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| Wednesday July 23rd 2008 |
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| UNISON BARLA GREAT BRITAIN UNDER 18s AUSTRALIA TOUR 2008 TOUR DIARY
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UNISON BARLA UNDER 18s AUSTRALIA TOUR 2008
TOUR DIARY
Thursday 10th July
Met at Manchester Airport at 6.45am. Flight due to depart for Singapore at 9.50am but due to a two hour delay we don’t leave until 12 noon.
Friday 11th July
Arrive in Singapore at 7.10am local time. Have a free tour of Singapore City Centre whilst waiting for flight to Sydney which is 13 hours away! Leave Singapore at 8.35pm for flight to Sydney.
Saturday 12th July
Arrive in Sydney at 6.10am local time. We make our way through customs where we are met by Andy Harland (RFL Development Manager). The coach picks us up and transfers us to our accommodation which is at Penrith Panthers Cables Resort in Western Sydney. We arrive there at about 8.30am. Andy shows us round and we then go upto the Panthers Leagues Club where we all become members (apart from the 5 who are under 18!). We have lunch and a further look round the area in the afternoon before having a BBQ at Cables in the evening. Go to bed for a good nights sleep after a long two days!
Sunday 13th July
Management meeting at 9.30am and then the team go for their first training session which takes place on Penrith Panthers training pitch. The players have their own meeting and then we go into the Panthers club to watch the afternoon’s NRL game. We have a welcome BBQ Dinner in Panthers Leagues Club attended by many of the Penrith officials and this is a very pleasant evening.
Monday 14th July
We travel by train into Sydney and then get the ferry across to Manly where the team have a training session on Manly Beach. The rest of the day is free time for everybody to explore Manly and we catch the ferry back to Sydney in the evening and then the train back to Penrith. The views on the ferry were amazing especially Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House all lit up.
Tuesday 15th July
Training takes place at 11.00am for the team and this is followed by a BBQ Lunch at Cables. A weights session in the Penrith Gym takes place after lunch before the Tour Photograph is taken on the Panthers pitch, with all the players in full kit and management in polo shirt and black trousers. The rest of the day is free for the players. The management are taken to St Mary’s Club by Andy Harland where they are shown round the amazing club by Warren Smith, the club president. A lovely meal is then consumed in the magnificent restaurant.
Wednesday 16th July
Management/Team Meeting takes place at Cables and this is followed by a training session for the players. After lunch we have a trip to Featherdale Wildlife Park where the lads enjoy coming up close to baby kangaroos and other exotic animals. In the evening we all go for a squad meal at Lone Star Steakhouse.
Thursday 17th July
Gameday has arrived!! The lads have a lie in before the team meeting at 11.15am where Ian Sampson (Head Coach) announces his team for the match against Penrith Panthers Development Squad. The 20 man squad then goes for a light training session to get prepared for the evening’s game. We leave Cables at 4.15pm to travel to St. Mary’s Leagues Club for the game which kicks off at 6.00pm. The National Anthems of Great Britain and Australia are played before the game gets under way. The Panthers are a very talented side and take a 14-0 half time lead, and despite the BARLA boys putting in a sterling effort they are defeated 32-10. The David Murray Memorial Trophy, named in honour of the Army player who was player of the tour two years previous when they came to Penrith, for the Man of the Match went to Penrith’s outstanding scrum half Harry Seijka.
Friday 18th July
The lads have a rehab session in the outdoor swimming pool to soothe any bumps and bruises from the previous night’s game. It proves to be a bit of a shock for some as the water is absolutely freezing!! In the afternoon we all go White Water Rafting which proves to be a very enjoyable afternoon’s entertainment. Several members of the management and playing squad end up going overboard out of the canoes and are washed down stream at a fair rate of knots!!! The time spent on the rapids was fantastic and everyone had a fun time. The evening is spent in the Panthers Club watching the NRL match between Manly Sea Eagles and Parramatta Eels.
Saturday 19th July
Up early for breakfast before most of the squad set off for Sydney to tour the sights of the great city. It is World Youth Day with the Pope so it is very packed. Some of us take the opportunity to walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge and sail round the port on the ferry. In the evening we go to the ANZ Stadium to watch Canterbury Bulldogs v New Zealand Warriors.
Sunday 20th July
Free morning for everybody and then in the afternoon we go on the train to the Penrith Panthers Under 6s carnival at Doonside Junior Club where 600 players under the age of six take part. It proves to be a fantastic occasion that is very well coordinated and finishes with all the players taking part in a parade.
Monday 21st July
Training in the morning for the players and then a free afternoon for everybody to do whatever they want. In the evening we all go for a team meal to the Panthers Club before watching Melbourne Storm v St George Illawarra on the big screen.
Tuesday 22nd July
Gameday 2 is here!! A team meeting at 10.00 am sees the side named for the evening game against Henry Lawson, Cambridge Park and then the twenty man squad go for a light training session. Everybody then meets for lunch at the Panthers Club. We leave Cables at 4.00pm to head to the venue for the game. The game kicks off at 6.30pm and a very strong performance from the BARLA boys sees them record an impressive 40-16 victory. The aftermatch reception takes place at the Henry Lawson Club where BARLA’s Benn Fawcett is named as the man of the match.
Diary Courtesy of Dave Whalley
Steve Manning
BARLA Media Manager & PRO
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The British Amateur Rugby League Association.
West Yorkshire House, 4 New North Parade, Huddersfield, West Yorkshire. HD1 5JP, England
Tel: 01484 599113, Fax: 01484 510682, info@barla.org.uk |
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