TANGO 2010 TOUR

MAIDS U16s IN SOUTH AMERICA

After a massive fundraising drive and memorable evenings with Sir Ian McGeechan, Lawrence Dallaglio and Stuart Barnes, along with a new indoor tackling World Record, our tour is finally upon us.

Leaving on Thursday 8^th July we are straight into action on Friday 9^th with 2 matches against Buenos Aires Cricket & Rugby Club. We then have a few days of local activities including working with a couple of orphanages before playing 2 matches against St Brendan's College, also in Buenos Aires. (St Brendan's will be visiting Maids in September).

We then travel to Rosario and play 2 matches against Universitario de Rosario before crossing the River Plate and heading for Montevideo where the final matches of the tour are against the Uruguayan national U16 and U17 sides. Hopefully all in one piece, we then cross back to Buenos Aires and fly back, arriving in the UK on 20^th July.

We'll be posting match reports and updates as often as we can so please check back here.

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DAY 1

Differing tactics were discussed amongst the gathering tour party relating to how on earth to get up in time to get to Heathrow for 04.25….and why it takes 3 hours to check in a group booking. Approaches varied from not going to bed at all, to going to bed and then claiming that “my wife hid my wallet” to explain arrival 25 minutes late.

Nevertheless, there we all were comfortably in time before they even opened check in, all boys in the designated travel kit, and in oddly good humour considering the time of day. This bit of today’s report is being written on the plane from Madrid to Buenos Aires, from which you can deduce that the first leg of the journey passed off without incident. The major sentiment from those who are awake (about half the tour party), is that this is a VERY long flight – with about another 4 hours to go. Not too much to report thus far, other than that Iberia have underestimated the amount of food that 39 x 16 year olds can eat and that certain senior members of the tour party have struck up a fine rapport with the galley staff.

Utter chaos on arrival at the hotel as none of the painstakingly prepared rooming plans were in place (we subsequently worked out they had the rooming configurations for next week). All well in the end though as those who were tired crashed out and those who weren’t, didn’t! Match Day 1 tomorrow!

DAY 2

One game won; one game lost; the most memorable rugby day any of us have ever had…and countless new friends made. The folks at Buenos Aires Cricket and Rugby Club showed us the most extraordinary hospitality and gave us loads of ideas for how to make clubs visiting Braywick feel welcome. We hope that they will be visiting as Under 19s in a couple of years’ time and that we will have a chance to repay them in some way.

The day started ominously as one by one the 55 members of the tour party discovered that the hotel had no hot water. Well, 54 members of the tour party made that discovery, whilst MOF smiled smugly and told us of his 30 minute hot shower. Tour guide Ricky – a walking definition of “laid back” – took some folks off to change some money “a few blocks away”; they returned about an hour and a half later having apparently yomped half the length of Buenos Aires. The fact that this delayed our carefully planned first tour meeting bothered Ricky not one jot!

Two evenly matched squads, the Pumas and the Jaguars, were announced for the matches in the afternoon. Had we known what awaited us we might have selected differently, but we didn’t, so we didn’t. We ran through the game plan, discussed what we were and weren’t going to do, and then headed off to the club about 45 minutes away.

We were met warmly by Fernando, George and “Mr Rugby” Frankie Deges, along with dozens of members of the club and the boys were immediately introduced to the locals they would be staying with for the night in the first “billeting” adventure of the tour. Then we were off to warm up, closely scrutinised, and the boys were looking good and clearly up for it. It was a beautiful day and the coaches and spectators were all in shirt sleeves while the locals looked on with some astonishment and concern, wrapped in several layers of thermal clothing as they were! The only concern we had came as the scouts we had sent off to check out the pitch returned to report that large parts of it were under water with various species of wildfowl swimming around on them! We had told the boys to bring long and short studs, but not flippers, mask or snorkel. What impact would this have on our game plan, we wondered.

As it turned out, the pitch conditions were a nuisance, but they were for both sides. The bigger problem was that we hadn’t played for a couple of months and we hadn’t been able to do any contact training, and it showed. Couple that with our traditional slow start and the first half of the game was somewhat frustrating as the squad failed to observe the policy decisions we had discussed earlier about what we would and wouldn’t do in the game!

Graeme’s match report recounts the following: The contest swung to and fro with neither side putting the other under severe pressure. The puddles sadly had an effect, being in the crucial red zone areas wide out in the half Maids were attacking. Cramped for width and tending to make this worse by running across field, the visitors settled for opening the scoring with a Scott Atherton penalty after 28 minutes.

Far from opening the floodgates, the score seemed to galvanise BA and their flyhalf took a pass from a quick tap penalty at halfway and swerved through some sleepy jet-lagged tackling to score under the posts. Converted, 7-3. Maids tried to reassert themselves, with strong running by Jacob Sanders and some offensive tackling by Khindria, but halftime came a bit too soon.

Maids started the second period in much improved fashion. Backrowers Sanders, Sam Balfour and Mike Winter started to punch holes. Tight forwards upped the energy level too with good carries from Bryn Evans, Iain Whiteford and Jamie Tolan. Khindria and Atherton straightened their running and passed noticeably quicker, giving Fred Reid and Tom Eckles more space to show their speed. The reward came in the 43rd minute, Reid finishing a clean and simple move to the right. Unconverted but restoring at least a one point lead.

BA were still in the game, their backs running and passing well but without much penetration, their forwards holding their own in contact. But Maids were really on top by now. A top of the lineout tap was tidied up by Tolan, who ran hard at the midfield and off-loaded underarm to Winter in close support. Dragged down just short, Winter set up the ruck and the pack piling in won a scrum which might have been a penalty. Sanders picked up at the base, drew the cover and popped for Basson to score. Conversion by Atherton, 7-15. Basson came off with a pulled calf muscle and a satisfied smile.

No.8 Sanders again picked up for the clinching score, setting Balfour marauding to within a couple of metres with Whiteford using his power to pick up and force his way over. 7-20 and a good start to the tour.

Squad: Eckles, McHugh, Atherton, Smith (Capt.), Reid, Khindria, Basson, Edney, Tolan (VC), Hine, Evans, Whiteford, Balfour, Sanders, Kaye, Avery C, Carn, Dow

FINAL SCORE: BACRC XV : 7 – 20 : MAIDS U16 PUMAS

The match report for the 2^nd game will follow, but for now suffice to say that we lost to a side that was comfortably superior to the one we had faced in the first game. Some of this was due to us doing - or not doing - exactly the same things as the Pumas had or hadn't done in the first period of the first game. The opposition were particularly impressive at the breakdown and the less experienced ref in this game frankly didn't help much. We leaked a couple of soft tries early on, then came back into it, then the game went both ways but we stuck at it up to the end and the boys certainly didn't let themselves down. More to follow.

and here it is from Graeme. Might get a slightly different view from the coaches in due course but since Graeme has done the hard work!

Buenos Aires got their own back in the second game. They started fast with good simple handling and confident running. Maids put in some good tackles to start with, James Hibberdine, Daniel AJ and Michael Anderson all dropping their targets with style. But suddenly a tackle was missed and through the gap went the scrumhalf, a step and a swerve, 7-0 after only two minutes. Sensibly Dom Bart opted to kick a penalty and get some points up. This BA pack were very well drilled and looked much more a unit than the first selection. They drove well with good body positions and they did it in twos and threes. Even if Maids had hands on the ball they found themselves losing ground. Their scrum was taut as well and the next try came from a ball forced loose from a Maidenhead put in � another pickup and scuttle by the same player, converted for 14-3.

Maids came back with verve, Alex Avery running almost in on the left wing. BA defended furiously and gave away four or five penalties in succession within 5 metres. When another tap led to a turnover and run back only stopped by a flying Hibberdine last man. Bart wisely elected to settle for 3 points from the next penalty.

Maids were actually playing pretty well, Will Thompson kicking diagonally for centres Lawrence MacSwan and DAJ. Nothing quite went to hand however and the last such attack of the half was just a bit long. The BA fullback launched a counter and fed his strong and quick left wing. DAJ tracked him back and knocked him down but could not prevent the kick ahead and infield. The bounce favoured the chaser and another goal made it 21-6 at halftime.

The second half started with a fantastic outside break by MacSwan, almost from 22 to 22. He turned inside looking for support but only found defenders. Hal Orchard's pickup and drive from the resulting ruck went close. Back came BA, now trying a few rolling mauls and making lots of ground. The pressure told and a well-worked inside pass put a centre through a narrow gap between two forwards feeling the pace.

26-6 starts to look a tall order but Maids were not finished. Maybe the BA forwards were now tiring because Maids began to win some cleaner ball. Once the outside backs found some space, MacSwan, AJ and Anderson began to win some footraces and the BA defence was stretched. Sure enough MacSwan finished a wide move and Bart hit the post to narrow the gap to 26-11. Maybe it could have been saved even now but a mildly controversial try which both teams seemed to think was held up (BA had almost to be persuaded to take a conversion) slammed the door shut. There was time for Calum O'Flaherty to crown a strong display with a try out wide right before the final whistle.

One game all on the day was probably a fair outcome. The two sets of mixed teams served up good entertainment and played in fine spirit.

Squad: McCarthy, Anderson, Andrews-Jones, MacSwan, Hibberdine, Thompson, Thomas (VC), Avery A, Jones, Nicol, Orchard, Baxter, Cronbach, Bart (Capt.), O'Flaherty, Hull, Keir, O'Callen-Smith, Eckles

DAY 3

Picked the boys up back at BACRC this morning and met their hosts. A few of the lads seemed to have had quite late nights….. but all seemed to have had a great time.

Tour of the City today seeing a few sights. The boys not quite sure why we were wondering round a cemetery or what the big deal about Eva Peron was. Gave us an opportunity to roll out the Don’t Cry for Me Paul Trevena gag a few more times though! Then went to see the Boca Juniors stadium. Sudi treating a few (minor) injuries as I type, then we have a player meeting to debrief on yesterday’s games and we’re off to dinner. Much more to write tomorrow when we’re back from the children’s homes.

DAY 4

What a day today. Community day. We split into 2 groups and visited 2 children's homes to spend time with the kids, ageing in range from 2 - 18. A real eye opener for us all and the boys were great. We gave a few gifts but the guy in charge of the home my group visited said what was important was for us to give the kids some attention and some affection - this was a pleasure. We'll write more and upload photos tomorrow once it has all sunk in and we get more feedback from the boys. For now let's just say all the boys realise what they have and what some others don't and that we all have a commitment to maintain support for these 2 places.

DAY 5

OK. I know the posts have got shorter. But it’s now 1 AM on Tuesday and we have to be up before 7 to go and meet the boys from their billets – any journey in BA taking at least 45 minutes and probably longer. Also we moved hotels today having finally lost patience with the empty promises to fix the hot water at the Mayflower and sorting out the WiFi here is proving to be a pain. The adults are now in much more comfortable surroundings at the Icaro Suites which have taken the novel approach of laying on pleasant surroundings and hot water.

Pam and Martin both celebrated birthdays today. As a special present “The Colonel” got a very distinguished moustache to wear and a commemorative chicken to carry – photos coming soon. Will Thompson is “King for the Day” and Dan Keir has the Bush Baby after Bryn’s tender care over the last 2 days.

The players have mentioned that they feel they are going to bed at the right time but are still feeling tired. Hmmmm. Could it be they aren’t going to bed at the right time after all?

Today we had the ranch trip and met some gauchos, rode some horses…and ate some more meat! We also watched some pretty impressive dancing and were delighted to see (if not to hear) the whole tour squad take to the stage to completely out-do the Taiwanese visitors in a power version of Wonderwall. DAJ, Dunc and Mike Winter amongst others now have very useful ponchos that they assure me will come in handy around town. And Cal OF has a new best friend called George! (Did anyone get that on camera?).

Match day 2 tomorrow – it has seemed like a long wait (for the Head Coach, anyway). Kick off for both games at around 19.30 UK time. St Brendan’s College here we come. (More photos on Gallery if all has worked OK).

Quiz: Which boy said, on being asked what he had bought in the gift shop: “I bought a corkscrew, because my Mum drinks loads of wine”?!!

Also, either on here or on Graeme’s blog, look out for the “Guess the Elvis” competition coming soon.

DAY 6

Maids meet maids!

Match Day 2, which involved spending a huge amount of time travelling by coach, a training session in a Buenos Aires park, school lunch (!), and, frustratingly, another “won one lost one” score sheet as the balance of the opposition teams proved different to what we had estimated. Match reports below, but a very cordial welcome from the school, who will be touring the UK in September and staying with us. The boys stayed with their hosts for 2 nights, and a number of them were somewhat taken aback to find their boots being cleaned by the maid!

COF has the Bush Baby and Louis is King for the Day

Elvis photos in the Gallery this evening!!

The Pumas game kicked off first (by 5 minutes). MOF reports:

St Brendan’s College XV 7 : 72 Maids Pumas

You can only play what's in front of you. Maids continue with mixed sides - St. Brendan's field their second string. However this must not detract from a wonderful display of Barbarian style rugby from a rampant Maids outfit superbly led by Daniel Andrews-Jones.

The tone was set early on when Maids ran in two tries following straightforward lineout plays. Firstly Fred Reid making a fine break and then a fluent passing movement down the line resulted in Michael Anderson crossing.

Forwards dominated – tap penalty, Mark Hine drive, carried on by Chris Dow (showing a superb return to form and fitness) who offloaded for Callum Hull to score. In windy conditions Maids were unable to add the conversions.

St. Brendan's responded with spirit and after their first period of sustained pressure prop Pinto Lucas drove over in the corner and the fly half converted from wide out.

Now two fine pieces of skill led to DAJ adding two tries before half time. First was a trademark break; the second followed a marvellous run from Chris Dow. Scott Anderson added both conversions.

A 29-7 half time lead would normally mean a second half of showboating and white line fever. However on this occasion Maids just took their game to new heights, running in seven more tries with wonderful handling, superb offloads and excellent decision-making.

DAJ completed his hat trick following a fluid handling movement from the forwards with Cam Avery and Mark Hine showing superb skills.

Both Fred Reid and Michael Anderson scored deserved seconds and there were tries for Ed Kaye from a blind side break and Cal O'Flaherty from a Number 8 pickup. However the highlight was a 20 metre dash to line from Mark Hine, urged on by his team-mates. Mark converted his own try obviously under the impression that the points only count if you hit both posts and the crossbar.

Will Thompson and Scott Atherton also added second half conversions and there was also time for Josh Edney to add his own try to a fine second half performance.

A committed, vocal, wonderful team performance.

Squad: Avery C, Keir, Hine, Baxter (VC), Evans, Hull, Kaye, Dow, Crn, Thompson, Anderson, Reid, Andrews-Jones (Capt.), McCarthy, Atherton, Edney, O'Flaherty, Jones, Thomas

The Jaguars, as it turned out, had the tougher task. Graeme reports as follows:

St Brendan’s College XV 19 : 13 Maids Jaguars

For the first ten minutes of this match it looked highly likely to be an easy win for Maids. Jamie Tolan and the rest of the pack destroyed the home scrum. Their first five put ins were hooked by Tolan and, when the shove came on, St Bs had no answer. Maids were winning their lineouts too. For all the ball won, however, the points did not flow. Just a Bart penalty kick to show for almost total dominance.

The home side were bigger than the BACRC teams had been but still smaller on average than Maids. The two biggest boys now combined to put St.Brendan's ahead. First their No.8 powered through tacklers up to 6 metres. Maids were penalised at the ensuing ruck for an over-aggressive clearout reminiscent of Bakkies Botha. Up popped the big No.3 to crash over for a try quite against the run of play. The easy conversion made it 7-3.

Maids had a kickable penalty in the last minute of the half and opted to go for the try but could not make it happen.

The first few moves of the second half looked good for the visitors. The scrum continued to go well and a burst of energy won some more loose ball. Sam Balfour tapped and ran to a couple of metres and the ball was recycled and moved right for Lawrence MacSwan to dive over. This was the control and precision that was needed.

Unfortunately, that was the last we saw of it. The home scrum began to win a little ball and St Bs started to play in the backs. Just simple passing as quickly as possible to the wings, not seeking contact, stretching across and looking for an opening. Right, left, right and the overlap appeared. The home forwards were faster to the breakdown now, and more effective at it. 12-8 with 20 minutes to go.

Tails up, St. Brendan's continued to play uncomplicated fluid rugby. They did not try to bash through the bigger Maidenhead midfield, just to move from wing to wing. When their forwards had the ball they rolled and mauled and drove as a unit, making good ground each time. Then the backs would spin it away to the wings and the process would start again. By contrast, Maids were playing as individuals, perhaps each player trying too hard to make something happen. The earlier fluency had gone and the team looked like they were struggling for a pattern.

Sure enough, St. Brendan's made the game safe with a textbook lineout catch and drive and a conversion for 19-8 with five minutes left.

To their credit, Maids did not fold. On the contrary, they came back with fury and passion. Will O'Callen-Smith scored a trademark no-one stops me from here to keep the margin of victory within one score but there was no doubt that the home side deserved to win on the day. They played better as a team and rugby is a team game.

Squad: Avery A, Tolan, O'Callen-Smith, Whiteford (Capt.), Orchard, Balfour, Sanders, Winter, Hibberdine, Smith, Eckles (VC), Bart, MacSwan, McHugh, Basson, Nicol, Khindria, Cronbach

DAY 7

An early start and a long coach journey before arrival this afternoon at another “interesting” hotel in Rosario.

Scott has the Bush baby; Mark is King for the Day!

DAY 8

Match Day 3. Greg has the Bush Baby and Tom Eckles is King for the Day. About the first lie in of tour and then off to Universitario de Rosario. Consternation first as the “All You Can Eat” option of the night before backfires badly on several players; then more so as we spy the UdR U16s warming up and check that they are not in fact the U19s. Two epic performances from the 2 Maids sides, but, frustratingly, the “Won one, Lost one” theme continues. Reports from Graeme follow and some pics are on the gallery

Universitario de Rosario U16:29 – 31 : Maidenhead U16B

For the first time on tour, the opposition team lived up to the Argentine reputation for big pieces of meat. Bigger and heavier on average and with a couple of giants to boot. How would the Roast Beef and three veg measure up against the Bife con guarnicion?

Maidenhead started with some good simple rugby and moved the big lads around. After five minutes though, one of the giants peeled round the front of a lineout and offloaded from a three man tackle to his No.9 who touched down to open the scoring. Play resumed with Uni sending their big forwards down the narrow channels and mauling with skill and discipline. Maids more than held their own in the scrum, however, pushing the home side back at every engage. As well as this, Maids showed their own impact in the loose with Cam Avery and Tim Cronbach making good yards.

On 20 minutes, Maids tried a penalty kick at goal but Scott Atherton pushed it just wide in what would be his only miss of the day. Maids' mobility was beginning to stretch the Uni pack and their frustration led to a loss of discipline. A run of penalties and Chris Dow tapped and went through the thinning line. Turning to his left to look for support and not finding it he carried on turning until he was running backwards and carried on further until he eventually found Will Thompson. Is it possible that his knee locked up and he could only run in circles? By this time the bemused Uni defenders were ready and cut Thompson down. Even so, they dived over and Atherton kicked the 3 points.

After this period when Maids seemed to be getting on top, Uni went back to their strengths and drove mauls downfield into the 22. A series of pick and drives, four scrums in quick succession, Cal Hull and Blake Nicol making last ditch tackles on the big men. Bryn Evans led by example and vocally, driving the giants back time and again. The biggest of them squared up and had to be dragged away shouting as Evans smiled in his face. At last the pressure told and a simple freekick tap and dive gave Uni a 10-3 lead.

Back and forth it went, Shiv Khindria making a half-break, Hal Orchard spinning out a long pass, Atherton and Greg McHugh going close. Uni also showed some running power, first their right wing flying outside, only James Hibberdine to beat, CRUNCH, flattened. Huge cheers from the sidelines. But Uni recycled well and moved left and their outside centre cut a line back towards the right, past the first line towards Hibberdine, who lined him up and dropped him. Renewed and redoubled cheering. Half time and all to play for.

Maidenhead started the second period confidently, Jacob Sanders off on a trademark swerving charge, Hull and Edney arriving quickly enough to force a penalty. Kicked to the corner, ball off the top, swift passes to the left, penalty for desperate high tackle, tap and quick hands out to McHugh overlapping on the right, great winger's finish. Atherton's conversion ties the score.

The Rosario boys came back, their rapid centre with a great run stopped just short. Pick and drive again and again. Tremendous defence, more angry reaction, and a key player withdrawn for his own protection. Job done, Bryn. Uni missed a kickable penalty but ran the 22 restart back and were held up over the line. Number 8 pickup and ruck, big No.5 finally breached the visitors' defence to restore a 5 point lead.

Maids regrouped and recharged and then produced a most astonishing six minutes of attacking rugby. Muscling into the 22 and showing their own slow ball pick and driving skills, the forwards wound up the pressure and won a penalty. Cam Avery tapped and drew, flung a pass to Evans, who crashed through the screen and touched down. Straight from a scrum after a restart knock-on, Sanders picked up at the base and made 30 metres, found Hull on his shoulder and put him in on the right wing, with time to gallop halfway in to the posts. It is never all about the forwards though and maybe the try of the day was scored by Ed Kaye, guesting at outside centre, blistering onto a short pass into the gap made by a dummy 12 crash. DAJ could not have done it better. The cheering was by now hysterical and joyous. Atherton converted all three to make the score 31-15.

The last fifteen minutes were not for the faint-hearted. Uni gave it everything they had. They battered away at forward and back. The line gave and a prop crashed over for a converted try. Then a great inside line from a switch move in front of the posts, the conversion brought them to within two points. Four minutes of added time ticked, cruelly, slowly, away. A bad day to give up glue-sniffing. Outstanding tackles by Steve Carn and Sam McCarthy and another by Hibberdine; high energy and commitment by Josh Edney; everyone shouting encouragement and pride. Time for one more Rosario scrum, at half way, No.8 pickup, recycle, fast hands out to right wing, over the 22 and WHAM! Atherton and McHugh double hit, ball spilled forward and the final whistle.

A famous victory and a squad each of whom seem an inch taller than a couple of hours before.

Squad: Avery C, Keir, Nicol, Evans, Cronbach, Hull, Dow, Sanders (Capt.), Carn, Khindria (VC), McHugh, Thompson, Kaye, Hibberdine, Atherton, McCarthy, Edney, Orchard

If we had been worried by the size of the U16s, the U17s made us double take once again, especially at the size of their Number 1 and their Number 13. Initially a little daunted and damaged, this Maids squad produced a performance of unprecedented commitment and intensity, with (even) our County players confirming they had not come across this level of rugby before. Full report from Graeme to follow – but huge amounts of pride in the players today.

Universitario de Rosario U17:26 – 19 : Maidenhead U16A

Half time 26-7. Tries for Balfour, McHugh, Tolan. 2 conversions by Bart. A match at a level never before seen from Maidenhead U16s. A strong, fast and large home side thought they were away and cruising after half an hour but were then driven back, outfought and outplayed by the visitors. A little luck and one or two close decisions Maids way and it would have been a draw, if not a victory.

Squad: O'Callen-Smith, Jones (VC), Hine, Baxter, Whiteford, Bart, O'Flaherty, Balfour, Thomas (Capt.), Smith, Reid, MacSwan, Andrews-Jones, Anderson, Basson, Trevena, Tolan, Avery A.

Report:

Another test of Roast Beef and three veg against Bife con guarnicion. These Universitario de Rosario U17s were all born in 1993 and their U16 colleagues in 1994. The year difference was measurable in height and weight. Let's see, the average Argentinian eats 60kg of red meat per year according to Wikipedia; I wonder how much above average a 17 year old rugby player eats? The loosehead prop (No.1) bore a suspicious resemblance to Peter Avery, who was seen desperately trying to remember how long it was since he was in Argentina... These boys were the real deal. We discovered later that the No.13 was going to training later, for the Rosario, Santa Fe and Parana provincial U18s.

Uni pushed Maidenhead off the first scrum. They packed down low and shoved hard. Later Mark Hine said these were the first scrummagers to impress him so far. Both sides started at a furious pace, Uni clearly wishing to avenge their younger brothers' defeat, Maids playing as As for the first time and determined to show it.

Uni drew first blood, that No.13 outflanking the defence around the left with sheer pace from a tap near the right touchline. Three minutes later it was 12-0, a flyhack and chase after a Maidenhead midfield move broke down with a missed pass. The score was not a reflection of the game, Maids now holding the scrums steady and looking for gaps in open play. Maids tried and missed a penalty kick, then Bart broke from a maul, popped inside for Basson running clear but the ball went agonisingly forward. Uni swept left and right with real menace and would have scored again if not for a fantastic covering tackle by Leo Smith on the flying 13. Stopped in the backs, the home side rumbled up with their big forwards, twisting and rolling, driving and setting with great control. The massive No.1 was somehow held up over the line and Maids drove the 5m scrum back and splintered it for the first time. The danger area was not cleared though and Uni scored twice more in quick succession. The inside centre this time ran a devastating reverse line from left to right across the posts and then No.13 stepped off his right foot and accelerated through the narrowest of gaps.

26-0 after half an hour looks like a thrashing but it did not feel that way. Maids were still in it, more than competitive at the scrum, winning lineout ball despite the Uni front jumper closing the gap all game, and both forwards and backs threatening in the loose with ball in hand. It was much more even than the score suggests. Maids almost opened their account with a trademark DAJ line break, the offload just failing to go to hand. They finally got in the points though with a Sam Balfour pickup from a scrum against the head. Big handoff on the scrum half and sheer pace to go outside the blindside winger. Bart's conversion made the half-time score 26-7.

Maidenhead started the second half as they had finished the first, firmly on the front foot. Pressing forward and recycling more effectively, the reward came quickly. Slow ball, slow ball, quick ball to Smith going right, draws the cover and offloads from contact to Greg McHugh, pace and power into the corner with the last two defenders hanging off him. McHugh thereby scored in both games on the day.

The middle fifteen minutes of the half passed in a flash. Uni were on the attack, battering big forwards and hard-running backs. Maids' defence was magnificent, bodies on the line tackle after tackle, running hard, mauling, rucking, covering. The vocal encouragement and leadership on the pitch was astonishing and the organisation under pressure impressive.

Defence can be offensive sometimes. After a quarter hour of rope-a-dope it was Maids who scored next. Jamie Tolan snaffled a ball from a ruck 5 metres out and bulled through and over. Converted, the score took Maids' unanswered points to 19 since just before half time.

Unfortunately the last five minutes were marred by a controversial decision – or lack of one. Iain Whiteford was taken out in the air while catching a high ball. Although there was nothing malicious about it (indeed, while both games were hard-fought, there was no hint of dirty play in either), this sort of reckless contact should have been penalised for the protection of the players. The referee did not even stop play and allowed Uni to go through four or more ruck and maul phases within 10m of the prone player and attending physio and coaches. Only when the defence had definitely prevented a try did he stop proceedings.

It left a sour taste after a largely fair and competent performance heretofore. Whiteford was taken to hospital and scanned and thankfully his concussion was mild and without complications, though this marked was the end of his impressive playing tour.

The last few moments in the game were played out in a difficult atmosphere. To their great credit, the Maids players offered freely their congratulations to the winners at the end. It had been an epic fightback but ended up just short. This was a level of rugby that the touring players had never experienced or achieved before, way above their domestic league and, according to some who should know, well above county and up there with South West Division in intensity.

DAY 9

Travel to Montevideo today. A seriously long schlep. Iain has the Bush baby and The Hibbernator is King for the Day. Finally arrived at hotel at 23.00 then out for a meal….with alarm calls booked for 06.45…and first kick off vs Uruguay at 09.30. Here’s hoping we manage to lose the traditional Maids slow start………….

DAY 10

Unbelievable. We can’t quite shake the “Won one, Lost one”, but we have our first International win – Maids U16A beat Uruguay U17s by 16 points to 12! Our Bs played a fantastic first half against the U16 side and came in at half time in touch at just 15-8 down, but when Uruguay fielded a completely new XV for the second half the courage was there but the energy levels just ebbed and we couldn’t get the win the boys craved.

Match reports to follow but in short incredibly proud of all the boys in all the games. Photos are upon the gallery.

URUGUAY U16 SELECTION v MAIDS U16B

Maids' preparation, for the first time on tour, was less than ideal for this match. The previous day had been a full one, travelling from 10 in the morning until 11 at night. Only snack foods all day and a late pizza. Then an early start and a false start with the confusion over venue. A kickoff before 10am was not really ideal but forced by the timing of the full international later. So it was perhaps not surprising that the Uruguay U16s were quicker into their stride than the tourists. Maids repelled the immediate pressure, counter-rucking well and Tim Cronbach charging the turnover ball out to the 22. Scott Atherton cleared well up to half way and Maids defended the first catch and drive well. Uruguay were not to be denied for long, however, and an 8-9 move from 5m got the scoring going after six minutes of siege.

The next ten minutes were much more positive, Atherton, Will Thompson and Steve Carn kicking behind the Uruguay wingers to great effect, Cronbach continuing to carry well in the loose. Sure enough, Maids crossed the whitewash, Ed Kaye finishing a sweeping move to the left after Fred Reid's right wing raiding had stretched the defence. Atherton hit the post to leave the score tied.

More smart kicking had Uruguay scrambling to defend. Reid made another strong run, this time in midfield, and O'Flaherty was quickly to the breakdown to force a penalty for not rolling away. Atherton kicked it to give Maids a well deserved lead.

They could not hold it for long, however. Uruguay stole through a Maids lineout and a big forward twisted and stretched over. The conversion and a quick penalty made it 12-8 to the national side. Maids continued to try the diagonal kicks which had looked so promising but the Uruguay back three were playing better now and running them back with menace.

A four point deficit at half time did not look too bad but, when Uruguay brought on 15 completely fresh players for the second half, Maidenhead started to show the fatigue of a long tour and the difficult preparation for this match. It only took two minutes for the new Uruguay seleccion to open their account, and after 20 minutes of the second period they were 30 points ahead and cruising. Maids fought back bravely, O'Flaherty stealing a lineout and offloading to Kaye their best chance, but, in truth, this was a half too far after the extraordinary effort most of these Maids players had made against Universitario de Rosario only two days before. Sudi was on and off the field like a waiter bringing the boys more beef. Uruguay's under 16s looked very good value, with smart handling by forwards and backs, and an ability to finish with style. There would have been no shame in losing to fifteen of them, let alone thirty. Maids' heart was there, but the limbs and muscles just would not respond.

Squad: Avery C, Edney, Nicol, Orchard, Evans, Cronbach (VC), Hull, O'Flaherty, Hibberdine, Khindria , Thompson (Capt.), Kaye, Reid, Carn, Atherton, McCarthy, Dow, Trevena

URUGUAY U17 SELECTION vs MAIDS U16A

Duncan Jones got this match under way with a pinpoint drop kick and a massive cheer from all the supporters and players in the tour party. Duncan has been a fine tourist and it was good to see him in boots again, even if only for one kick.

The Uruguay U17s were not as big as the boys we had played in Rosario but they still looked formidable. Maids came at them hard and pressed down to the red zone but were losing the ball too easily in contact and could not make the territorial advantage count. Uruguay had two players with prodigious boots and cleared well beyond half way more than once from close to their line. Eventually Maids opted to kick a penalty and Dominik Bart slotted it from half way to show that prodigious boots come in English sizes as well.

Alex “The Cat” Avery caught the restart diving forward and set up a ruck from which Jamie Tolan barrelled forward. Quick ball and an up and under and chase caused panic. Penalty for holding on and Bart made it 6-0.

Uruguay were looking shell-shocked. This was probably not the gentle run out they were thinking of to impress their selectors. They were good players, however, and came back with a try from a tap penalty, a powerful inside line enough to crash over.

On they came, trying some tight work on the fringes, driving Maids back, forcing errors and scrums. They must have thought they would take a lead before half time but it was not to be. Another scrum to Uruguay but the strike and the shove are perfect and the ball comes back to Jacob Sanders at 8. Up and away in a flash and unstoppable. Converted by Bart for a 13-5 lead with 35 minutes of tour rugby to go.

Turning round to play uphill, Maids again saw a fresh set of 15 players trot on in pristine kit, no knocks or strains, no furious half in their legs already. Would 8 points be enough to hold out? It did not look like it for the first fifteen minutes. Within five the new triallists had battered their way over after showing great co-ordination and teamwork amongst the pack, and pace and power outside. 12-13. For the next ten they pressed and harried and drove and mauled. They kicked deep, caught and rumbled. They spun it wide and ran their moves. No result, nothing. The same organised, solid, sometimes fierce defending seen in Rosario. No way through. The effort faltered. Perhaps a turning point was a 22 dropout sent high by Bart, falling at the halfway line. No.9 caught it cleanly only to be flattened by Sanders with none of his own players even close. The ball went loose and Maids charged forward, sewing chaos and confusion. A minute later an isolated Uruguayan was penalised for holding and Captain Alex Avery threw the ball to Bart. 12-16. Still one try would give the home national team victory. But they could not find it. Maids were running on empty now but the Uruguay U17s were even more at sea, baffled by the intensity they were facing.

Uruguay kept the ball alive for two full minutes after last play was called, desperately seeking a winner. Maids kept them in midfield, denied them space, shut them out. The scale of the achievement hit home as the whole touring party gathered in a circle and Head Coach Gareth Andrews-Jones quietly said that all of them should be proud to remember the day when Maidenhead Rugby Club beat an international side.

Squad: Duncan Jones, O'Callen-Smith, Tolan, Avery A (Capt.), Baxter, Balfour, Bart, Winter, Sanders, Basson, Smith (VC), MacSwan, Andrews-Jones, Anderson, McHugh, Eckles, Thomas, Hine, Jones, O'Flaherty, Evans.

DAY 11

Back to BA today and our end of tour dinner. Duncan is the coaches’ nominee for Tourist of the Tour; all 39 players get the vote for Player of the Tour. Players’ player award is shared between Jacob and Hibs.

DAY 12

Shopping and chilling out today. Just been told there’s a strike affecting the motorway tolls so we are heading to the airport early and I can’t post any more now. Back tomorrow evening. It’s all over…..but, we hope, the beginning of the next chapter.