CHAIRMAN - Last Words

Many thanks for reading this blog!

It has been an amazing experience travelling to play in Zimbabwe. The country is fanatical about it's rugby, and the reception we have had has been truly heartwarming and at times very emotional. Politics has inevitably reared it ugly head on this tour, something we have done our best to sidestep. All I will say is that the rugby supporters in Zimbabwe are desperate for foreign rugby teams to start going back to Zimbabwe so that they can progress as a rugby nation and to give their young rugby players the opportunities that have not been available for probably 10 years!

My comment on this is go!!!!

As said we have been wonderfully looked after. I have been on some fantastic tours in my life but this was to say the least something else, the gratitude and good feeling was overwhelming. Whenever people saw pink shirts they would come up to us, to ask us questions, to enquire how we are finding Zimbabwe, to thank us for coming back and to wish us the best of luck. This was from both black and white, rich and poor. From the top of the Zimbabwean rugby hierarchy to the many making a living selling what they can find in the street!

Rugby in Zimbabwe is very integrated and the Zim Rugby Union see their future in developing players from the townships and the poorer backgrounds in Zimbabwe. The township visit was very moving and a significant moment in many of our players lives. To see the poverty of some and how far down they are starting on the ladder of life on one hand, yet on the other hand the absolute passion and talent for the game that they have!

I have lots of conversations to have before I can say anything definate, but I really want to do something to help rugby develop amongst the less advantaged in this country. Moves have already been made within the tour party to provide scholarships for a number of very talented players to attend Churchill College, where they can develop their rugby talent and get a proper education, but I would like to do something more within the ISB! Not least because our boys receive some of the finest education in the world and therefore I see it as only fitting that we give back to those that do not. The cost of this education for these boys is $570 per boy per year an impossible amount of money for these boys parents, but less than a yearly Sky subscription for us!!!!!

As said I need to talk to many people about this but please do feel free to drop me an email if you would like to help!

Chris
chairman@isrugby.org

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PETER WILD - Township Visit

Mbare Rugby Academy.

After an emphatic victory over the Zimbabwe Under 19 squad, the ISB were unsure of what to expect when they set off to visit the Mbare Rugby Academy. We were warned that the children may speak little or no English and that we would have to come up with alternative ways to communicate with them. After a long journey through the less affluent suburbs of Harare, we arrived at the academy to see the boys (and two girls), aged between 7 and 14, already warming up on a dusty, uneven surface, barefoot and with little in the way of sports wear.

We disembarked the bus and were cheerfully greeted by the children, and both teams were keen to get started and enjoy this once in a lifetime experience. The ISB were keen to immerse themselves in this and we were told to split up and take a training session with our own group of children. This immediately caused slight alarm as we realised we had no idea of the skill level of the boys and girls (only later on were we to find out that four of the boys were in fact representing Zimbabwe at under 14 level!). This alarm was soon replaced by awe in our group after our first training drill, a simple handling exercise which was swept aside with surprising ease with many of the boys not only competent at spin passing off both hands, but well versed in the dummy as well. We then decided to challenge the children more and moved on to some more complex drills, not only challenging their rugby but also our ability to communicate with them. After some tentativeness in the beginning, the children soon relaxed into it and straight faces were replaced by laughter and smiles, which made the experience all the more touching and memorable.

After each of the four groups had played some touch with mixed teams of ISB and children, we became yet more impressed by the skill level and aptitude for the game showed by the children of the Mbare Academy. We finished off the training with an unknown touch rugby fixture being added to our tour: ISB verus Mbare Rugby Academy under 14s. The Mbare side had the home advantage and the ISB found the hard, dusty ground challenging, leading to a plethora of tries from the Mbare side and Max Allen the only one to salvage some points for the ISB. It was a tremendous end to the training, with plenty more smiles and laughter from both sides.

After all the fun and games we got the chance to hand over some rugby kit to the children that we had brought for them. This was a huge moment for them as the generous donations consisted of four team kits, over 30 balls and plenty of other rugby training gear. It was clear how much it meant to them as the children rushed in to receive the gifts and this impacted on the ISB very positively with Tom Rosenkranz saying 'The look on the kids faces whilst coaching and providing them with donated kit was a massive experience for me'. However none of us were quite expecting what came next as the a group of roughly 20 of the children walked out in front of us. All of a sudden one of the boys erupted into a 'haka' style chant and the rest of the group dropped to their knees and fists, snarling and hissing. It was a truly poignant scene and one which will stay with me for many a year. It summed up what an meaningful game rugby is not only to these kids but to Zimbabwe as well and to have been granted the opportunity to give back to the game in this way is exceptionally humbling. Mason Caton-Brown summed up the day saying: 'It was more than just an experience to see, coach and play rugby with these guys, it was an eye opener. It has shown me that rugby is more than just a competitive sport, but a way of connecting people'.

Poults kept telling us life is about getting and taking opportunities and this most certainly was one of those moments in our lives.

Pete Wild.

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CAPTAIN - Game v Zimbabwe

Captains report : ISB 21-14 Zimbabwe U19.

'Bahati ikipiga hodi ni lazima ufungue mlango mwenyewe' - 'When good fortune knocks you have to open the door yourself'.

Firstly apologies for the delay in the production of this report, perhaps the most important of the tour. As I'm sure you can understand the last couple of days have been hectic to say the least; back-to-back games followed by a 25 hour journey home (with a little celebrating in-between) have been enjoyed with little sleep. I am writing this as we take off from Nairobi airport with 'only' eight hours or so of travelling left! (Just for the record, if possible avoid extended stays at Kenya's premier airport - not comfortable in any way whatsoever).

Back to the game...

The focus of the week had been building up to Wednesday, frequently referred to as 'the big one'. We had been talking all week about maintaining the ISB's magnificent 100% record against national sides and for this one the focus was all upon the result. The beginning of the match was certainly a new and tremendous experience for all of us. Leaving the changing rooms to the sound of bagpipes we proceeded to line up on the 15-meter line, facing the stands (yes, exactly like the television!!). Ready and prepared to belt out our national anthem for the whole of Zimbabwe to hear it would have helped if we had begun singing sometime during the first verse... However once we got going I'm sure even the Queen herself would have been proud. Having listened to the Zimbabwean attempt at singing the skippers big moment of leading the minister for Sport down his line of lads also went (for want of a better phrase) 'tits up'. Mind completely blank, my attempts to name each squad member were horrible... I'm sure that the minister was amazed at how many 'Toms' we had brought over with us. However within the first five seconds of kick-off things were to somehow get worse...

The first ISB hit of the game was a big one, living up to all the pre-match hype of 'big hits for the big match'. Unfortunately for Hartley and the ISB as a whole, it came without the attempt to use any arms AND roughly a century after the ball had been passed. Out came a flash of yellow from the referee's pocket and off Hartley trooped to have a ten-minute of a recovery after his major exertions.

This early setback however only seemed to spur the ISB on to greater things. At no point during those first ten minutes did the numbers appear unequal. Indeed composure by the whole side meant that it was the fourteen men in bright pink who had the first points-scoring opportunity. Poulton pointed to the posts and Jewers duly sent the ball flying in the right direction.

ISB 3-0 Zimbabwe U19.

A clean take at the restart and some more decent play frustrated the pent-up hosts and as Hartley wandered back onto the park having served his time a Zimbabwean back-rower lost his cool dropping his shoulder in late to receive the same fate as Hartley had done previously (maybe he was tired as well?). With the numerical advantage the tourists looked to open up their game, however even though they were a man down the Zimbabweans spent the next ten minutes on the front foot. Playing direct and physical rugby the national side looked dangerous. However it was an unnecessary ISB indiscretion, early engagement at the scrummage, which allowed the 'Young Sables' to spin the ball wide where a miscommunication in the ISB defence left the Zimbabwean winger one-on-one with the fullback Allen. A chip over the top was followed by the little Zimbabwean demonstrating his sheer pace to gather and dot down in the corner. A tricky conversion from the sideline failed to make the required distance.

ISB 3-5 Zimbabwe U19.

The rest of the first half is pretty much all a blur to me. I can recall Allen enjoying a strong first period at fullback including one outrageous double sidestep as well as the ISB pack beginning to exert more dominance as the game wore on. Harries, Hearn and Precious formed an efficient back-row as usual and Bliss demonstrated why he is one of the best scrum-halves around. Eventually the ISB won a penalty during the last play before the half-time oranges and with Jewers fancying his chances, Poulton again indicated a kick at goal. A strong swing of the boot with the ball squeezing just inside the near upright gave the tourists the lead at half time.

ISB 6-5 Zimbabwe U19.

The ISB tradition of a weak start to the second half continued with some indiscipline coupled with strong Zimbabwean running from the likes of the Zimbabwean Man of the Match Joshua Smallbones ensured that the man in middle raised his arm twice and twice the ISB posts were dissected.

ISB 6-11 Zimbabwe U19.

This was not a game, however, that the tourists were happy to lose but with Zimbabwe camped in the ISB 22 the men in pink felt like they had a mountain to climb. Heroic defence by numbers 1 through to 15 pushed the Zimbabweans out into touch on the ISB 5-meter line. This was where the big units had to stand up and be counted. The throw from Brown was strong and Tokeley did what he does best, getting up at the front of the line out in front of his man and setting up the rolling maul. The entire pack piled in (Higgins playing on the wing informs me that even he had a go) and on went the maul. Zimbabwe were penalised for pulling it down and the ball was kicked out to give the ISB the opportunity to repeat the process. On this occasion the maul travelled fully 25 meters before again being illegally pulled down by the Zimbabwean pack. When two minutes later the tourists were given the opportunity to set up one more maul close to the hosts' line the pack performed yet again with Man of the Match and recipient of my Captain's award for the tour Harries grounding the ball. This time Jewers couldn't repeat his kicking magic sending the ball wide and short.

ISB 14-11 Zimbabwe U19.

The game still had twenty minutes to play and Zimbabwe struck back almost immediately. A technical infringement meant that the ISB coughed up another kickable straight-arm penalty with the resultant three points levelling the scores.

ISB 14-14 Zimbabwe U19.

With the match delicately poised the ISB took the initiative. A wonderful restart by Jewers allowed the tourists to regather possession and when a penalty was nudged into the corner the entire ground expected the precise and powerful ISB maul to launch into action. On this occasion however a mix-up resulted in the sharp Bliss shipping the ball out to Huxtable with a wonderful combination of running lines from both centres Watters and Jewers releasing Wilcockson who palmed off the Zimbabwean fly half with ease to storm over under the posts. Conversion slotted the ISB found themselves in the ascendency with ten minutes to go.

ISB 21-14 Zimbabwe U19.

I say ten minutes, but to us out there on the park it felt like an eternity. The Zimbabweans attacked and attacked running hard and direct and completely pinning us down in our 22. Numerous penalties were given away but with the Hosts requiring a converted try to tie the score the waves of attacks kept on coming. Some of best tackling and scramble defence I have ever been a part of kept the marauding Zimbabweans at bay. Eventually the pressure became too much and after ten minutes of constant defence the men in pink forced the much vaunted Zimbabwean number eight to panic and knock on. A solid scrum and pick up from eight gave Bliss the opportunity to lump the ball off the field and begin scenes of tremendous jubilation.

Full Time : ISB 21-14 Zimbabwe U19.

The roller-coaster of emotions felt throughout that game is one which will stay with me for the rest of my life. Nervousness, fear, anger, pride, excitement, confusion and finally jubilation; this was test-match rugby at its finest. The whole squad should be exhilarated and tremendously proud at having produced an international victory. Lastly it should be mentioned that taking on the Zimbabwean side is without doubt the toughest international fixture the ISB has played and I know that I am, hopefully the rest of the lads are as well, delighted and full of pride having kept up the ISB 100% record against national sides.

'Bahati ikipiga hodi ni lazima ufungue mlango mwenyewe' - 'When good fortune knocks you have to open the door yourself'.

Yours in rugby,

Poults.

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CHAIRMAN - End of Tour Dinner Awards

Top Try Scorer - Pete Wild
Unsung Hero - Charlie Tokeley
Head Coach's Award - Peter Hyams
Back of Tour - Sam Higgins
Forward of Tour - Charlie Precious
Player of Tour - Charlie Jewers
Man of Tour - Jacob Poulton

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Barbarians arrive for Zim rugby series - Newsday: Everyday News for Everyday People

Barbarians arrive for Zim rugby series - Newsday: Everyday News for Everyday People

Barbarians beat Districts - Newsday: Everyday News for Everyday People

Barbarians beat Districts - Newsday: Everyday News for Everyday People

Zimbabwe teams struggle against visiting side - Newsday: Everyday News for Everyday People

Zimbabwe teams struggle against visiting side - Newsday: Everyday News for Everyday People