Biarritz U14 Rugby Preseason

 

Towards the end of the summer holidays, 18 future Under 14 rugby players arrived at Luton airport as they prepared to travel for their preseason training camp to Biarritz. Upon arriving in Soustons, our home for the week, dinner was quickly digested before a quick game of touch to remind the boys what the oval ball looks and feels like after almost nine months for some away from the ‘beautiful game’.

 

Rising early on Wednesday allowed for a 90 minute training session in preparation for the match against Tyrosse in the evening. Handling, tackling and rucking drills were followed by some time game play and organisation. When temperatures rose too high, the boys went for their showers before having some downtime and their lunch. The afternoon was spent on the high wires course where, with the encouragement of those safely on the ground, the boys threw themselves along, over and down numerous obstacles attached to the trees.

The evening game was arranged very much as a training game with the first three 10 minute quarters giving the opportunity for the whole squad to take the field at some stage. In the final quarter teams were mixed up to allow the Habs players to experience some real French flare and to appreciate what it means to really ‘jouer jouer.’ The opposition were well drilled and highly skilled, throwing the ball wide into space. The experience was fantastic for the team and showed them just how much work we need to put in over the coming weeks and months. Tired but enthused by the experiences of the day the boys went to bed with stomachs full of pizza.

 

Thursday morning started with some conditioning work before some more skill based work, as there were some tired and sore bodies from the previous night. Lunch was followed by a trip to the beach for surfing, which soon turned into body boarding which soon became simply jumping into the Atlantic!

 

Unfortunately the weather conditions, although blistering hot and clear skies, had also produced some strong on shore winds and the incoming high tide meant that it was simply too unsafe to surf. None the less after a good hour in the water followed by some touch rugby on the beach it was time for ice cream and waffles before heading back to camp. The boys were so full of energy that evening that we embarked on a 90 minute game of touch before dinner.

 

The final evening activity before bed was packing bags and sweeping the bedroom floors. Due to the cancelled surfing, paddle boarding on the lake was organised for the boys with half the group at a time all standing on the gigantic nine person board. Encouraged by the teachers on their single boards it was a great way for the boys to be forced to work as a team to effectively and efficiently co-ordinate all nine paddles.

 

Final room checks and lunch saw us depart soon after midday and start the journey back home.

As ever a trip like this does not just happen. Many thanks to Mr Metcalfe for his leg work over the course of the last eight months to set up the tour and get the boys and parents on board, Mrs Goldberg for all her hard work helping to organise the trip and Evolve/parent pay.

Mr Cooper and Mr Lawrence accompanied us on the trip providing huge amounts of support to the boys on and off the training pitch while helping to ensure everything ran smoothly.

 

Finally the Habs boys who behaved themselves well, were polite, threw themselves into all the rugby and activities with enthusiasm and certainly pulled together well as a group. The staff running the activities complemented them on their manners and good behaviour.

 

It was a fantastic end to the summer.