Head of coaching development

Head of Elite coach development RFU

Netball coach

Acting Headteacher, Corfe Hills School

Captain of England Netball Team

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"I can assure all players, coaches and supporters on tour that they will meet very stiff opposition both in rugby and netball in the towns and cities they visit."

It is with a feeling of nostalgia that I realise anyone reading this short article will most probably be a New Zealander, living in New Zealand. Being a 'mainlander' (born in the South Island of New Zealand) myself, I am more nostalgic and very envious of the young people from Corfe Hills School embarking on their tour of a lifetime to the most beautiful country in the world.

for a shared experience that can never to taken away from all involved. Sports Tours give schools a focus, which can be of real benefit to the tone and culture of that school. I commend all the teachers, the Principal, Board of Governors, parents and supporters who have had the courage, for sight and belief in such a venture which will broaden the horizons of all involved.

The towns, cities and people who will host these young English sports men and women, will ensure they experience 'Real Kiwi' hospitality.

As a past coach of the New Zealand Secondary School Rugby Team and Manager of Rugby Development for the New Zealand Rugby Union, I can assure all players, coaches and supporters on tour that they will meet very stiff opposition both in rugby and netball in the towns and cities they visit. Rugby and Netball are still the number one winter sports played by secondary school pupils in the South Island of New Zealand, therefore, the facilities and quality of opposition you find will be second to none.

A sporting tour such as this will be an experience of a lifetime for all involved. All the hard work and sacrifices made, make

I would also like to thank the New Zealand people (schools/clubs) who have volunteered to host this large party of English sports people. Modern busy life styles make for a general lack of time for leisure and recreation, your generosity is greatly appreciated.

Finishing the Tour in Fiji is a master stroke. Congratulations to the tour leader for planning that. All will return to England with a great sun tan in readiness for the long English summer.

Thank you for making the effort to ensure your visitors have the best of memories of New Zealand.

Good luck to all involved be it as a player, coach, supporter or host. Enjoy every minute of the experience.

Kia Kaha (Play hard)

I suppose I was one of the lucky ones!     I played rugby in the good old amateur days when you played hard on the field but also played hard off the field. In the days when we took our rugby seriously but also when there was such fun and enjoyment to be had from the game. At a time when rugby proved that it was the biggest free-mansonry in the world and touring was so memorable.

Memories of schoolboy tours with Neath Grammar School were limited to visits across the Severn Bridge, to Cowley Grammar School in Lancashire and Millfield School in Somerset. Don't schools visit far more exciting places nowadays!

Touring at Easter with my village rugby club, Briton Ferry RFC, during college holidays produced fond memories of

in the like

characters that are now scarce game. We visited exotic places Cleethorpes, Birkenhead and Teignmouth. 'Crackers', obviously a member of the front-row fraternity, would rarely be recognised because he would dress up as a Scotsman (kilt, sporan and all) or a Frenchman (beret, striped shirt and onions) or even wear a dog collar and pretend to be a vicar!

He would entertain the tour party, hosts and even baffled onlookers with strange antics! All in good humour, hurting no ones feelings but great entertainment. Reports in the local paper always stressed that we again returned unbeaten from England, whatever the results!

I was fortunate enough to play club rugby for London Welsh RFC who were far more adventurous with their tours. Short pre-season tours to Germany, Ireland and France were supposed to be more serious and prepare us for the demands of the season. They were also great social experiences where much `bonding' occurred! Three weeks in the Southern States of America, playing in New Orleans, Dallas, Houston and Miami, being hosted with such warmth by the families of American rugby players who could not do enough to make your stay enjoyable was unforgettable. Playing matches in temperatures nearing 100 degrees and 95% humidity were only slight discomforts to the pleasures of experiencing live jazz in Bourbon Street, New Orleans, or visiting the NASA Space Centre in Houston or riding Big Thunder Mountain in Florida's Disneyland with 25 adult rugby players, all wearing Mickey Mouse ears! The tour to Colorado was equally as memorable, as much for playing rugby at such exciting venues as Denver,Aspen and Boulder, as it was for rafting down the Colorado river and singing Welsh hymns at the top of the Rocky Mountains.

London Welsh's Centenary tour around the world will, however, take some beating. Hong Kong, Korea and California presented such different cultural experiences that simply visiting these countries was an education in itself.

The honour of being selected for representative teams like Middlesex County, Public School Wanderers, Crawshay's and the Barbarians also brought wonderful opportunities for touring. Indeed, the Middlesex Centenary tour to South Africa in 1979 was a wonderful experience.

Magnificent scenery, wild animals in their natural habitat and generous hospitality, along with some of the hardest rugby ever experienced.

I would put my experiences of touring with rugby teams as a vital part of my personal education and development. The challenge of sport, the camaraderie that it built amongst team mates, and the friendships forged with opponents, the cultures experienced, understood and respected, the generosity of hosts, the value of travel and the confidence gained, all contribute to being a better person. What a way to learn about life!

My advice, as you embark on your tour is to learn from the rugby that you will play and the teams that you will encounter, enjoy yourselves, be an ambassador for your school and return a better person as a result of the experience. Undoubtedly, you will have fond, ever-lasting memories.

Very best wishes for the tour, whatever the results on the field it will be a memorable experience for you all.

Good Luck.

"At district, regional and national level in recent years we have enjoyed relative success and are now looking forward to seeing if we have moved up in the world rankings."

It seems a short four years since we naively embarked on our first ever netball tour following several excursions to Europe with hockey teams. To say we were on steep learning might well be an understatement but the twelve girls who took on the Australian teams came back so much the richer for the experience that another tour seemed almost inevitable. This time we shall hopefully be better prepared, as we are under no illusions about the strength of New Zealand netball.

Three teams instead of one perhaps indicate the strength and interest in netball at our school at district, regional and national level in recent years we have enjoyed relative success

and are now looking forward to seeing if we have moved up in the world rankings. I am indebted to Pauline and Keith for the support they have given to the school netball over the years as coach and umpire. Not only do they work with a lot of the girls at club level, Grasshoppers, but they also find time to come and help at school.

Both on and off the court I know we will learn so much and make many friends. We have the enthusiasm, support and hopefully the skill to give your teams some good games of netball while enjoying the experience of a lifetime.

Corfe Hills School is a mixed comprehensive Upper School for 13-18 year old students. The school serves a number of communities lying between the pleasant market town of Wimborne, Dorset and the attractive seaside area of Poole. We have over 1600 students, with 460 in the sixth form and over 90% of our leavers proceed each year to higher or further education. We have been a Foundation school since 1997 and have had specialist school status as a Technology College since September 2001.

We have excellent specialist facilities for creative arts, science, design and technology, music and physical education. In addition we have a flourishing extra-curricular life in which music, drama and sport figure prominently. There is a wide participation in sports clubs and competitive teams and Corfe Hills pupils have represented their school in rugby, hockey, netball, cricket, football, athletics, golf, swimming, rowing and judo at County, Regional, National and even International level. In addition we have a thriving Duke of Edinburgh's Award programme.

An overseas tour plays a significant part in developing teams and individuals in the context of their sporting activity. In addition there are immeasurable benefits to be found in the new friendships, wider horizons and enriching insights into different societies and cultures which an overseas tour facilitates.

In 2001 our rugby and netball teams enjoyed a successful tour of South America taking in Chile, Argentina and Uruguay. The hospitality of the host schools, Craighouse and Redlands, together with Santiago's backdrop of the Andes made the stay in Chile an unforgettable one for both staff and students and the British School in the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo provided our teams with an excellent opportunity to compete against squads invariably coached by ex-international players or current international coaches. Experiences like these are priceless. Prior to that in 1999 our rugby and netball teams toured Australia, a visit which afforded them the opportunity to visit the Olympic Village in Sydney, Surfers Paradise in Brisbane and the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns. Our rugby team were proud to record a 100% winning record in Australia. During both tours a great many friendships were forged which endure to this day.

On behalf of all the staff, students and Governors of Corfe Hills School I would like to extend my very best wishes to our new hosts in New Zealand. We wish the students and staff a happy and successful tour. I know that they will bring warmest greetings and good wishes to all our new friends in New Zealand!

"Good luck to all of Corfe Hills school  who are taking part in the Netball tour to New Zealand & Fiji.  It is a great opportunity to realy learn and have fun at the same time, experiencing two such diverse countries in the name of sport.

Having played over in New Zealand myself, I can confirm that the standard of Netball is very high and the tour should be an amazing playing experience.  A chance such as this should be grabbed with both hands, held for a maximum of three seconds and either passed on or aimed at goal".

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and to everyone who made the Tour possible.

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