Day Three: 1st XV Sanix World Cup Campaign

Another good night’s sleep and up at 6.45 for breaky. Game day, and over the hour after breakfast most boys are involved their own low key train-ons. 9.30am and we’re into pre-match. Our Doc Tiwini Hemi joins us and quickly assesses all ongoing injuries. He’s a top man, just like his bro Jojo, who lives in Japan and has helped the coaches with a lot of the tour organization.

 

The Hemi brothers quickly establish themselves as mentors to many players and can just about organize anything we need. Rubs, strapping, gear up then and we walk (very focused) across to the stadium. We can all tell that this will be an important match by the urgency in Mr Hotham’s and Mr Kirkham’s voices. Strangely today is the official opening of the tournament and all the other teams are involved in the march-past led by Scottish Highland band. Our warm-up runs smoothly but we all know the large crowd will be right behind Fukuoka and their star fullback that everyone’s talking about.

 

Fukuoka open the scoring with a penalty before Joey Webber scores by finishing off a backline break. Soon after, he again dazzles the Japanese with a fine break to score. 12 – 6 at halftime but we’re disappointed that we have created so many chances and finished so few. Chris Lolohea feeds halfback Ben Finau, who dashes 20 metres to score. Later Hohepa Gibb steps inside several defenders to complete the scoring at 26-6. Young 1^st 5 Te Raina Richards-Coxhead added three conversions. Joe Walsh had a strong game at prop and Ben Finau had his best game of the year at halfback. Top forward went to Captain Alex Suttie, who inspired the team with his running and defensive game, while Joe Webber was a threat every time he touched the ball. Fukuoka’s fullback is certainly a star in the making and the boys are amazed that he’s signing autographs for kids after the game.

 

We shake hands and bow to the crowd as is the tradition here. Back to the changing room and as always, we sing ‘I know the Lord’ and enjoy the moment. Ice and showers and then we watch the English school who look like a class act.

 

A small rest and then video analysis where we recognize the lost opportunities we had. Still a good step forward, the coaches say. One last practice and then off to the ‘welcome party’ for all teams and management. We have dinner and then each team has to put on an item. The Japanese are crazy performers and we enjoy supporting them. They leave our item to last and I must admit we play up to the crowd with a lipsynch and haka that Joey and Alex have put together. Check it out on u-tube! (Hamilton Boys’ High Skit 2011).We brought the house down. Back to team meeting where Mrs Clark reads the team e-mails and a few boys move out of the lonely hearts club who are those yet to receive an e-mail. Tama takes the LMCs (da fat boys) for an extra fitness session before bedtime. A very good day!