Quote In the third and final part of our exlcusive 'behind the scenes' tour diary from the Academy's recent trip Down Under, we find out about an 8km walk in the bush, a shopping excursion and how the Robins' youngsters got to meet up with the current NRL Premiers!
Day 13 - Back in to it!
After breakfast the boys were in the gym for a weights and conditioning session, a really tough gig, but one thing is for sure: to a man they put the effort in once again. This group of people are getting closer and closer together, they are also improving as people individually and this will hold us in good stead for the forthcoming season.
This afternoon we have a team building exercise taking place, with a 8km walk through bush with the boys. We are sure to see sights, creatures etc to test the boys' nerve. Haha!
Day 14 - Let's run them hills!
Breakfast at 7:30am again, the boys fuel up for a tough day in the gym, up the hills, and on the field today. The hard work began in the gym with all boys pushing themselves hard. It was then onto the hill runs - 100m, 150m and 200m circuits.
The boys then took lunch and rested up till evening, when the coaching staff went through a skill session and team work. The heat and the flies made conditions very difficult, but to their credit the boys once again gave it their all.
Day 15 - Manly's Big Day
Today was a day to reward the boys. The day started in the gym where the boys knocked off their weights programme and followed that with a skills session on the field. Manly 1st grade then invited us over for a chance to grab that special photograph. This was extra special as the Manly boys just mingled with our boys and generally chatted, signed shirts and took pictures. The special picture came when both sets of players got together for a group photo.
We move on tomorrow to our third accommodation of the tour, ‘Elanora Heights', but not before we get a chance to run against Manly Academy in a contact game to finish our stay at the Sydney Academy of Sport. Another successful performance by the boys sees the beat Manly by 3 tries to 2.
That concludes the rugby for the tour, with 2 semi-contact and 2 full-contact games resulting in 3 victories for the boys and one defeat. The defeat coming in the game against West Tigers Reserve Grade, and the victories coming in the full contact game against Western Suburbs and the semi-contact games against Balmain Tigers and Manly Academies.
Day 16 - Elanora Heights Delights
Our third accommodation move and it was back to the bush - in fact, even deeper in than before! The rooms were 4 bunk beds to a room 8 x 6ft - a real tough challenge for boys aged 18-20! The tour has had some real tough challenges for the group, but this was one of our tougher tests.
With no facilities on site, the staff agreed that two days of ‘r and r' for the boys was the best call. That meant some of the boys could get last minute gifts for their loved ones and a last glimpse of the sights of Sydney and Manly.
Day 17 and Day 18 - ‘R and R'
The boys took some well deserved time out from the hard work of the tour.
Day 19 - Homeward Bound
The boys begin their trip back home to freezing England from a wet and sodden Australia. A successful tour was had by all and it's a trip that must - in the opinion of the staff - be repeated in the future to assist in the development of the future stars of Hull Kingston Rovers.
The networking the staff of the club have done with NRL clubs over here can only portray the image of the club in a positive and good light on the other side of the world!
Well done to everyone at the club for making the tour happen, because the hard work has certainly paid off in the staff's opinion.'"
