The Other Side Of The Trip
Monday – A much needed day off rugby! Although no rugby, the boys still got off to an early start with a 6am wake up call. The sponsor Sanix, treated all the teams to trip to Nagasaki, a two hour bus ride from Global Arena. Here we visited the Atomic Bomb Museum, a very educational experience. Some of us may have heard of the bombing but I doubt anyone realized the extent of the tragedy of war. From a city of 200,000 people, 74,000 were killed and a further 74,000 injured, and thousands more dying from radiation illness. The team, coaches and parents were speechless while taking in the history.
After the museum, we had a walk around the scenic Clover Garden, with spectacular views of the city. Then a lunch held at the Crown Plaza hotel, probably the most enjoyed meal thus far!
A very scenic drive back through the green mountains with views of the ocean and small villages. Once back at Global Arena the boys knuckled down to prep time followed by dinner and video analysis of the previous days game. Some tactical tweaking was made for what could well be the players toughest game of the their lives, against New Zealand’s highest ranked team – Kelston Boys High School.
A big thank you to all family and supporters who have sent messages for the team. It has meant a lot to them. Keep them coming!
- Mike Rea
Photos courtesy of Warwick Evans and Don Swainson
