Photos courtesy Philadelphia WRFC
As the rugby weekend approaches, we reminisce about other rugby adventures, the best of which are tours. Irish Rugby Tours, which supported the USA Women during the Women’s Rugby World Cup (WRWC), has also backed The Rugby Breakdown, and we’re happy to shed more light on the company’s offerings.
RELATED: IRT Buoys USA Women Abroad • Morris U14s Embark on Ireland Tour • Irish Rugby Tours Home Page
We spoke to the Philadelphia WRFC earlier this week after it defeated Raleigh during the DI Mid-Atlantic Conference’s opening weekend (read more), but the team preceded the season with a weeklong trip to Ireland in August.
“This was Philly’s first official international tour, and it was equal part pre-season, WRWC spectating and team bonding,” explained Philadelphia captain Kate Hallinan.
Philly got its pre-season fix in games against County Wicklow’s Rathdrum and Northern Ireland’s Carrickfergus (as well as an unexpected 10s match against a Canadian side), and indulged in the kit trade that occurs during socials, among other traditions. The team also enjoyed two training sessions with international coaches.
The 23 tourists hit up some of the major attractions, including the Guinness Storehouse, Cliffs of Moher and Giants Causeway, and traipsed through the beautiful cities of Dublin, Galway and Belfast – also the site of a giant USA Rugby dance party. Those commutes in themselves were memorable.
“For the most part, we only had to get on and off the bus and Irish Rugby Tours handled the rest,” Hallinan explained. “We traveled with Ray, our tour guide, and Terry, our bus driver, for the entire trip. They were very tolerant of team sing-alongs and I believe Ray’s knowledge of Whitney Houston’s greatest hits might be more extensive than he let on.”
A Houston ballad was surely on cue after a marriage proposal, staged at the dramatic Giants Causeway, occurred between two teammates. The pledge, as well as the resultant fanfare, was a highlight.
Equally as verdant memories were made in and around the international rugby tournament. Philly attended the August 17 and August 22 match days (remember, attendees’ single-day tickets included three games), and although the USA lost those games, the experience in the stands was a thrill.
Hallinan recounted watching the New Zealand team join young Japan fans, who were supporting the Brave Blossoms against Australia, and learn their drum and dance routine. The team then had “a fangirl moment” in meeting Black Fern Portia Woodman (below).
Philly cheered extra loud for those Eagles who had also served as Mid-Atlantic Conference opponents, including NOVA’s Sara Parsons and Abby Gustaitis, and Sam Pankey, who played for James River before the WPL’s D.C. Furies and San Diego. Although the USA ultimately fell to England and New Zealand, Hallinan reiterated the pride that she and the team felt in the Eagles’ fourth-place finish.
It was those and “countless other moments that reminded us why rugby is the best sport in the world,” the captain concluded.
Irish Rugby Tours did the logistical leg work and then the wonderful sport of rugby took care of the rest. For more information on how your club can create an overseas tour, visit www.IrishRugbyTours.com.
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