Day 13 (18 Apr 10) - Ceri Cummings
Groundhog day and a morning off as a larger than usual grouped headed off to church to ask for some help from up above. A near perfect team run was a reward from the efforts of the boys as the boys geared up for Wednesday's RAF match. We returned to the hotel for dinner before taking in a picture at Marty Carrahar's 'Odeon Night'. Ice creams,popcorn and coke was served by the medical staff (they have their uses) as the boys watched some spoof cinema adverts and a few episodes of 'The In Betweeners'. The news on TV seems to be more positive and we look forward to what should be a final team run before the RAF match.
CC
Extract from the News 18 Apr 10
Magnus Tumi Gudmundsson of the University
of Iceland says winds have cleared  visibility
for scientists and Saturday [17 Apr 10] will be the
first day they can fly above the volcano to assess the
activity. Once scientists determine how much ice has
melted, it will be easier to say how long the eruption
could last. An ash plume that has disrupted air travel
across Europe has been caused by hot magma being cooled
quickly by the melting ice cap. There have
been no flights in or out of the UK since Thursday 15th
April 2010.
Andy Price reports - Due to the Iceland Volcano, the
Army Team's return from their Cape Town Training Camp
is delayed, but training continues. There is no let
up!!! |
 The coach getting involved with the warm up - Jo Kava doing the hard work!! |
 Team Manager Ian Wilkins and The Chairman (General Kirkland) watch training |
 Full on..... the only way to train!!! |
Day 12 (17 Apr 10) - Ben Hughes
The squad's mind's are firmly focussed on the upcoming RAF game and today's team run was on the money. The team remain glued to the TV in the hope of some good news. The gloom was lifted at the team dinner as Chris Scarf declared that when leaving the hotel that he was struck by a prawn party ring and a frozen black forest gâteaux. He then said that it was just the fall out from Iceland. Luckily Kerry Katona didn't land on him!!!
The team CONPLAN group led by Wilkie and Andy Price have set up an Ops room to deal with the various different plans that the team have been coming up with to get us home. Dismissed out of hand was Chris's Fowke's idea of getting the Corps of Engineers Hot Air Balloon sent down (would it take off with Wilkie and Pricey in it?). Another idea from Marty Carrahar involving C130s and parachutes received equally short shrift! Needless to say the room service team have kept the brain's trust fueled up with a queue of waiters delivering burgers and chips to 'Ops Room'.
On a serious note most of the guys thoughts are with their loved ones and the boys are desperate to get home.
Big Ben
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Day 11 (16 Apr 10) - Thomas Hughes (An Officer and a Gentlemen)
The overnight news from the aviation industry has put
a dampener on the team's morale but the coaching team
provided a real focus and the team continued training
with a very effective team run. The team manager then
arranged a coach trip to the southern most tip of Africa
to Cape of Good Hope. A fantastic photograph opportunity
and the chance for the Northern chappie Sean Fanning
to climb the high southernly point on the continent.
I followed suit and perambulated up the said mountain
only to find the team manager egging on the coach driver
to get the coach to pull away every time I came close
to the vehcile (I though it was DEs who were childish
Wilkie!) [Editor's Note: Childish Tom it
may have been but very amusing nonetheless].
We then followed the coastal route and went onto to
take a late lunch in the old Royal Navy town of Simon's
Town. After watching Apo Satala clear the Indian Ocean
of all of it's crustaceans we drove back to the hotel
for some time off.
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Day 10 (15 Apr 10) - Melvyn Lewis
Back to the grindstone today as the team when through
3 hard sessions with points from the previous match.
The players responded and the two northern gentlemen
nodded contently as the session came to an end. A pensive
looking team returned to the hotel in preparation for
the evening's 'Kangaroo Court' where Ben Hughes QC was
presiding. A busman's holiday for Mark Lee as he prosecuted
the guilty buggers and the defence of those who deserved
it was carried out by a studious looking Ricky Reeves
(for all the Sappers reading this, he was wearing his
glasses). The dealings of the court are secret but needless
to say Chris Brown was punished for his poor performance
whilst flying over to South Africa and Head Coach Andy
Price was punished for his mistreatment of the players
over the season. A fantastic night of self-made entertainment
that went a long way to putting the news of the Volcano
and flight delays to the back of people's minds.
Melv
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Day 9 (14 Apr 10) - Ian Martin
A 0900hrs dip in a freezing pool apparently aids recovery? Chris Williams put the bruised Army squad through their paces before we conducted more recovery and med checks. The team moved on to WPCC to hear the annoucement of the RAF 22 man squad and we were joined by the team sponsors and their sporting envoy Matt Dawson of Strictly Come Dancing and Question of Sport fame (Pricey said that he played a bit of rugby for some team across the Severn?). With the team annouced the players went onto continue recovery training with the med staff and the three scrum halves were treated to a coaching master class by Matt Dawson.
Ian Martin passes under close scrunity from Matt Dawson Despite the presence of a World Cup Winner and the annoucement of the RAF 22 the most sort after news was that of who would play Andy Price's all conquering staff touch team. The result was never in doubt as the assorted members of staff including Marty 'The Gas' Carrahar and 'Twinkle Toes' Price destroyed the multi capped players outfit. Worthy of note was the fantastic Serevi side stepping of Ceri Cummings by Pricey and his burst along for the winning try. (Written with tongue firmly in cheek). Well done the staff..you still have it!
Regards Guns
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14 Apr 10 - Matt Dawson visits...A Question
of Sport -Andy Price
After a comprehensive win at DB RFC (24-0) last night.
Todays sessions were recovery and specific skills.
As is customary on our SA Training Camp, our generous
sponsors Sodexo come and visit. Ex England and British
Lions Scrum Half Matt Dawson works for Sodexo and kindly
offered his services to do a skills session our 3 scrum
halves.
The session was testing and educational......... even
Matt learned a thing or two!!!
|
 Matt Dawson - kitted up in army stash at WPCC |
 The Boys having a brief on the session to come
|
 Matt Dawson coaching the Army Rugby Squad |
Matt Dawson briefs the boys
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Day 5 (9 Apr 10) - Kenny Dowding
The alarm clocks went off early as a tired but victorious team made their way
through almost torrential rain to the swimming pool
for the post match recovery. A smiling medical team
were pleased to see that their workload would be light
as despite a hugely physical match the whole team was
in good shape.
The pool session was extremely amusing as much for the cold water and the Fijian screams as the sight of 27 players trying to fit one tiny indoor pool. Matt Dwyer was the centre of attention for a short period as he lay stretching at poolside and was accosted as some passing Greenpeace members who attempted to push him back in the water!!
A day off from rugby at last saw the majority of the
players and staff make their way to the Waterfront Shopping
Mall for some retail therapy. To any loved ones reading
there can be no excuse for not receiving a gift upon
the teams return!
Ta Ta for now Kenny!
Read Hamilton match report - 8 Apr 10
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Day 3 (6 Apr 10) - Charl Coetzer
Today's training saw us breakdown into smaller groups and units and get some specialists one on one training with the various coaches. Being a South African my rugby memories are full of coaching sessions on hard ground in the blazing sun and the ease of delivery for the coaches in this weather as opposed to the rain of Queens' Ave is plain to see. We had 3 great sessions today and you can feel the team beginning to grow.
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 The Brains Trust - L to R (Dai Williams, Dr Rhodri Phillip, Andy Price & Chris Brown
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 Joe Kava having a massage after training |
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We are all waiting to hear the selection for the first game against Hamiltons RFC. I was really excited when I heard that we would be playing 'Hammies' as they are current the Western Cape Super League title holders as well as being the winners of the National Club knock out cup. This will be a huge challenge and one that the boys are up for!
Sean Fanning - The English Tourist!! |
Line out practice in final team run |
Chris Brown having a well earned tea break during training at WPCC |
The coaches and staff have been fantastic and there is a positive vibe throughout the party. My only worry is for the Team Manager who thinks that the Castle brewery are going to run out of beer! Wilkie fear not as the Castle Brewers have announced they are brewing an extra 1 million pints for this years FIFA World cup so there should be plenty for you and Col Sterne!
Regards
Charl
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Day 2 by Matthew Dwyer
It looked like a plague of locusts had descended on the breakfast room after the team had feasted on this morning's fare. I was pleased to see that the Head Coach Andy Price was taking the conditioners advice and ensured he was fully fuelled up for the day!
The training at WPCC was fast and well executed. The coaches seemed pleased with our efforts and the boys knew that they had been in a session. The medical staff were called upon to stitch up hooker Sly Silvester's extremely impressive right ear after the session and the team manager has been dispatched to get some more fake tan for the team's 'Tom Jones' lookalike Gavin Ferguson who had been run so hard that his tan was dripping!
The afternoon session was again a success and some of the big forwards like Ben Hughes and Darrell Ball showed good ball retention skills in a hot sweaty session. All Bally needs to do now is practice his passport retention skills (what goes on tour stays on tour etc)! Also worthy of a mention is Chris Scarf who has a head as red as our shirts. At least we are not going to lose him at night the way that he is glowing!
First days training
 On field briefing from Sean Fanning
|
 Darrell Ball reaching great heights
Mark Lee & Joe Kava in a race |
 Charl Coetzer enjoying being on home soil |
The
team conducted a near perfect team run today and returned
to the hotel in good spirits to await news on the return
flights promised by the airline. A small team led by
WOII Barney Burnard lent technical support to Chinthurst
Prep School from Surrey who are also touring the Cape.
The majority of the team then lent vocal support to
the U13s as they battled Western Cape Prep School. In
a hugely entertaining game the Chinthurst boys came
up short by 5 tries to 2 but still had enough energy
to lay down a challenge to the watching Army squad.
that
I was able to lead a group from the squad on board HMS
Sceptre for a quick tour. Why someone would
chose to live in such cramped conditions is beyond me
but it was very kind of the Royal Navy to host us and
we will remain grateful until 1500hrs on the 1st May!
