Tickets and Trips
SEASON 2007-2008.
January 29th 2008
Details of activities in Cardiff on the Friday night prior to the International
matches against Scotland and France.
Electricity Club, Pontcanna.
CARDIFF.
Proceeds going towards the Welsh National Eisteddfod.
Friday February 8th - Twmpath Dawns a Ceilidh
7.30pm - tickets on sale prior to the night £6 each
Friday March 14th - Bryn Fon a'r Band
8.00 pm - tickets £10
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January 5,2008.
Tickets for the Six Nations matches against Italy and France are now available.
Given the first team now hope to play the rearranged Rhos game prior to the Scotland match on Saturday February 9 there are now also a limited number of tickets now available for this 6 Nations Fixture. First come first served.
Contact the Club or Wil Martin directly - Cost of tickets will be £55 and £50 plus the usual admin fee.
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November 14th 2007
With the players and Committee busy making arrangements and very much looking forward to the Club Tour to the Czech Republic and Slovakia in May 2008, take a moment or two to see how things were done 30 years ago.
Not much has changed during that time
Pwllheli’s first venture abroad in February 1977 was a mammoth and unequivocal social success. No fewer than seventy eight people travelled to Paris by rail and ferry for the France v Wales Five Nations match. Wales lost and so did we. We scored two tries, Paris University scored lots in their 48-8 victory. It’s not that we played too badly at all, it was just unfortunate that the match was played directly under the flight path of Orly Airport. Each time an aeroplane took off or landed our side stopped to watch.
At least we did our bit for the entente cordiale and we even left the normally surly Parisians with smiles on their faces.
Five years passed before Clwb Rygbi Pwllheli next toured. In October 1982 forty five players and officials spent a week in Nantes, Brittany. We played three matches, it should have been four but Muscadet at 30p (50 cents) a bottle was not to be rushed. Our first match against Ecole Nationale Veterenaire set a standard by which all Pwllheli games should be judged. We played fluent open rugby with Celtic flair and adventure. Everything went right and it set the tone and pace for a memorable trip. Victory against Basse Goulaine RFC was followed by true French hospitality with the whole village turning out for the after match function. Our French ‘contact’ Mary Rickards nee Griffiths was able to forget her translation duties after 9pm. After that sign language was all that was necessary and indeed all that was physically possible. Our third match against A.S.P.T.T. was duly won and out cultural crusade continued.
Barely twelve months later we returned to France, playing one fixture in Rennes, Normandy and two in Nantes. We lost narrowly in Rennes but were made so welcome that we had two police motor cyclists to escort us to the city limits. Some senior members of the current trip took the offer of hospitality too literally and actually spent the night with the local Gendarmerie. Strange when you consider that they had comfortable beds to go to.
Our reception in Nantes was first class. We were given a formal reception at the City Hall which included liveried footmen complete with powdered wigs. Old haunts were visited, new friends made and new experiences tasted, which goes to prove that rugby really is the school of life. We won both matches in Nantes – one against the University and the other against Carequefeu RFC.
Holland in 1985 saw us playing in Amsterdam, Sessenheim and the Hague. All matches were narrowly lost but the trip did give new meaning to the term window shopping.
There were concerns that our tour to Canada in 1989 was overly ambitious and would divert too many resources from our domestic game. Both these concerns were ultimately disproven. The players in the tour party had never worked harder with morning training sessions each day together with four ‘A’ team matches in our busy fourteen day schedule. We won all our matches in Canada and came back a much fitter, confident and cohesive unit. The Sport Abroad representative Neil Sorbie was ever helpful and the welcome received from our Canadian cousins was warm and genuine. Ceiri Jones’s welcome was even warmer and in December 1991 he announced his engagement to a Toronto banker – well done Maureen.
On the playing side we beat Toronto Buccaneers on the shore of Lake Ontario with Mark Roberts scoring a trio of tries. Nick Reed Jones boosted tour finances during the game by instantly fining anyone seen polluting the Lake. Our tour mascot lasted only until the after match function – Wil Martin giving away the three foot high stuffed dragon to a wide eyed and bemused two year old whose mother looked as if she worked at the Brass Rails on Young Street. In our second match the team hit form and heavily defeated the Toronto Lions side. Those on tour will never forget the spiritual support given before, during and after the game by Wil Bing Owen.
A week later we travelled down to Niagara. The hospitality of Tony Jones, the Canadian Welsh connection and their friends from Niagara Wasps RFC was overwhelming.
Though highly commercialised the natural wonders of the area was breathtaking. Our game against the Wasps resulted in a close victory for Pwllheli who continued to play an expansive game. Buffalo Old Boys RFC, New York State came next. Perhaps because of our winning streak or maybe because of a romantic attachment to the Corinthian spirit a less than full strength XV was chosen to play in this game. In atrocious weather and against 6’3” wingers we lost to a combative hard tackling US outfit. Watching the match with us were Eirian Jane Muse, from Bala and her American husband. The joined us in the after match celebrations when the Buffalo Club did us proud – feeding and providing liquid sustenence for 53 strong party and ever increasing number of supporters. The following morning bleary eyed and knackered the party returned to our downtown Toronto Hotel. Our last match was against a strong Toronto Welsh team. We played our best rugby of the whole tour winning well by thirty point to nil.
For the final night in Canada we hired a room in the local Irish pub. Our guests included many ex-pat Welshmen and a tearful group of Welsh girls who were working as nannies in Canada. Dei Jones, Pwllheli born and bred, and his Bala born wife Iona, now domiciled in Canada also attended. The landlord later extolled the virtues of all Welshmen. The sum total of damage to his bar was two glasses and a stool; which he had broken himself in a failed attempt at the Irish jig. The solitary dubious and slightly worrying incident of the night was Wyn Isaac’s insistance that he was given a lift back to our Hotel in a chariot!
To be continued...........................
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October 22nd 2007
Wales v South Africa
November 24th 2007
Tickets to watch the game against South Africa available now.
We have just received confirmation of closing date for orders.
PLEASE NOTE
Tickets must be ordered by
midday Friday 26th October 2007
Contact Wil Martin directly on 01758 61 3212 or 0791 999 0869.
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September 25th 2007
Six Nations Championship
We have recieved no information as yet about ticket numbers or prices for the Six Nations matches. Once details are available these will be put on the website.
As always tickets will be available to members and sponsors only. Please remember that ticket orders will only be accepted with full payment and with the £2.00 administration fee where appropriate.
There are no tickets available for the away matches in Twickenham
and Dublin.
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June 19th 2007
CHALLENGE
World Cup 2007 Warm-up game.
England v Wales
August 4th 2007
Twickenham, London
Ticket for Club members on sale now.
Any number available.
Cost £47 or £27 - to include admin fee.
Cheques payable to Clwb Rygbi Pwllheli by July 23rd at the latest.
SEASON 2006-07
May 24th 2007
Tour to Poland and the Czech Republic.
We arrived at Krakow Airport on time at 20.45pm on May 9th and were transferred to our accomodation of three nights by coach. After completing the hotel formalities we made our way into town led by the indispensable Radim Fajkus. Being a Polish speaker and having lived and played rugby in Krakow Radim's presence was a boon throughout our stay.
Not surprisingly we stopped at the first available bar and were immediately aware of how much Gordon Brown takes from us in taxes back home. A good beer was 50p. After an hour or two the natural excitement of being on tour began to wear off – for the more experienced of us at least - and we made our way back to the hotel by taxi - a one mile trip for four cost £1.50! The rest were left to their own devices.
A buffet breakfast had been pre-arranged for the tour. The excellent level of service and attention to detail by the hotel staff took some of us slightly by surprise but as this theme continued throughout our stay we were wrong to have arrived with any pre-conceptions.
After receiving confirmation that our match against Juvenia Krakow RFC was to kick off at 6.15 we made our way into Krakow city centre. It was stunning. The historical significance of the city was there for all to see and the main square was hugely impresssive. As can be imagined everyone did their "own thing" but most of us got to visit the impressive Wawel castle and of course the world renowned Jewish Quarter.
Being the centre of German Government in occupied Poland it is fortunate that the warped Nazi psyche left most of the original Jewish synagogues and buildings intact. Sadly though, the same could not be said of the centuries old Jewish community.
As kick off time approached the group made their way to Juvenia RFC.
The impressive facilities belied the relative newness of the game in Poland. The changing rooms, showers and weights room were top notch and the playing area was enclosed and partially terraced. As their team gradually arrived the barebones Pwllheli squad wondered what we were in for. JUVENIA fielded TWO full sides and were substantially bigger that our team. We barely made a side - through injury again - and were grateful for Radim Pavlasek's two hour drive from the Czech Republic to strengthen the team.
The Polish side started very strongly but Pwllheli surprised everyone by their tenacity and cohesion. Our pre-game game plan was simple, “don’t give anything away,” and for once it worked. Our kicking game was excellent. All fifteen players played really well with Carwyn Rowlands on the left wing playing a full part. There could have been any number of man of the match awards but suffice to say that the lads did us proud. We won the game by 31-19.
We enjoyed excellent apres match festivities and the Poles were good hosts. We met at Juvenia's local and later the whole group ate at ROOTERS. A good meal but not a patch on its close namesake - HOOTERS in the USA. Everyone got home safely albeit bleary eyed and rather bruised.
The following day was an altogether more salutary and harrowing experience as we visited Auchwitz and Birkenau. The term "man's inhumanity to man" cannot begin to describe what went on in this hell. The exhibit of two tons of human hair silenced even the chirpiest of our group. Birkenau struck home by its sheer vastness - 135 acres with gas chambers with a 2000 person capacity were testimony to the degradation and industrial scale of this human slaughter. With an average daily population of 90000, death was the norm with victims continually being replenished from throughout the whole of the Reich. The entire party reacted to what we saw and learnig about such atrocities should be a must on every school curiculum. I can only hope the perpetrators are rotting in hell.
Saturday morning saw an early start to our next base in OSTRAVA in the Czech Republic. At the end of a four hour journey we booked into the hotel POLSKY DUM. If you want old world charm mixed with superb service you would do far worse than this three star hotel - centrally situated, rooms with en suite facilities and comfortable. The restaurant was excellent with prices our grandparents used to pay. Go there before standards drop and prices rise. Speak to JITKA at reception, she was helpfullness epitomised.
Anyway we dumped our gear and boarded what was to be our coach for the next three days. I don't know how old it was but I’m sure it was fuelled by coal. Making up for that the driver was a gentle large man who couldn't do enough to accomodate us. Czech hospitalty excelled throughout our stay in this industrial heartland in the north of the Republic. Twenty minutes later and we arrived at our hosts’ ground in the centre of this modern city, which is HAVIROV. Built in classic Soviet style the city did not exist until the 1950s.
We were overwhelmed with the welcome we recieved. We were fed and watered prodiguosly and we were soon settled in the 30 degree heat. The afternoon had seen Litchfield veterans win a tourament there and as you can imagine the banter between the English and Welsh clubs was soon in full flow.
One unforgettable riposte to the jibe that we Welsh have a sexual interest in sheep was a confirmation that this was indeed the case as we prepared for them to be eaten by the English !!
Following the veterans tournament we watched a crucial league game between Havirov and Prague with the home side narrowly losing an interesting game. The bonus for us visitors was to meet up again with Michel Pukas who had a stint as prop at Pwllheli some time ago.
After a few beers and confirmation of arrangements for our match agaianst Havirov we returned to Ostrava by coach. It was that evening the group had the first experience of Stodloni Street, Ostrava ..... high class entertainment, excellent restaurants and wonderful Czech beer, and again all at 1950s prices. This was an eye opener in terms of standards and quality. The players maintained discipline and had an early night. The old guys - mention must at this stage be made of Roy Kip who starred throughout - were not so puctual, but needless to say JITKA was courtesy personified as she wished us all good night- or morning - when we eventually got to bed.
Breakfast was a delight with 6 uniformed trainee waitresses responding to our every whim - superb. At 12 noon our trusty coach arrived and in less than 30 minutes we were at Harivov's excellent ground. With the temperature touching 33 degrees it was going to be a long hot afternoon for our players. Fortunately several of the Lichfield veterans agreed to bench for us. Aled Griffiths declared himself fit to play but Radim Pavlasek had to cry off with a broken finger suffrered in our match in Poland.
Havirov started with some changes from the side which opened against Prague the previous day. However such was the pace and power Pwllheli brought into the game substitutes were quickly introduced to bolster the home team.
Pwllheli's injury jinx does not seem quite ready to disappear and early in the half wing Carwyn Rowlands suffered a dislocated shoulder. Two doctors from the Lichfield Party tried to assist and their help was much appreciated. It became necessary to take Carwyn to hospital. It took just 45 minutes for him to be assessed, X rayed, given a painkilling and cortisone injection, have the shoulder put back in place and put in a sling and discharged, and all this free of charge.
The match was hard fought with some huge tackles put in by both sides. Pwllheli eventaully eased into a 38-17 victory which brought a comforting finale to what has been a disasterous season for the club.
After match presentations were made with KAREL GAMAN- Havirov's President and Secretary being singled out for special praise for all he had done to make the trip such a resounding success.
We reluctantly bad farewell to Osrava as we made the four hour train journey to Prague. The journey was made so much easier by the fine fare offered by JLV on the train.The final vestiges of Soviet rule could occasionally be seen in huge dumps of Soviet military vehicles and fusalages of Mig fighters parked alongside the track.We soon left behind any sign of heavy industry as we sped through the Czech countryside.
On arrival in Prague we caught a tram to the hotel - 12 floors of Russian architecture, but comfortable en suite rooms for all that. Without delay everyone made their way to the city's sights. The older guys went to see the castle and its' cathedrals.They were hugely impressive.The players went elsewhere. It must have been good because they didn't get back until we were almost ready to leave the following morning!!!!!!!!!
Back on the train we went shopping in HAVIROV for a light lunch before leaving for Krakow airport.
For the club this was an important tour. We travelled to Poland and the Czech Republic
having lost our status as a Division Four club.The performances of this group of players
rekindled the spirits of all involved and makes the club even more determined to do well this forthcoming season.
Plans for our next tour-probably to California in 2008 -are already in their early stages.
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May 13th 2007
Photos of the game courtesy of
Aleš Milerský
Many thanks.
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May 10th 2007
19 31
Many thanks to
Filip Liguzinski
for photos of the game.
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May 9th 2007
The adventure begins. Meeting at Pwllheli 12.15pm Wednesday afternoon before travelling by coach to the John Lennon Airport, Liverpool to catch the plane for Poland. Arrive at Krakow 8.45pm. Travel to the Hotel Krakowiak, which will be the base for the next three nights.
Krakow is Poland's second largest city and one of the oldest in the country having a population of 780,000. The city's history goes back centuries and today is a major tourist attraction with in excess of seven million visitors annually.
The following morning can be spent relaxing before the coach travel to Juvenia Krakow to play the first of the tour matches.
International rugby has existed in Poland since 1958 and at present the country lie 31st in the International Rugby Board table. Their last two internationals have been won, 12-11 against Croatia and 33-9 against Latvia last week.
The country has 26 Clubs playing in two leagues with Juvenia Krakow playing in the Premier League. The Club was formed in 1973 playing their first game the following year.
On Saturday morning the party travel to Ostrava and after booking into the Hotel Polski Dum travel to Havirov. Havirov was formed after the Second World War as a mining town. It is the second largest city in the area with a population of 85,000 and is the biggest in the Republic without an University.
The Czech Republic started playing internationally in 1993 after their split with Czechoslovakia. They stand 33rd in the IRB rankings and at the moment are taking part in the European Nations Cup.
The Republic have 19 teams with 3640 registered players playing in two major leagues with RC Havirov being members of the Extraliga, the main league.
A busy and exciting weekend has been planned coinciding with the tour. On Saturday RC Havirov hold their 3rd Veteran Turkey Festival and later on the same day RC Havirov play hosts to Tatra Smichov in a League match. Pwllheli's second game of the tour takes place against RC Havirov the following day.
On Monday afternoon the group visit a local coal mine to include a visit to the coal face.This will be a vastly new experience for all the party.
The tour closes with a train journey to Prague where the party can relax on their last day on tour.
The group return to Wales the following day.
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May 3rd 2007
There has been a change to the original programme of events.
The Czech Republic Rugby Union have arranged a League match between RC Havirov and RC Tatra Smichov on May 12th 2007. The game between RC Havirov and Clwb Rygbi Pwllheli will now take place the following day.
Pwllheli fly out on Wednesday May 9 and play in KRAKOW the following day.They visit Auchwitz /Birkenau on the Friday before travelling to the Czech Republic on Saturday.
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April 23rd 2007
The third Havirov Turkey Tournament takes place on May 12th 2007. The tournament is a series for veterans over 35 years of age and is part on the European Golden Oldies Rugby calendar.
Following the tournament Pwllheli Rugby Club play R C Havirov. Havirov is the home town and Club of Pavel and Radim 1 and 2.
Radim playing for RC Havirov in 2005.
Link to RC Havirov's website.
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April 18th 2007
TRIP TO SEE LLANELLI AT LEICESTER.
Bus departs 7.30am Saturday morning returning at 6.00pm prompt.
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April 13th 2007
Tickets for the trip to Leicester to watch the semi final of the Heineken Cup have been sold out.
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April 11th 2007
We have two or three ticets remaining for the trip to Leicester to see the semi final of the Heineken Cup between Leicester and Llanelli on April 21st 2007. The cost of the trip including coach travel and ticket is £35. Full details available soon.
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April 6th 2007
LEICESTER V LLANELLI
SEMI FINAL-HEINEKEN CUP
APRIL 21, 2007.
WALKER STADIUM LEICESTER.
The Club have already filled one coach for this match. If there is sufficiant demand we will attempt to secure more tickets and arrange a second coach. Contact the Club without delay if interested.
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March 20th 2007
Rugby Tour May 9-16, 2007
The Rugby Club set off on May 9th on their tour of Poland and the Czech Republic.
We will be playing two games and visiting Krakow, Havirov and Prague during our stay.
Anyone interested in joining the tour party should contact Wil Martin.
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Wales play two warm up matches in preparation for the Rugby World Cup at the Millenium Stadium during August.
August 18th Wales v Argentina
August 26th Wales v France
Tickets are available for both games and these can be ordered now. Prices are £30 and £20 each. Cash with orders please in accordance with Club policy. Members only. Contact the Club for further details.
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March 8th 2007
The Club will NOT get an allocation of tickets for the forthcoming World Cup.
Although games will be played at the Millenium Stadium the Welsh
Rugby Union have no control over tickets.
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February 9th 2007
All tickets for the game against England next week have been sold.
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January 30th 2007
All tickets for the Ireland game have now been sold.
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UNFORTUNATELY AS OF 08/01/2007 ALL TICKETS FOR THE SIX NATIONS' MATCHES-BOTH HOME AND AWAY- HAVE BBEN SOLD.
THE COST OF 6 NATIONS TICKETS HAS RISEN BY TWO POUNDS A TICKET .THIS MAKES
THE MOST EXPENSIVE TICKET £47.
28 OCTOBER,2006.
THE LATEST SITUATION RELATING TO THE NOVEMBER INTERNATIONALS IS;
NEW ZEALAND-NO TICKETS.
CANADA-NO TICKETS.
AUSTRALIA-NO TICKETS.
PACIFIC ISLANDS -N0 TICKETS.
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THE AUTUMN SERIES INTERNATIONAL TICKETS ARE NOW AVAILABLE .ONCE AGAIN
WALES WELCOME NEW ZEALAND AND AUSTRALIA TOGETHER WITH CANADA AND THE
PACIFIC ISLANDS TO THE MILLENIUM STADIUM.TICKET PRICES ARE £45 FOR
INDIVIDUAL SEATS BUT AS WITH LAST YEAR PACKAGES ARE AVAILABLE;
NEW ZEALAND/AUSTRALIA/PACIFIC ISLANDS CAN BE BOUGHT IN SETS OF 3 (THAT IS
ONE OF EACH) FOR £99.THIS IS A SAVING OF £36 A SET.
CANADA TICKETS ARE £10 AND £5 RESPECTIVELY.
PURCHASES CAN BE MADE DIRECTLY AT THE HOWARD ROBERTS MEMORIAL MATCH ON
AUGUST 27 OR VIA THE CLUB.PAYMENT WITH ORDER ONLY PLEASE.
SIX NATIONS TICKETS ARE NOT YET ON SALE. PLEASE NOTE THAT TICKETS FOR BOTH
HOME MATCHES ARE GOING TO BE EXCEPTIONALLY TIGHT.
VIEW THE FIXTURES PAGE FOR THE NOVEMBER AND 6 NATIONS DATES AND TIMES.
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CLUB TICKET PURCHASES MUST COMPLY WITH CLUB POLICY.TICKETS SHOULD
NEVER BE SOLD ABOVE FACE VALUE.ANY UNWANTED TICKETS MUST BE OFFERED
BACK TO THE CLUB IN THE FIRST INSTANCE.PURCHASERS MUST BE FULL MEMBERS
OF CLWB RYGBI PWLLHELI.IN FAIRNESS TO ALL OUR MEMBERS MULTIPLE
APPLICATIONS CANNOT BE ACCEPTED.
ANY MEMBER FOUND SELLING TICKETS ON EBAY -OR ANY OTHER SIMILAR FORUM-
WILL BE BANNED FROM BEING ABLE TO PURCHASE TICKETS FROM THE CLUB.
PREPAYMENT IS REQUIRED FOR ALL TICKETS.THIS IS TO ENSURE THE CLUB ARE
NOT LEFT WITH UNPAID TICKETS AS AS HAPPENED MANY TIMES IN THE PAST.
FURTHER DETAILS CONTACT CLUB SECRETARY ON 01758613307,THE CLUB
ADMINISTRATOR ON 01758 613676 OR WIL MARTIN.
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DO YOU WANT GUARANTEED MATCH TICKETS FOR ALL WALES HOME MATCHES AT
THE MILLENIUM STADIUM ?CONTACT US ABOUT OUR VICE PRESIDENT SCHEME.
N.B. PLEASE NOTE THAT BECAUSE OF UNPRECEDENTED DEMAND WE ARE UNABLE TO
ACCEPT ANY NEW APPLICATIONS FOR THIS SEASON-2006-2007.
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TOURS;
THE SENIOR SIDES TOGETHER WITH THE YOUTH TEAM PLAN TO VISIT AND PLAY IN PRAGUE AND HAVIROV IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC AS WELL AS KRAKOW IN POLAND.DATES TO BE CONFIRMED AS SOON AS THE DIVISION 4 FIXTURES ARE ANNOUNCED.WE ARE NOW LOOKING AT FLYING OUT ON MAY 9,2007.PLAY A MATCH ON PRAGUE,TRAVEL BY TRAIN TO HAVIROV.PLAY A MATCH THERE AND THEN BUS IT TO KRAKOW FOR A FEW NIGHTS AND ONE MATCH THERE BEFORE FLYING FROM KRAKOW TO LIVERPOOL.
IT IS OUR INTENTION THAT OUR YOUTH TEAM,TOGETHER WITH OUR JUNIOR SIDES ,PLAY IN THE NANTES AREA DURING THE PERIOD WALES ARE DUE TO PLAY THEIR WORLD CUP MATCHES AGAINST FIJI AND THE U.S.A-THAT IS IN THE AUTUMN OF 2007-IN THAT CITY.THE PLAN ,OF COURSE,IS TO COMBINE OUR MATCHES WITH SUPPORTING WALES.
THE UNDER 12/12/14 TEAMS UNDERTOOK A TWO MATCH TOUR OF IRELAND IN
OCTOBER ,2005.SEE THE JUNIOR SECTION FOR THE TOUR REPORT.
CONTACT MARK ROBERTS FOR DETAILS OF TOUR RESULTS AND INFORMATION-
01758613717.