What an excellent week for the Scotland rugby team of training,culture and tropical storms ultimately culminating in a rousing 37-25 victory over the 'Flying Fijians' in which the much vaunted home side were outscored 4 tries to 3.
Having endured 3 days of torrential rains a match played under blue cloudless skies in almost 30 degrees tested the players' fitness, strength+endurance as well as the management in establishing cool dressing-room facilities & a keen pitchside cooling+drying strategy involving iced towels,dry towels+regular fluid replenishment.
The match ended in scenes of glorious sportsmanship on the field with shirt swapping & the entire playing group gathering in a circle to give thanks & praise one another. It was refreshing to witness+the entire atmosphere was convivial & at no stage hostile despite the home fans enthusiastically willing their team to succeed.
The entire Fijian week was humbling & joyfull: the pleasures expressed by the local villagers at Nawaka-so recently distraught by floods- on our squad visit; the appreciation of rugby strips donated to teams to kit out two full teams; the bouyant atmosphere leading up to this Test Match (first by a Tier One rugby nation since 2006 when Italy visited) & finally the overwhelming warmth after the match shown to the players of both teams: these are memories that will live long in this squad's minds.
Yet the support for sport in these islands is weak: modern facilities for training, strengthening & conditioning largely absent in the west of Fiji as far as we witnessed. More support for the natural flair & excitement for the game here is needed: we saw plenty of rugby being played in the villages on fields, & empty spaces as well as pitches. The lack of incoming tours by the leading nations quite appalling-why no visits & tests by England,Ireland,France,South Africa & perhaps most pertinently of all Australia & New Zealand?
Having endured 3 days of torrential rains a match played under blue cloudless skies in almost 30 degrees tested the players' fitness, strength+endurance as well as the management in establishing cool dressing-room facilities & a keen pitchside cooling+drying strategy involving iced towels,dry towels+regular fluid replenishment.
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| International School, Nadi where Scotland trained |
The entire Fijian week was humbling & joyfull: the pleasures expressed by the local villagers at Nawaka-so recently distraught by floods- on our squad visit; the appreciation of rugby strips donated to teams to kit out two full teams; the bouyant atmosphere leading up to this Test Match (first by a Tier One rugby nation since 2006 when Italy visited) & finally the overwhelming warmth after the match shown to the players of both teams: these are memories that will live long in this squad's minds.
Yet the support for sport in these islands is weak: modern facilities for training, strengthening & conditioning largely absent in the west of Fiji as far as we witnessed. More support for the natural flair & excitement for the game here is needed: we saw plenty of rugby being played in the villages on fields, & empty spaces as well as pitches. The lack of incoming tours by the leading nations quite appalling-why no visits & tests by England,Ireland,France,South Africa & perhaps most pertinently of all Australia & New Zealand?
Taking Rugby Holidays are really nice. The game is really exciting and the tour is so awesome.
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