TREVISO TOUR 2012 REVIEW
View Treviso Tour 2012 slide show, access photo share sites and read tour review here.
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The Treviso Tour 2012 took place over the second weekend in May and proved to be another hugely enjoyable and successful overseas Rugby Tour for the Club.
On this occasion the official touring party, consisting of 45 sub-8/10/12 players and 11 coaches, was joined by 30 parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, to ensure that Lisbon Airport was awash with a sea of red and blue – the colours of the tour polos and fleeces generously provided by our Tour kit sponsor, Médis.
This determined band of Rugby tourists was not to be outdone by the air traffic controllers, whose industrial action delayed departure by nearly three hours. Indeed there were rumours that the strikers were forced back into their control towers by their ground colleagues who were intimidated by such a large, disciplined and yet vociferous group of young Rugby players.
The delay robbed many of us the opportunity to visit Venice during the afternoon, although some intrepid parents did drag their children away to the City of Canals, whilst the rest of us offloaded at the hotel and wandered round to inspect Benneton Treviso’s ground where the 21st Trofeo Topolino would take place over the following two days.
A wholesome dinner, including limitless supplies of a delicious lasagne starter that would have satisfied Garfield, set the boys and girl up for a much needed night’s sleep.
The next day dawned very hot, sunny and humid and, when the sub-8s and sub-10s suffered a couple of early losses in their groups and were distinctly under the cosh, there were fears that it would all prove too much for some players and parents alike. Our Italian hosts had made us feel very welcome but also distinctly edgy, as it was clear that this was going to be no ordinary Rugby convívio. 80 mostly Italian teams had come to compete for the trophy in each of the age-groups and they clearly meant business. Some of them had obviously been beefing up for the occasion and there was a great deal of passion on display from the 5,000 players and their travelling fans.
Under such circumstances, the sub-8 and sub-10 coaches had their work cut out to keep players’ heads up, but a restorative luncheon and a couple of wins under their belts allowed both sides to begin to play some very competitive and often joyous Rugby. It was especially heartening to see the sub-8s, all of whom bar Cornelius Rous were touring for the first time, grow strong through adversity and begin to perform at a level that they had previously not imagined themselves capable of attaining. The sub-10s, similarly, had been drawn in a tough group and needed reminding of the importance of the basics of backs to the wall defence. In the afternoon, though, they too put together some thrilling Rugby and quietened some of the home support.
There were no such difficulties for the sub-12s at any stage of the weekend. Many of their number were on their second Treviso Tour and they had been winning games all season against strong opponents, just for fun. They stormed through their group with four wins out of four and so joined the big boys for the afternoon games, only narrowly losing to Petrarca, the eventual winners, and the 5th placed team. They maintained their form into the Sunday morning to register a highly creditable top ten finish.
All teams performed well on the chillier, greyer Sunday, which included a particularly memorable sub-10 comeback win from three tries to nil down. Although exhausted by their exertions, many still had the energy and enthusiasm for some post-tournament friendlies, including one sub-8/10 mixed game that took place after a stirring rendition of the Italian national anthem.
The Treviso Tour proved once again that Italy is a wonderful country to go to play Rugby in and that touring with players of the younger age-groups, though providing its own unique challenges, is a thoroughly rewarding experience for all concerned.
Many thanks especially to Samy Djavidnia for his part in the organisation of the tour and for his cool head under pressure, and for all the others who contributed to the success of the tour in a variety of ways, from our wonderful young Rugby players who never gave up and who grew several centimetres over one weekend, to our incredible coaches for their constant support and professionalism, to parents who either gave up the chance to visit Venice for a trip to buy gazebos in Carrefour, or helped shower 45 boys and one girl in less than an hour, or cheered on the players through thick and thin, or simply entrusted us with their children for a weekend of fun playing Rugby in Treviso.
Simon Mount
To view Treviso Tour 2012 Slide Show click here:
To view the Sky Sports Italia Trofeo Topolino Report click here:
View Peter Fay's sub-12 Treviso Tour photos here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/peter112/sets/72157629774220530/
View Monica Wiessing's Treviso Tour sub-8 photos here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/lucas.en.monica/RugbyTreviso2012?authkey=Gv1sRgCMiKpoK9p-ywJA
View Elodie Mosby's Treviso Tour sub-8 photos here:
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