Tour Diary - Day 6: Global Arena

Day 6 - 5th December



It was an early start for the squad on Saturday morning when all students woke up after spending their last night with the billets from Fukuoka. After meeting as a full squad at Fukuoka High School, the boys loaded their bags onto two busses and said their final farewells to the billets along with presenting a gift as a token of generosity. We then began our 1.5 hour bus ride to the Global Arena which allowed for some much needed rest. As the busses approached the Global Arena sporting complex, it was obvious from the greener and more mountainous surroundings that we were in the country. Upon arrival, the boys unloaded the baggage and were split into two adjacent dorms. After some time, the full squad walked around the sporting complex to observe and interact with a junior rugby gala day and to check out the numerous grounds and facilities. This was followed by a light training session which focussed on defensive plays particularly ‘scraping out’ as a defensive line to combat the expansive Japanese style of play. I noticed that this session was very beneficial as it increased confidence and peer bonding which were crucial aspects for tomorrow’s game. After the training session the boys showered and had some free time in the dorms. Later that evening, the squad was given the opportunity to share a traditional Japanese BBQ with the Higashi Fukuoka High School rugby team. This was for many of us the highlight of the trip thus far, not only because of the delicious meal but as we were able to engage in very interesting conversations with the ‘enemy’ who were all quite good at English. The dinner concluded with a sing off consisting of TGS versus Higashi Fukuoka High School. It was a close call as to who won, but Trinity certainly put in a good account of itself. Check out some video footage on the blog. The boys then said their goodbyes and headed back to the dorms to get some sleep for the match the next morning.

Joshua Ananda

 

Below Photos from Global Arena and Pre-Match BBQ with Higashi Fukuoka Students and families