The long journey home best illustrated below:
Before the 12 hours by coach and ferry, time for an entertaining breakfast. Being a large group we were restricted to the ground floor restaurant. On our last day we were joined by a group of Japanese or Koreans we weren’t quite sure which! They were having boiled eggs and we were told in no uncertain terms by the waiter that we couldn’t! That didn’t stop them trying to nick our corn flakes! Tour Mummy Joanne Holmes was having none of it and said “I am having an egg and no one is going to stop me!” and they didn’t. Other notable egg pilferers included Les Fry (what is his day job?) and Graham Pollard.
9.10am and everyone should have checked out, problem 3 boys missing, Alex Hallett, Ben Lashmar and Sam Pollard all still fast asleep, nevertheless they managed to get dressed and down in time for court at 9.30am. With the players in charge the coaches were worried they would get hammered, fortunately the boys seemed intent on picking on their own and we got away with no more than a couple of small fines.
On the coach by 9.50am and the journey started, everyone very tired and slept for much of the first 2 hours. A quick stop and a sugar intake meant the 2nd leg was a little livelier. Arriving at Calais passport control delays meant we missed our scheduled crossing but boarded the next sailing.
Back in the UK by 5pm and the journey continued, everyone now looking forward to getting home. A pit stop at Fleet Services and a 45 minute stop for the driver Alan who has looked after us very well. The lights of Dorchester greeted us at approximately 9.15pm where we were greeted by our families.
This week has been fantastic, the boys have been a credit to themselves their parents and Dorchester RFC. We have made some new friends at AS Lagny Rugby Club and Pontault Combault Rugby Club, both of whom have been invited to visit us next year. The planning and organising has been immense but so worthwhile. The Tour will be remembered for the rest of the participants lives and it has undoubtedly made this squad even closer. Well done and thank you.
Our last full day saw it start with a well earned lie in to get over the excitement of Disney yesterday! Some of the parents took advantage of a trip into Paris despite Graham Pollards warning of the possibility of protests! The others and the boys and girl stayed behind and after some relaxation in the pool and sauna some games were organised by Peter James (Table tennis, pool and rugby skills) with the winning team having the right to run the court tomorrow, the coaches will I am sure have to dig deep!
Mr T, Doc and Mr D took a stroll to the local supermarket and we were once again treated to a great picnic in the grounds of the hotel, yes you have guessed it baguette,ham and cheese (rumour has it that Dave Harris will be serving this in future!) then time to change for todays game, team and individual pictures taken in the grounds before the others returned from Paris. Graham Pollard even managed to find one of his protests he had warned against!
Coach finally left (When Mr & Mrs Bickley turned up!) at 2.50pm for the short trip to Pontault Combault for todays game. The warm up was very slow and Mr James became a grumpy old man, none of the boys seemed awake and the coaching staff were worried, they didn’t need to be. The team selection and rotation was excellently planned by Peter James and all 26 players used played did everything that was asked of them and the collective team spirit was clear to see as Dorchester ran out 31-19 winners in an highly entertaining game and one which the coaches consider to be one of the best team performances yet!
We were looked after incredibly by our hosts who have been invited to Dorchester for a return game next year.
Back to the hotel and then off for the end of tour meal. Joanne Holmes our Tour Mummy excelled herself and has looked after all of us so well. Thank you very much.
We are now back at the hotel, the boys are entertaining themselves, parents are still drinking and my typing skills have given up. One more day and we are home so that means one more day to write about and hopefully some pictures as well.
Until tomorrow...............................................................
Day four |
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Its been a long day and after walking around Disney in glorious sunshine amongst great company followed by a lovely meal aided by copious amounts of red wine. A new branch of the grumpy old men brigade has been formed and they have not been short of topics to discuss. These have ranged from school to the fast pass system at Disney, but to be fair they did chance their arm Pirates of the Caribbean, that started a whole new conversation!!
A quick addition to yesterdays blog we actually lost the 2nd game to Lagny 14-0 (I forgot to mention the score!)
Today has been a day off for everyone, no tour requirements or on the spot fines. A quick morning court session saw Ali James and Callum King elected “Coqs of The Day! “ by and large they had a pretty easy day as I had the company of the Tour mascot who was forced to overcome his fear of roller coasters, by the end of the day he was planning a trip back next year! All the boys enjoyed themselves and even managed to find their way back to the coach by 6.30pm. A relaxing evening has followed with some of the party venturing out for some food whilst others chose to relax using the hotel facilities.
Difficult to believe tomorrow is our last full day and will culminate with a fixture against a local side followed by a meal out for the whole party. Some will be venturing into Paris in the morning (protests allowing) whilst the boys and the coaches will use the morning to relax and prepare fully for the final game. The verdict so far has been a huge thumbs up. The real proof will come in the following months when we see how close the whole squad has become. Until tomorrow.........!
Day three |
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The morning after the night before! In France the legal age to buy alcohol is 16, which when you have a team of Under 16s (some of
Day three |
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whom are 16 already) will mean one thing....an opportunity to buy beer and cider which they took advantage of quite readily! And so Tuesday morning came and it was a rather subdued breakfast that we all sat down to, with the older heads in the party commenting that the youth of today.........no different to how we were!!
Court session was brief, Allan Bickley tried to invoke rule 28 which was not allowed by the judge and resulted in his fine being doubled, let that be a lesson!! It was then on the coach and back into Paris to watch State Francais train. Looked very much like one of our sessions, the coach getting frustrated the backs dropping the ball and the forwards wondering what they were supposed to do! The only difference being that they did it all a lot quicker! Seriously though it is a privilege to watch top professionals train and to appreciate the skills they possess so a big thank you to them for allowing us to come and watch.
Back on the coach and off to a park for todays picnic, yes you have guessed, baguette, cheese, ham, crisps, and fruit, water for the boys and beer/cider/red wine and port for the adults. Who would have though picnicking outside at the end of October, we have been so lucky. The Tour Manager (me) managed to step in some merde du chien (work it out) and will no doubt have to face the penalty tomorrow. By this time the collective hangover had lifted from the boys and they played an impromptu game of American Football, before back to the hotel to get ready for tonights game.
Arriving at Lagny Rugby Club we learnt that there was only Acklam from England and the home club so we agreed 3 3o minute games. An all English match up first, Ackalm play a hard tough tackling game and playing too French laws (uncontested scrums) it appeared that we were up a for a beating, slowly but surely we got possession then territitory and then 3 tries one converted to give the boys a well earned 17-0 victory. All the players were up to the task and did everything that was asked of them.
A different looking side for the match against Lagny where we were second best to some quick runners and slick hands, although we got plenty of possession we couldn’t break their defence.
We were treated to some great hospitality and very cheap beer. A big thank you to Bruno of Lagny Rugby Club our new best friend in France.
Tomorrow its Disney. Mrs Fine Master has offered Tour Officials Guinness all round if her husband is pictured with Mickey Mouse (It will happen get ‘em in Annie)
Day two |
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Whats been on everyones minds today?........... Rule 28. At the mornings court this rule was invoked not once but twice, by Smithy and Gazza and were found not guilty instantly by his Honour Judge Madgos. Not surprisingly everyone wants to know what Rule 28 is, not surprising those in the know are keeping tight lipped!
A pretty packed day starting with several of our group eating breakfast in the wrong restaurant at the hotel and being told they had to go downstairs! First official court held various fines for heinous crimes most frequent visit to the bench was Will Holmes, never easy when you are touring with your Mummy.
A quick stop at Carrefour allowed us to stock up on provisions and off to Paris. A brief guided tour before being dropped off at the Eiffel Tower where we all enjoyed a picnic of bread cheese ham crisps, fruit beer and red wine, a lot cheaper than eating out and was enjoyed by everyone. Despite being pestered by street sellers no one was ripped off, indeed Will Batt pulled off the deal of the day by trading a can of fanta for 2 mini Eiffel towers much to the bemusement of the seller.
Leaving Paris the boys then had a tough training session and were put through their paces by Newbs and Sprulsey and they all seemed to enjoy. Two hours later off to Val de Europe for food and shopping, personally my Thai meal was fantastic although everybody was happy with their choice.
I’m sat in the hotel foyer typing this with my good friends Whiter, Jessup, Newbs and Graham Pollard enjoying a glass of lager, I think that bed is not far off so will sign off and will up date you all tomorrow. In the words of Del Boy mange tout Rodney mange tout
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As my Grandad used to say "there is always one". A party of 47 were due to leave Top o Town car park at 5.30am. Unfortunately only 46 were there, the 47th (Mr Doherty) was at the rugby club and wasn't worried no one else was! A quick phone call and a car trip reunited him with his son who was in the right place (work it out, I cant!)
12 hours later we arrived at The Saphir Hotel in Pontault Combault. My room mate Mr T is having to balance his body on a double mattress which is sat on a single divan!! Mike Sprules has complained that his tv is not working properly as all the chammels are in a foreign language, that's what happens when you spend your life working in Manor Park!
One tube of hair removal cream has been confiscated, although the whereabouts of Lashmars lubrication cream is unknown, Alex and Sam P watch out!
I am sure everyone will sleep well tonight although Conor Skelland managed to sleep through a 45 minute stop and get locked on the coach and his dad had no idea.
Paris for sightseeing in the morning and training in the afternoon for the boys, they need to do some activity!!!!
Until tomorrow...............................
DRFC under 16's
October 24th 2010 will see 20 adults and 27 Under 16s leave Dorchester at 5.30am for Their Paris Tour 2010. Like any epic adventure it has been years (or so it seems) in the planning. Tour participants have been given their list of requirements, the players only seem to be interested in Disneyland, the mums only interested in shopping in Paris, and the Dads well who knows.
This page should be updated everyday whilst we are in France so friends, families and other interested parties can keep up to date with what we are up to. Please make an effort to read it.
