Impeccably dressed in chinos, jackets and ties, the Shiplake rugby side landed in sunny Cape Town at 10am this morning after a great South African airways flight. The boys looked particularly smart compared with another touring team on the same trip dressed in mismatched tracksuits, flip flops – one of them even wore a pink cowboy hat.
In fact the Shiplake side looked so professional walking through Heathrow T1 that various rugby fans ambling around the boarding gates, including the headmaster of Wellington College in New Zealand, stopped them to ask about the tour and offered tips guaranteed to secure wins in South Africa, including “have the full back cutting in to the line, works every time”.
The team made a swift transition from baggage claim to bus and departed straight for the waterfront. On route we passed the imposing, cloud-shrouded Table Mountain, at which time a debate took place about which ridge ‘was meant to look like a lion’.
In fact the Shiplake side looked so professional walking through Heathrow T1 that various rugby fans ambling around the boarding gates, including the headmaster of Wellington College in New Zealand, stopped them to ask about the tour and offered tips guaranteed to secure wins in South Africa, including “have the full back cutting in to the line, works every time”.
The team made a swift transition from baggage claim to bus and departed straight for the waterfront. On route we passed the imposing, cloud-shrouded Table Mountain, at which time a debate took place about which ridge ‘was meant to look like a lion’.
Upon reaching the infamous V&A marina and shopping area, the boys had free time to look around and returned having bought ostrich burgers, dried biltong and vuvuzelas (which of course had to be confiscated within minutes on the coach).
At 4.30pm the team arrived at the Rugby Performance Centre in Riebeek West after a scenic journey from Cape Town.
Shiplake was welcomed by father-son team, Alan and Alan, with an adrenalin-pumping video about the RPC including its host list of teams such as the South African Super 15 and footage its training sessions like ‘The Graveyard’ (to improve strength, power and stamina) or ‘House of Pain’ (to improve individual skills).
The boys then had a light training session to prepare for tomorrow’s game against Riebeek Valley School XV, which included team runs.
The centre’s motto: ‘perfection in execution’, is evident here in everything from the world-class training facilities to the delicious, healthy food and a rugby pitch in an amazing setting against green mountains and wine country. If Carlsberg did rugby centres...
