The Nite
It was an exceptional nite. Call me sentimental, soft in the head but it was a great night. Here are some more shots of what went on.
posted by Burra U14s Fiji Tour 2005 @ 9:13 PM
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Burra U14s Fiji Tour 2005
Welcome to the official Weblog of the 2005 Under 14 Burraneer Rugby Club Tour of Fiji. This site will keep you posted on events leading up to our departure and of the goings on during our stay in Fiji. Everyone will have the opportunity to have their say on this site, even the Mums left at home.
Sunday, May 28, 2006
It was an exceptional nite. Call me sentimental, soft in the head but it was a great night. Here are some more shots of what went on.
The Presentations
The presos. The Mums who got us there, the Entourage who kept it together.
The most important the players
posted by Burra U14s Fiji Tour 2005 @ 4:38 PM
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The Last Cuvu Cuvu
Six months after the end of the tour we final had closure on a very memorable adventure. Last night we had a holiday pics and video showing at burra club. Nibblies, pizzas, chicken wings and garlic bread and don't forget the alcohol (which was responsibly served). We even had our own Karva ceremony to celebrate the joining of the two tribes of those who went and those that stayed home.
It was a great night and we missed catching up with Aaron (who recieved the award for highest points scored) Nick and Keith R and Christian.
Marcus C received the players player of the tour. This award was voted by the boys and was well earnt by Marcus. To share the night some more with you here are some photos from the night.
posted by Burra U14s Fiji Tour 2005 @ 4:02 PM
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Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Monday, October 03, 2005
A Dad's Perspective - Our last Day
Hi its Ivan, well sorry guys that we have not posted previously but internet access where we stayed was impossible, it would be an understatement to say that these last 3 days the team spent in the village under the care and hospitality of the Fijians will remain an unforgettable memory for the kids as for the fathers.
The 3rd game played against the school team of Cuvo was a great game with our boys getting away with 3 tries in the first half, one scored by Aaron by a great break from the back, one from Lefty who still thinks he is a back sprinting out to the corner and John Morely with Patrick converting 2 goals. The second half the heat set in together with a sense of complaceny saw the opposition score enough points to overwhelm us in a close game 25 to 19.
The loss whilst never welcome, was well accepted after seeing the joy on the opposition faces. ( Not to mention the avoidance of a major international incident).
This was followed buy another Kava ceremony which we participated in due to our diplomatic sensitivities to our cultural hosts. These Kava drinking ceremonies often seemed to end up with the dads trying to get numbed out so that they could put up with each others snoring in the communal bure, interdispersed with the kids chemical and biological warfare during the night , with no gas masks dropping from the thatched ceiling.
We were extremely well fed and the sight of the kids eating mashed potatoes, other non recognisable vegetables and coleslaw with their fingers sitting on woven mats was a sight to be seen.
The great work done by the parents and organisers of all the kids to get them there, and sadly those who were left behind, will never be forgotten or underestimated, as it as an experience the boys will treasure for all of their lives.
The mothers should be happy that the village was declared a non alchohol zone for the Sat and Sun by the Methodist preachers, which saw the dads placed in a precarious position with the only alternative being the Fijian Kava drink which is the most amazing sight when they mix it up and strain the tree roots through a footy sock causing a mud like substance to wash through their fingers only to be picked or scooped up with a coconut cup/shell.
Rijnard was quick to pick up that the cups came in two sizes one with a nipple and one without. The nipple cup was the bigger one, and the non nipple one the smaller one. Due to the taste of this mud like substance and the look of the Fijians faces as they seemed to force it down, coincided with our requests for the nippled cup to only be filled to low tide height. Ie only half full.
On the last night in the village with the last problematic Kava drinkers not wishing to offend the hosts, Steve Morely, David Coles , Rijhard and myself were slow to evacuate as the other fathers slowly left under various excuses like checking up on the kids and the NRL, Steve Morely made the fatal mistake of asking to be excused during the middle of a bowl being made up.
Well the complications of what was becoming an incident parallel to the Cuban Missile Crises was only avoided by Steve realising that peace could only be achieved if he sat back down.
He did that and whilst we were hoping that all the shops that sold the stuff were now closed in the village, and as we finished what we thought was the last bowl, Ace the Hulk Hogan look alike giant Fijian Warrior informed us that for him Kava was available 24 hours 7 Days a week in the village.
The look of horror on our faces must have made our hosts feel sorry for us as two more bowls later we were dismissed.
Back to the kids, just as well we were not doing an under 16's tour as the 14's found a cheer squad amongst the other dwellers of the Fijian resort who became water carriers during the game.
Mush to the disspointment of the backs who believed they were the chick magnets, the girls kept carrying the water bottles on and giving copious quantities to the forward pack.
With the cheer squad in skimpy tops on the sideline our boys played the best half of Rugby we as fathers have ever seen, but the Fijians were too fast and capitalised on the errors of our boys during basic ball handling as they must have had their minds focused in other areas.
The last day of the tour saw the team head off via flat bed truck to a water fall, which to the fathers delight could only be entered after another Kava ceremony.The Boys saw the participation in the Kava ceremony as a passage to manhood, equal to that of the American indians, ie a Man called Horse for those movie buffs.
We then returned to the village and had a magnicifent send off with singing and a BBQ on the beach. This same beach the day before had been used as a test launching pad for John Morely who thought it would be funny to climb a coconut tree which had half fallen over and was hanging preciously 5 -6 metres from the beach.
With the other kids climbing up tree the tree got closer to the ground and the other kids pulled on the branches. then to Johns total surprise the Fijian kids jumped off at the same time as the local kids let the branches go, and behold the human catapult.
We as fathers were relieved to see Steve Morely arrive in time for responsiblity to pass to same, .
We are now at the hotel outside the airport in Nadi Toka Toka and relaxing with a number of beers.
Much thanks and recognition should go to Denis Burns whose vision and determination saw this trip become a reality. His cultural awareness did not go unrecognised by the locals, and his methodic application together with the parents and kids who were here and those who stayed behind together will all those who supported the fund raising and organisation of this tour in any shape or form will never be forgotten.
The benchmark has been set, friends have been made and we hope that we will not be the last Burra team to visit this special and unique Rugby Paradise.
posted by Burra U14s Fiji Tour 2005 @ 4:05 PM
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Friday, September 30, 2005
Sorry we have not posted earlier
We have been really busy. We arrived late on Wednesday and as usual not everything was ready and it was raining. While the boys had a game of touch in the rain other dad's who did not play washed clothes or sorted out their rooms. The news came that we were to play our next game at 3.00 pm on Thursday and the boys were not happy. They were tired and cranky and wanted to chill out. The Fijian is very big and easy to lose 17 boys and 10 dads. So it was off to dinner and then bed. Thursday was wet and muddy under foort the boys had a swim and played water volley ball. then at 2.00 pm it was off to the ground in the wet. The game was a hard struggle and very muddy. All the boys were sluggish in the first half and switched on in the second. Our hosts scored first and the boys thought here we go again. After a few runs and testing their opposition our boys scored and this lifted them. Final score 10 all. Rijnard and Dom are still maintaining a good average for their first international Rugby tour. After the game we went to the school for thank yous and presentations of boot bags. Aaron scored both our tries. That make Marus and Aaron 10 points each so far. We have another game tomorow with the same team and then we check out and go to the village. In the afternoon we are off to Sigatoka for a Rugby match. Lead off game is the Fiji women's against Far North Queensland womens team .... should be interesting. We now will be off the air for two nights as I'm not sure if I can get hold of a computer in the village. I will report at Nadi the night before we leave and bring you up to date. Everyone is fine but a little tired and hope that we can slow down a bit. Sunday will be Church and a trip to a waterfall and Monday is BBQ on the beach and the party will separate.
The time is going quickly and we wait with baited breath as to what the village has install for us. It will be a bit of a shock after the luxury of the fijian.
The shirt of shame has not had an owner for 48 hours so everyone is behaving.
Talk soon, Chris B.
posted by Burra U14s Fiji Tour 2005 @ 2:17 PM
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Wednesday, September 28, 2005
First International Game
This is James. Yesterday was the first of our two games, played against the kids on Mololo Island. The group went over on a boat, and had to jump out into the water. The day started with a Kava ceremony with the village Elders. Reynard, Colsey and Dennis had the honour of recieving it the proper way. afterwards we were entertained by dancing from the school children. Still, we hadnt met the other team and had no idea about their size or skill. soon after, we ran on and met the opposition. they were mainly small but they were lightning fast and had great ball skills. we kicked off with the ball going out on the full and were set for a scrum, but just as we were on the back foot, we won the scrum and started off a great set of plays. the backs ran well and made great tackles in defence and the forwards dominated in the rucks and mauls, but soon afterwards we started to feel the intense heat. we got a quick try early on, scored in the corner by Marcus but missed the conversion. the crowd erupted, most of the loudest cheerers were the Fijians. the field was bumpy and had bindis everywere but te hard hits were still made and another try came our way, scored our Kiwi recruit Tomas. The conversion was missed, but we were definately ahead. after half time, we were pooped. Lefty had already spewed up and lots were ready to finish, but we pushed on. the Fiji side scored a great try by their swift flyhalf and the game was close again. Marcus scored one more, which put us ahead, and finally, the bell rang! we had won our game and the crowd once again went wild. final score was 15-5.
presents were given out afterwards, and just as we were wrapping up, Chris Butler decided he'd get a photo or two so climbed up on a chair..... and fell straight through it! an international incident. a very rough trip home, dads thinking they'd push the kids out of the zippy boat so they got home first and ended up breaking down twice and getting soaked.
we celebrated all night!
posted by Burra U14s Fiji Tour 2005 @ 9:17 AM
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Monday, September 26, 2005
Second Day at Plantation
This is Luke,
This morning we woke up at around 7am and got ready to go to breakfast at 7:30. After breakfast we had a team meeting and a very prestigious award was given out. It is known as the shirt of shame. I t was awarded to Aarn Doldan for leaving his passport at the airport, leaving the wind surf in the middle of the ocean and most importantly being rejected by not 1, but 9 girls. After that chapter of the trip we went back and got our gear ready to go snorkling. We hired our snorkles and jumped on the boat and headed fr the reef. Once we got into the water we explored the different types of corals and fishes. Some of us stayed near the boat while others went exploring deep into and past the dropoffs. We arrived back and swam in the chyrstal clear waters of Fiji. Most of us went to the poontoon and jumped off doing whatever silly stunts we could think of. While we were doing that little did we know that both Steve's went out to the the shop and prepared our lunches. After lunch we started to prepare one of the hardest training session of lives. First we went for our runs and then we split out into our fowards and backs. The heat was really getting to us, especially the fowards. After our drinks break we had a team run agaisnt the enemy, otherwise known as the dads. We arrived back and relaxed. Big game tomorrow and a lot of local interest. The town in a buzz.
Untill tomorrow.
posted by Burra U14s Fiji Tour 2005 @ 3:48 PM
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Sunday, September 25, 2005
Plantation Island Resort
Ni Sa Bula!
We are now at Plantation. Are we really here to play Rugby?
We arrived just on lunch time and got into our rooms around 1.30. Two minutes later the boys were in the water on canoos and windsurfers. The dummy spit award has been out and about with Luke and Marcus wearing it. Shirt of shame for tomorrow seems to be an easy one. Aaron left his bag and passport unattended at Nadi airport, then he took out a windsurfer and got stuck when Seb went out to help he gave the surfer to Seb and paddled off. Seb got stuck and resued by Steve B who spent the next 3 hours trying to get back. Finally helped by Dom and a whle heap of the other boys.
Off snorkling tomorrow and wil report on that. Disco tonight, hope the boys are allowed in?????
Big Butta
PS thanks for your comments on the last post. We have made quite a plash over here with the uniforms with many people stopping and asking what we were .... us dads did tell the truth.
posted by Burra U14s Fiji Tour 2005 @ 2:07 PM
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