9 Days to Santiago

"The best thing about Old Boys rugby is that it is 90% of the fun and 10% of the bullsh*t."
- Rich Frankendon'tforgettogivemeattributionheimer

In 9 days, Boulder Rugby's Olde Boys will be boarding planes to Santiago, Chile for a 10 day tour. There is a pool as to who will be the first player to interact with the local authorities and a few other items that should stay within the confines of the tour. Amidst all the revelry, we'll actually be mixing in some rugby. On the 22nd, we are scheduled to play in a round robin with a couple of clubs from Santiago, and possibly one from Argentina. On the 26th, we have a match against the La Serena Old Boys, closing out the tour with a match in Vina del Mare on the 29th. (Special shout out goes to our own Julie McCoy - Rich Etzkorn - who has navigated through the compulsory mountain of cr*p, laziness, and general abuse that go with organizing any event for a rugby club, particularly the Old Boys.)

One of the great things about rugby is its inclusiveness. Ruggers are an inbred society of folks who are always looking for an excuse to play the game, have a few grogs in celebration of the event, and regale each other with somewhat inflated stories of accomplishments that took place both off and on the pitch. Many clubs set up tours to domestic and international destinations solely for the purpose of playing a few matches. A club that is traveling through any place where rugby is played can almost always get a match arranged with a phone call or an email. Similarly, any player who just shows up to a training or match with a pair of boots and shorts is welcomed to the fray.

About a year ago, we started throwing around ideas for the next tour destination. Someone suggested Chile, because they had heard of another club going down there and having a great time. Piece by piece the tour started coming together. Judging by the photos on the web sites of our hotels, we will be traveling, or at least lodging in style. Spending a few days by the beach and getting my salt water fix will do this kid from California some good. There have been several emails going around the club list, discussing training, pre-tour matches, lodging, flights, kit, and all that good organizational stuff. I can almost guarantee that almost no actual training has taken place. In the spirit of fair play, that only seems right. Training is cheating, or at least it should be, in OB rugby.

It is guaranteed to be quite the adventure. I will post some updates when I get the chance, and possibly a photo or two that are fit for public consumption. Similar to the ad slogan of Vegas, what goes on tour, is supposed to stay on tour.

Fly of the day:
The Stimulator



Tight lines:

Dave