Hosted By

Tours Part 2

1986 - Barcelona Actually we stayed up the coast at Lloret de mar, but we played our games in Barcelona. This was one of those "international" tournaments where the English teams (2) knock each other out and leave home sides to win the comp. We land on a Thursday lunchtime and find out we play our first game 42 hours later on Saturday night. Everybody but Roger "uughhh" Lee, is pissed up, and so we lose to a bunch of psychopathic thugs called Shirley Wanderers.But we get the best deal as they have to play the final in the blistering heat on Sunday afternoon, after we had played in the morning and drunk all the beer.
Best quote :- The locals are playing the Spanish national anthem just at the kick off with Shirley Wanderers and Dave Henshall grumbles loudly......" Shut that fucking row up and get on with the game!!"

987 - Isle of Man This has to have been one of the worst ever. A bare 15 souls travel to Manx and in a Transit Van and Allen Hart has to spliff up and pass the douchy along the backs to stop them falling asleep during the game(s). Yes the coach driver played.

1988 - Amsterdam Skipper Mike Hudson's first ever trip away from home and he gets all patriotic and tearful. Good job Gerry King was there to sort him out.

1989 - Portugal More of the same, spread over five days, this tour gets a bit ragged as people show signs of sobering up by the Sunday. The deal for this trip actually included the free use of hire cars. We thought about 25 pissed up rugby players careering around the Algarve and declined the offer.

1990 - Paris I have absolutely no recollection of this. I know it had something to do with a France / England game but thats it. Must've been good.

1991 - Truro This was the start of something. A visit to John Hambley's home town via coach proved to be the start of many more reciprical trips. The Brown Willy tour had 25 official tourists and 4 unofficial renegades who arrived unannounced at Truro Rugby Club and redecorated the clubhouse with Fred Flinstone wallpaper before the Old A's team turned up for the game.

1992 - Dublin As I recall we almost won a game here but the beer got the better of us. This tour consisted of two games, a sevens competition at Kildare, and 17,000 pints of Guinness. The strange Irish licencing laws allows us to drink ourselves sick in the hotel but not a drop to be had at the games we play. Official tour dress was hats and musical instruments.