Friday – Arrival, Antics & Accidental Karaoke Stardom
Families arrived and settled into caravan life, pairing up with their “surrogate families” for the weekend. A few met earlier for food, but by 7:30pm we were all together—drinks in hand and ready to go.

The coaches laid down the “rules” (loosely speaking), introduced the weekend games, and unveiled the fine book. Everyone received a card—fail to produce it within 5 seconds when asked, and you’re in the book. Simple. Ruthless. Effective.

Then came the now-infamous Duck Quack game. Last one to the floor? Wig duty until the next quack. The speed (or lack of it…) from some of the lads suggests they quite enjoyed the fashion statement. Not naming names… George.

Special mention to our youngest, James, who was entrusted with Cyril the Squirrel for the entire weekend. A responsibility he took on with admirable commitment.

We then headed to the clubhouse… only to discover karaoke was in full swing. Naturally, chaos followed. Singing, laughter, and questionable performances from all involved. I may—or may not—have spoken to poor Helena for “10 minutes” (she claims it was closer to an hour).

We drifted back to the caravans around 11:30, full of laughter. Highlight of the night? A lady stopped me on the way to the toilet… I braced for the worst. Instead, she praised the boys for being so well behaved and bringing joy to the site. Proper proud moment. Credit to every single one of them—and to you as parents.

---

Saturday – Sand, Sun & “Not a Hangover”
An early start… especially for those of us who brought no provisions whatsoever and woke up with what I can only describe as a “mystery headache.” Later diagnosed as Arran’s Man Flu sweeping the site.

We rallied and headed to the beach for 10:30 with picnics in tow. Some quickly discovered that “sand” at a river estuary is actually… mud. Unlucky, Tom.

The coaches ran games, fitness drills, and a brilliant 30–45 minute touch rugby match on the sand. The boys threw themselves into everything—between attempts to dig to China, army crawling through bushes, and the occasional bit of sunbathing.

Parents got the chance to relax, chat, and educate the younger generation on cultural history—like explaining what Top of the Pops was. Helena also insisted we “finish our conversation” from the night before. Still ongoing, I believe.

Back to the site for a 4pm swim—and the boys absolutely took over the pool. Pure joy, noise, and togetherness. Exactly what it’s all about.

Evening plans took us to the pub for tea (or “dinner” for those down south), before returning for Rock Star fancy dress and another trip to the clubhouse.

We had:

- Axl Rose
- Ozzy Osbourne
- Freddie Mercury (x2… possibly 1 Freddie, 1 Amy Winehouse)
- And a few outfits that raised eyebrows—particularly the one sourced from an “adult dress-up box”…

We had our own space for team talks, more games, a few fines handed out, and—sensibly—an earlier night.

---

Sunday – Game Day
We arrived at Wellington Rugby Club around 9:30… after parking what felt like 20 miles away. Carrying balls and full water bottles builds character. Thanks, Coach Matt, for insisting we all share that character-building moment.

Game 1 vs Wellington
A dominant performance from the lads, winning 8–1. A special shoutout to Elliott, bagging a hat-trick on his first tour—brilliant effort.

Game 2 vs Wallingford
A completely different challenge. Fast, physical, and sharp. We found ourselves 3–1 down, but the response from the boys was outstanding. Encouragement from the sidelines, belief on the pitch—and suddenly we were 5–4 up.

Unfortunately, Wallingford scored with the last play to level it.

Final Game – Decider
Wallingford needed 9 tries to take the trophy. They managed 10–1 and lifted the cup.

But here’s what matters:

- We played for each other,
- We showed resilience, grit, and character,
- We went unbeaten,

The boys were understandably gutted—and that’s natural. But I hope, in time, they see what we all saw: a team that never gave up, never dropped their heads, and did themselves proud.

Also worth noting—the number of Camberley players and parents cheering on Wellington in the final… didn’t see that coming!

---

Final Thoughts
This weekend wasn’t about trophies.

It was about laughter.
It was about friendships.
It was about moments these boys will carry with them for years.

We are incredibly lucky to have such a brilliant group of lads—and that’s down to you as parents, and the coaches who give their time so freely.

Core memories were made this weekend. No doubt about it.

And finally… my personal highlight (aside from everything above):
Wendy—aka Freddie Mercury—waving her card proudly out of Alice’s car window… only to watch it float gracefully away down the M5.

See a few pictures from the tour here https://www.pitchero.com/admin/club/2150/site-content/photos/view?album_id=1171508 and video of the boys receiving their medals https://www.pitchero.com/admin/club/2150/site-content/videos/view?video_id=219152

Poetry in motion.

Thanks all—what a tour ❤️