12/04/2010
SA Rugby Academy Trip to Canberra - Report
A bright and early 5:30 am start is what the 25 players selected from clubs around South Australia (Burnside, Brighton, N.E.D.S. Vikings and southern suburbs) for the 2010 academy developmental tour woke up too. After a flight that lasted just over an hour the team occupied the airports walkways while waiting for Robert Sadler and Carl Jones to collect the buses that would be the transport for the following days. After a short bus trip we all arrived at the AIS (Australian Institute of Sport) and assembled for a team meeting where we were briefed. In this time we also selected team leaders and defined what we look for in them. Game plans and plays were also discussed. After a light lunch for most of us we all got our gear on and headed over to the testing centre and some testing was conducted by AIS staff. We were all weighed and our heights were measured, followed up by 40m sprint, vertical leap and the yoyo testing. after all this excitement and competition the team had a 40 minute training session where we split into forwards and backs and practised our set plays. Our leadership team was also announced as Ethan Uili as captain, Adam Deck as vice, Ollie barker as lineout captain and Andrew Hamilton as scrum captain. After a well deserved dinner every one got an early night as another busy day lay ahead of us.
After an 8:00 am breakfast everyone loaded up onto the buses as we made our way to the brumbies headquarters and training ground for an elite training session from a couple of the brumbies academy coaches. This session was split into four different skills focussing on passing, tackling/tracking, breakdowns and then split into forwards and backs with forwards working on scrum technique and the backs looking at decision making and game plays. A quick pit stop back at the AIS for food and drink was followed by another bus ride back to the brumbies HQ with another training session taking place where we were put through some more dynamic drills with a main theme of decision making. We had a 30 minute team run after this as preparation for our game the following day. After dinner everyone settled down to watch the super 14’s game of bulls versus chiefs which was good for us to look at techniques that we had been taught that day and see how professionals executed them. Everyone drifted off to bed for another early night with a scent of anticipation in the air for the game in the morning.
After breakfast we all headed over to the AIS fields for an early morning captains run to really hone and complete our understanding of the game plan and to get us switched on and ready. With coaches words and advice then a few words from the captains it is safe to say that everyone was pumped and excited for the 1:00 pm kick off. A light lunch was eaten then the quietest bus boarding of the whole trip we made our way to play our game against Canberra Grammar school team. Michael Plunkett took the team warm up with some dynamic stretching and blood pumping exercises. The SA jerseys were handed out and Ethan revved us all up with some words of encouragement. With an explosive kick off the match started with our players showing Canberra what South Australia is made of. Many of the players were surprised with the talent that was shown by Canberra Grammar as most of their players were a lot smaller than ours. They certainly made up for this with their technique. With the score at 41-0 at the final whistle all our boys walked off the field with a beam on their faces. After a presentation to Canberra Grammars captain and coach it was off up to the brumbies hot and cold bath facilities which was a new experience for most of the players. This consisted of one warm bath and one freezing cold ice bath. This created many squeals from some of the less manly players and lots of laughs all round. That night we all got our SA gear on and headed up to Canberra stadium to watch the Brumbies V Cheetahs match. This was a fun night with some of the boys more interested with watching for girls than the actual match. With a late night of fun, games and pizza everyone had a good time.
Sunday morning everyone woke up relieved that all of our training and games were over for the tour with many sore muscles and aching joints. The AIS food hall was nearly eaten out of house and home after we had all left it that morning with everyone eating as much as they desired. A clean up of all the rooms and packing of bags was then carried out as everyone got ready to meet for the debrief at 10:00am. With lots of constructive conversation and critique about the weekend’s events and the whole academy experience we finished off with a kangaroo court where many laughs were to be had. With everything packed and ready to go we all had our last meal at the AIS and packed the busses to leave for the DFO for a bit of shopping and hanging out. We left DFO at 3:20 pm and made our way to Canberra airport with a detour through the city to have a look at Canberra. After we had all checked in we settled down for an hour wait to board our plane. We arrived in Adelaide at 7:15 with all the goodbyes and thank you said everyone left to go home for a good night’s sleep in their own beds. All in all the trip was a good success with everyone going home with a new outlook at the game of rugby and a realization of what the needed to do if they want to take it as far as they can.
By James Cahill
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