Steve Jones' Tour Epitaph

This is not meant to prevent anyone else submitting material to the tour website but it’s a final summary from me about the Tour of a Lifetime, incorporating the conclusions of the lads and management and coaches and also in the wake of a torrent of lovely letters, texts, e-mails calls and personal visits (from Mandy, now that is a treat) which we have all received.

The best part for me is that the vision we laid down for the tour was fulfilled in every detail. It was never intended to be a social for everyone, it was a rugby tour, and we gave the lads the idea of what a big tour is like – huge ups and downs, alien conditions, having to adapt to climate and 101 other strange circumstances; being focused for matches and team meetings, injury management, looking after yourself in body and spirit, and pulling together till the bond is unbreakable. It was also meant to be a fantastic experience.

The fixtures worked out brilliantly – a mixture of ferocious rugby and the odd easier game, though even the games we won big were always hard going. Toronto is not a lovely city, but we grew to like it and it was the perfect touring base.

The coaching opportunities were grasped with both hands by Ed and the coaches. It was quality coaching time. The coaches took it very seriously, and we have started to push back the boundaries. Richard C worked hard with the forwards; Roger is always a source of wisdom and insight on or off the field

Ralph, it’s been said so many times, is a man with a real future in the sport. I treasure the memories of being in the team room early every day as he administered to the injured. The lads, genuinely, love him. I trusted his judgement on each injury call he made and he was never wrong. A diamond.

Dil’s generosity was staggering. He presented the jerseys before the final game and the heartfelt handshakes from the players were testimony. Big Pat presented the jerseys before the Oakville game; Paul presented them before the opener against Brampton. This was fitting since the team he started all those years ago was thriving and about to play its first game out of Europe.

Richard Hodgson held the whole thing together as tour manager. He was remarkably good. He richly deserved, and enjoyed, the three fervent "Heils" he received from the lads. No-one contributed more to the tour running so smoothly. To see him in action was a wonder.

Mark Johnson’s control of the finances was exemplary. And time-consuming. On the last day, we were thrilled to tell the lads that they were getting $100 each, not just the normal meal allowance of $12

The efforts of Richard R and Paul on the website were wonderful. We started getting feedback as soon as the first news appeared and they worked hard to hit their deadlines – so that you could all wake up to news of the boys. The website stands as a testimony

Best of all – the lads. They were a constant source of joy to everyone and to a man, they were special. It is not a journalist exaggeration to say that you could feel them growing together every day, and that you could feel them maturing. They were brilliant on rugby days, when their dedication and courage were amazing. They were hilarious on non-rugby days, and they were mature enough to distinguish one from the others.

One lady at Brampton told us after that we should be proud of our team and their behaviour; one older lady at the baseball told us that our players had been great company. People all round us at the Blue Jays were laughing at our chants and support. The Blue Jays night was one of those once-in-lifetime experiences that you still laugh about 10 years later.

By the end, they were no longer the boys we’d been with over the seasons – they were our pals.

Steve