to touch down back home in Australia!

    

 

 

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