Falcons Under 21's New Zealand Tour Diary
Day 1: Saturday 10th June
Arrived Auckland 5.30am on time after approx 36 hours of travelling. James O'Malley provided the team sleeping tablets for the second flight from Los Angeles so arrived in not to bad shape. A nice touch was Harry being told by the chief Stewardess on the flight that the behaviour of the boys had been superb, something that was not always the case with teams on flights. The only people to have a drink were the coaches!!
Managed to get four arrested by customs for trying to smuggle in contaminated boots. What has Ray been putting on the fields….Harry paid the fines especially for coach Smith and Physio Azziz, the players were not felt to be important as Harry needed somebody to talk to.
Sam our driver got us to the hotel and he is due to be with us during our time here.
After Breakfast at the hotel at 7.00am the boys decided a swim was the order of the day, unfortunately the pool is outdoors, unheated and it is the middle of winter.
Into Auckland for lunch around the harbour area and then onto a local game East Bay v Tagapuna who are top of their division and won the game 10-3
On our way to the game Sam took us past North Harbour Stadium where we play the Curtain Raiser to the All Blacks v Tonga game on Friday night. It looks brilliant and we are all looking forward to getting into the rugby and especially that game. It feels a bit special when your name is on the advertising posters around the Auckland clubs and in the press.
Back to the hotel via the local bus frightening the locals.
Everybody is ok and recovering from the flight except Salwa who has turned her ankle badly on the stairs, can hardly walk and needs a physio!! Hopefully plenty of ice on her ankle rather than in her drink will sort her out.
Day 2: Sunday 11th June
Everyone was in bed early and all have reported for breakfast this morning. Salwa spent all night awake with ice on her ankle and feels better this morning if a little numb!! We are not sure what hurts most….her ankle or the thought of the piss taking from the boys when she tries to run onto the field.
The boys have had their early morning swim and we trained at 10.30am.
A very session at Takapuna Rugby Club but a serious injury as coach Smith eased past Jamie Noon during the touch rugby competition only for his calf to give out. The team fell apart after that but that is one of the problems of highly trained athletes.
Craig "Stretch" Hamilton thinks it's Christmas as the Slovakian ladies Basketball team are also staying at the hotel!!!
Andy Wright is in charge of organising the golf and Mattie Holmes the fishing…if we can keep him away from the Slovakian ladies Basketball team.
On Sunday afternoon we went to the hot springs at Waiwera which was brilliant. Hot Natural Spa pools that really do ease the aches and pains.
Again an nearly night to try to get over the jet lag with Danny Browne coming to the rescue at dinner as one of the hot plates caught fire. Fireman Browne took the offending article outside as everybody else ran for the door……what a hero!!
Monday 12th June
Travelled for an hour to Warkworth to train at Maharangie College where coach Mackinnon was a pupil.
Training was focused more on Wednesday's game with contact and team runs watched by the school kids during their lunch break. The boys used the pool after training and then had an hour for lunch in Warkworth finding out all sorts of things about coach Mackinnon which we feel sure will be brought up at appropriate and probably regular times.
We then went to look at the pitch and stadium for Friday's game.
A visit to a sports shop finished the trip with dinner for 7.00pm and a team meeting at 8.00pm to reinforce the message for Wednesday's game against Counties who are full of big Island and Maorie boys which will present our boys with quite a challenge.
MATCH REPORT
Manatau Counties Under 21's v's Newcastle Falcons under 21's
Wednesday 14th June 2000
Newcastle Falcons under 21's played Counties under 21's as the curtain raiser to the Counties Stealers v's Thames Valley Swamp Foxes NPC warm up game in Auckland.
A very physical confrontation played in a superb spirit by both teams ended in a 31-29 win for the Counties team.
Newcastle started well with a try by John Dunbar in the second minute but a mistake by the Newcastle wing Ross Cooke let in counties for a converted try on 12 minutes.
A penalty by Peter Murphy gave the lead back to Newcastle but a further try by the home side led to them going into half time with an 11-8 lead.
The second half was full of exciting rugby with the Newcastle pack performing well against a very big counties pack. Ross Cooke scored a try for the visitors and thanks to a Michael Stephenson drop goal and try Newcastle went into the lead with five minutes to go. From the restart however Newcastle failed to recover the ball and after a period of pressure the home side scored a converted try to make the final score 31-29.
In the last play of the game Newcastle prop Creighton Boyd had to leave the field with cruciate ligament damage which means the end of his action on the tour.
The team are in good spirits knowing that they performed well and could have won against one of the strongest provincial sides in New Zealand. The tour party are now looking forward to Friday night when they play North Harbour in North Harbour Stadium as the curtain raiser to the All Blacks v's Tonga international.
The boys relaxed at the hotel after the match having gone through their first New Zealand rugby experience and learning massively from it. Everyone knows we performed well and but for a bit of match rustiness could and possibly should have won.
The respect from the players and officials of counties was clear in their comments and the party can take a lot away from the experience.
Thursday 15th June
After breakfast the video was analysed of yesterdays game and a light training session followed.
The afternoon consisted of the golf tournament where Coach Smith was partnered by the dark horse of the party Ross Cook who had not played much before. The fact he lives next to Cornoustie is just a coincidence!!
Darkness brought the event to an end at about 5.45pm and the after dinner entertainment revolved around watching the video the boys had been making of the tour so far. An edited version may be available on general release when we get back but Harry and Marrion had not been doing what Chopper stated in the commentary.
MATCH REPORT
North Harbour Under 21's v's Newcastle Falcons under 21's
Friday 16th June
The big day is here and the morning has been spent relaxing at the hotel and a walk along the beach at Takapuna. The weather has been very kind with another sunny day so conditions should be great for tonight's match.
Everyone is now very focused on the game……it is now 2.55pm and we leave for the ground at 4.00pm
On the injury front Creighton's leg is ok but his ear is sore from the hourly phone calls from his mam. Salwa's ankle is better as is Coach Smith's calf. The good news is Harry has lost his voice so Chopper may have been right!!
The hotel bar manager has arranged a nude review for the sports bar at 5.30pm tonight…..strippers to you and me. Unfortunately despite repeated attempts the New Zealand RFU have refused to move the All Blacks kick off time so the boys will miss it/ them whatever!!
We came to New Zealand to learn and we certainly have tonight…..we have learnt that referees can be terrible the world over and all about the harsh world of touring. North Harbour won 25-22 with us having a try disallowed with the last play of the game.
To have a kiwi crowd boo the referee at the end says it all to us. The North Harbour boys acknowledged that we had scored a try but the final score says we lost. The after match speeches were not exactly complimentary to the ref, from both teams, but the linesman that told him we should have a penalty try for a late tackle on Michael Stephenson did receive some positive comments.
The classic comments were from Peter Murphy and the linesman during the game:
"What was that for linesman"
"Sorry mate no idea!!"
"Why don’t you tell him what is going on?"
"I am mate, but he's not f*****g listening"
If we complain we are seen as winging poms!!! We could not have asked any more of the boys and the game was very good apart from the refereeing-hard -physical-and fair. We were 10-8 up at half time, went 22-10 down in the second half, got it back to 22-22 with 10 mins to go, gave away a penalty for offside almost in front of our posts……the video clearly shows no offside…25-22 with 5 mins to go and then the frustrating finale of the refused penalty try and then the disallowed try.
The All Blacks game was superb absolutely crushing Tonga with such power and pace and their players were so approachable, much more so than back in the UK. The Scots should be in for a torrid time next weekend.
A very late night followed.
Saturday 17th June
A very late start after a very late night. Tom, Jamie and Michael have now left us to join England under 21's for a vitally important team meeting at 9.15am!!
Only lost one missing in action but we are sure he knows his way home.
Went to watch Paul's old club Maharangi play Navy at Devonport and caught up with a few of his mates.
Dinner…Scotland v NZ Maori's and an early night.
Sunday 18th June
A very light training session at 10.00am before tomorrow's game at Northland's, Syd Going's province. A lot of sore and tired bodies now and Salwa is working overtime keeping them going but the atmosphere is good and the disappointment of Friday has now been left behind.
The majority of the party then took off for an afternoon's fishing.
The boat took us about 12 miles out of Auckland but there were more players than fish!!
Mattie Holmes caught a lobster which he brought back to the hotel for the staff to cook for dinner, but no matter how you dress it up with sauces etc…rubber is rubber!!
A few green faces in the swell made the boat move closer to the shore but still no fish.
The boat got us back to Auckland at about 6.00pm and took us on a tour of the harbour routine of Salwa giving treatment and rubs to the boys in the dining room/ team room ended a very enjoyable afternoon. Dinner at 7.00pm was followed by the now nightly with every one else watching the television, chatting, using the "PLAYER CAM". It tends to be an important part of the routine that has developed and if Salwa can work under these conditions she can work anywhere.
Stu can lick his own nipples….captured on player cam!! One of the waitresses can as well but she was camera shy…while all this was going on people watched the tele and Sal kept working….it really is quite bizzare.
MATCH REPORT
Northlands Under 21's v's Newcastle Falcons under 21's
Monday 19th June
We are to leave the hotel at 3.00pm today for the game at Northlands so the boys are just sleeping and eating. Harry has organised a pool competition for late morning…. I have no doubt they will fleece him.
It is now 10.40am so more later.
Craig Hamilton won the pool competition beating Stu Lamb in the final.
We arrived at 5.30pm after having stretched our legs on the most beautiful beach approx 5 kilometers from the ground. The place was a total contrast from North Harbour stadium…a club ground, with not so good floodlights and a team of country boys from Northlands who were to prove rough and very committed.
Again we came so close but lost in the end 20-14.
No complaints about the ref this time he was very good and on reflection the best team won as they took every opportunity given to them and withstood tremendous Newcastle pressure in the second half.
We scored almost from the kick off with Mattie Holmes going over under the posts for a converted try. However the next half-hour saw our worst rugby of the tour when if not for poor handling and mistakes by the Northlands boys, they could have been out of sight by half time. As it was they converted three penalties and when we scored a penalty almost at the break the score was 10-9 to us.
A wrong option to run the ball from our own 22 led to a dropped pass in mid field and the Northlands boys needed no second invitation to score and take the lead. They scored another converted try to set up the last 25 minutes which saw the Newcastle forwards take control and put Northlands under pressure. From a lineout in the Northlands 22 the Falcons forwards drove towards the line releasing the ball for the backs to create an opening for Ross Cook to score a try converted by David Richardson.
That made the score 23-17 and despite intense pressure we could not add to our score.
Another loss and some very tired and disappointed boys who are learning that teams that would fold under the pressure in the UK just do not fold in New Zealand. These boys play to the final whistle and the level of intensity and pace of the game are things that the boys have not experienced before.
The boys are naturally a bit down but it is worth noting that they are playing some of the best provincial age group rugby teams in the world in there own back yard. They are competing very well, gaining the respect of the players and officials at all of the games they have played, and the gaining of that respect should not be underestimated.
Arrived back at the hotel at midnight and straight to bed.
Tuesday 20th June
We have now lost Craig to the Scotland squad so we are down to the bare bones of a squad for the last game tomorrow at Rugby Park, Hamilton against Waikato.
After Breakfast we have had a team meeting to put all of our experiences into context and focus on the last game. The boys desperately want a win, know they are so close, but recognise the next game could potentially be the most difficult.
A few minor injury worries but nothing to serious, Creighton has his leg brace off and is not now using crutches, so today is total rest and recovery with lots of fluids, food and sleep.
MATCH REPORT
Waikato Under 21's v's Newcastle Falcons under 21's
Wednesday 21st June
Left for Waikato at 11.00am and arrived at Rugby Park, Hamilton at 1.30pm.
The start of the game was a disaster with the Waikato boys being 14-0 up in 8 minutes. However after that the team really started playing some superb rugby, dominating the second half but managing that elusive win going down 26-21.
It was the same story of competing as equals, winning respect of players and officials but not quite winning.
A lot of lessons have been learnt and the boys have been a credit to themselves and the club…..three of the hotel management travelled the two hours to watch the game as well as two ASB Bank officials who had been talking to the boys after Friday's game.
Time for the hair down now as we look forward to the last few days of New Zealand. The Chief executive from Waikato took us to a bar in Hamilton and then it was back to the hotel for a few beers, bed for the old ones do not know about the young ones.
Thursday 22nd June
Last report.
The vinyards….the country pub…Motherwells office for drinks and pizza and now to the BBQ at the hotel.
See you next Monday!!!
