Eltham Rugby on Top Down Under
Five out of six matches won on tour of Singapore and Australia! Having toured the Americas (North and South) and Southern Africa it was only a matter of time before Australia and Asia would be visited by Eltham College’s ambitious rugby fraternity. Pupils, parents, staff and a good number of Old Elthamians enjoyed a highly successful three week tour of the Singapore, New South Wales, Queensland and the Northern Territories.
The stopover in Singapore provided a welcome respite from the thirteen hour flight but the oppressive humidity did little to make life comfortable. However, a few training sessions and the opening game against a Singapore Development XV focussed both minds and bodies on the job in hand. The entire squad had a run out and despite the inevitable difficulties this presents James Sellick scored a brace of tries in the comfortable 29 points to 17 win.
Cooling conditions were expected in Sydney and they were not to be disappointed! Visits to Bondi Beach, the Telstra Stadium and Wildlife Parks teaming with koalas and kangaroos, together with a trip on the Manley Ferry reminded the boys that they were indeed in Australia! A 10 – 7 win over Hurlstone and a 31 – 7 victory over a disappointing Under 16 St. Josephs XV completed a Sydney week of work, rest and play.
It was time to head north beyond the Tropic of Capricorn and welcome the return of sub tropical conditions. OE Dr Tom Paine who was working in the local A & E appeared pitch-side and immediately volunteered to take over the medical duties for the game against St. Ignatius Park Townsville. The quality of the rugby was showing a definite improvement and Eltham ran out worthy winners by 38 points to 26. Next stop was Cairns, where water bourne activities featured heavily. Swimming and snorkelling off the Great Barrier Reef, together with white water rafting on the Tully River and sea safaris were very much the highlight of the tour. However, the boys were not distracted from their objective and secured their fifth straight win, this time over St Mary’s by 19 points to 7. The final game of the tour took place slightly off the well worn tour trail in Darwin. The Northern Territories XV looked big and powerful - however, after negotiating the jumping crocodiles at Crocodylus Park and the Adelaide River few boys were afraid of getting stuck in to the opposition. A very close game followed and try as they did to achieve another score Eltham were unable to finish the tour unbeaten and went down narrowly 13 – 11. A hugely memorable twenty one days was made possible by the successful fund raising committee, hard working members of staff, an excellent captain and committed his band of brothers – very well done.
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