Portugal 2009
A touring party of 36 left Banbridge on Friday morning heading for Albufeira. The numbers of players had dropped from 29 to 23 and this was deemed suitable for a game, that was until we found out that a round robin 3 team tournament had been arranged! The games would take place on Saturday, the kick off time put back until 4.30pm to give the Blue Sox players a chance to acclimatize.
Departure morning. Three missing from photo! Good start!
So the destination on Saturday was Loule. A hard dry pitch was expected but the opposite was the case. Any rugby club would have been proud of the pitch and it certainly outdoes quite a few in Ulster! Green and well watered, only players and officials allowed near the playing surface and certainly no glasses or liquid other than water.
Banns first game was against the homeside Loule who had quite a voiciferous home support. This was a game that the Blue Sox could have wrapped up in the first half but a few handling errors saw try chances go begging. But in the end tries from Chris Nelmes and Derek Moorhead with two Viljoen conversions saw Banbridge who finished the game with 14 players following a yellow card win 14 - 0.
Unfortunately the draw did not favour Bann and 10 minutes later the Blue Sox were back in action against Rugby da Linha who play a league above Loule in the Portugeese 1st Division. This was a much tighter affair and both sides had opportunites to score but the defence from both sides was excellent. The Blue Sox made the breakthrough when scrumhalf McQuitty made space on the left wing to feed Andy Kennedy who barged over. Viljoen narrowly missed the conversion and the Blue Sox held on to take the game and the tournament 5 - 0.
The final game saw da Linha beat Loule for the second / third place play off.
Sunday was a day of sightseeing and sunbathing in anticipation of the tour Court. His Honour Noel Thompson once again presided. There are photos of the Court somewhere but to date they have not been produced.
Match day. Only two missing from this snap. Getting better.
The tourists were; Collie Broderick, Paul Cairns, David Chambers, Brian Clinghan, Andy Cowan, Stevie Cowan, Kris Eadie, Mark Ferguson, Don Ferris, Mark Fisher, Andy Fulton, Stevie Gilmore, Austin Hewitson, Stephen Jackson, Andy Kennedy, Ally Lewis, Mark Lewis, Geoff Little, Johnny Little, Stuart Marshall, Roger Martin, James McCrum, Barry McKevitt, Pete McQuaid, Michael McQuitty, Derek Moorhead, Wayne Moran, Chris Nelmes, Stevie Oldham, Michael Oliver, George Scott, Noel Thompson, Francois Viljoen, Mark Waugh, Stuart Wickie and Richard Wilson.
Captain for both matches was Wayne Moran.
Noel Thompson makes the tackle as his nephew Stephen looks on.
Kennedy, Lewis and Marshall wrestle for the ball.
Wilson and Cowan put pressure on the defence.
Ali Lewis makes a break.
Bann take lineout ball.
Barry McKevitt heads for the line.
Some of the home crowd.
Francois scores.
Fred makes a break.
Should have been a score!
McKevitt offloads to Moorhead.
Match advertisement poster.
Blue Sox and R C Loule.
1997 - Oldham 1998 - Newcastle 1999 - Cardiff 2000 - Edinburgh 2001 - Netherlands 2002 - Isle of Man 2003 - Czech Republic 2004 - Uxbridge 2005 - Estonia 2006 - Blackpool 2007 - Germany 2008 - Devon 2010 - Irvine 2011 - Italy 2012 - Leeds