High School. It is worth pointing out the
squad were very fond of steak, and
especially the food chain Spur, and we
were fabulously hosted at the local
restaurant, again!
The match against Parel Vallei was a tight
affair in which King's had the upper hand
in all areas, Blaine Tottle scoring a
wonderful 40-metre effort after Ben
Shapland had opened up the defence in
midfield and offloaded smartly. With Parel
Vallei leading 6-5 in the dying seconds, we
were unable to find that final score to win
the game.
The squad spent the next few days
enjoying the sights and sounds of Cape
Town and the surrounding area; Table
Mountain, Cape Point, and the Victoria and
Alfred Waterfront. Highlights of the tour
were the opportunity to see Nelson
Mandela's prison cell and to have the
privilege of talking to an ex-inmate on
Robben Island, and having lunch at Sheila's
restaurant in the middle of the Langa
township. Some of the squad were also
lucky enough to bump into the Springboks'
Brian Habana whilst out shopping!
Our final game was against Bellville
Secondary School. This was a great
experience to be part of and we were
treated to a brilliant display of rugby, from
the opposition. Boasting no fewer than
five provincial players, the Bellville side put
a tired and battle-weary King's team to the
sword by 48-0. Some of the play was
stunning, and although King's did not play
badly the Bellville side were tremendous,
and once again the hospitality did not
disappoint after the match.
We concluded the tour with a visit to the
Goedgdacht Trust, a rural community
charity which provides a path out of
poverty for local children. Clearing reeds
and playing games with the local children
was an amazing way to give something
back to the country that had looked after
us so well.
A huge thank you to all the players, and
especially to Mr McKegney and
Mr Griffiths for their help and support in
making the tour one of the most
successful ever for a King's squad. Also
thanks to OA Ray Cheetham who provided
not only match shirts for the squad but an
Ambassador's Cup for the player who
contributed the most to the tour. This was
a hugely difficult choice as all the players
were great ambassadors for the school,
but eventually the entire squad decided
upon Ben Shapland, so well-deserved
congratulations go to him.
Aluredian 35