Worcester Rugby Football Club Tour to Gibraltar & Spain 29th April –3RD May 2022
This tour was conceived in 2019 and planned for 2020 and then along came covid, hence after a two year delay off we went
Thirty six had dropped out over the period but there were still thirty four of us on the coach at Sixways at 4-30 in the morning waiting for Will Ward to arrive. We finally had to pick him up at The Swan at Whittington a half hour late—a fine awaits!!!!!!
An uneventful trip to Heathrow where we met up with Gazza, Ralphy and a new wing star Zeus and then British Airways on to Gibraltar. A short walk across the border to our hotel in Spain and the tour proper began. A few beers and a decent meal later it was off to see the sights, bars and nightclubs of La Linea where AJ promptly lost his passport and James Rich was lucky not to lose his. The lads behaved.
Saturday morning, the first court and the day of the first matches. The court first—when thirty pints are lined up @£2-30 each as fines there’s trouble ahead. With Big Ron as bewigged judge Scoot as prosecutor and our senior citizens as jury there was only one outcome. Nineteen of our gathering were found guilty of being tour virgins and in one long gulp reduced the number of fines. Thereafter the other miscreants were bought up one by one and suffered their fate. Then off to Europa Point, Gibraltar for the rugby part to begin.
The new sports complex high up overlooking the Mediterranean and with a view to Africa is amazing with a cost £36 Million and a 4G PI which skins the knees as our lads found out. With good wins against St Neots and a Gibraltar Select side the lads did us proud in the sun and stifling heat --the stars being lightning fast new boy Jake,the very abrasive winger Zeus ,a cracking centre Puggy and the hard yards making Bucky.
What do we do now? Well how about a few more pints, a chicken curry and an Irish Jig to finish off with? Thanks to our hosts Gibraltar RFU for a fabulous day finished off with a visit to the Sports Bar in Ocean Village, Gibraltar Town. Renditions of American Pie and Delila went down well meanwhile, sad to say AJ has had to stay in La Linea, passportless. Tomorrow’s going to be his day.
An early start to Bahia Rugby Club in Algeciras to try and beat the scorching sun. What are we wearing today?—well “shit” shirts of course-- so a taxi trip back to La Linea and return for three of them ensued. The match--a comfortable win 27-10 but with a scare in the second half when Bahia scored two cracking tries in quick succession. Our two back rowers Psycho and AJ having performed their front row duties were subbing at the time and done for pace. Jake once again the star but with big Matt now sober running him close
Ah yes what now? Well how about a few more pints and a paella at the Bahia bar hq? Note-- to the James family and friends don’t believe the story that the bar is a pleasant one mile walk through town when it is actually a two mile slog up hill in the boiling sun.
After an impromptu court and yet more pints as fines it was back to La Linea for 4-30 pm, the coach trip made all the more interesting by Ade Parson’s wife Jo Jo keeping the young lads amused.
Well that’s the rugby successfully done with. What now? Well how about more pints on the hotel terrace and then into La Linea for the nightlife? Sounds like a plan.
Monday was our touristy bit in Gibraltar preceded by our final court—don’t upset the Judge he’s feeling liverish. A sightseeing trip around the rock including the amazing St Michael’s Cave .The views of the Med, Spain and Africa-stunning. The apes behaving.The lads behaving—it’s time for a pint.The afternoon was spent in Casemate Square downing at least six pints of Heineken or Spanish Lager and sharing paellas. It was now time to cross the border only to find an officious Spanish guard on duty. Despite having four border stamps already on our passports, our hotel booking forms and room passes all of which allegedly”could have been forged” he then asked which way we had voted in Brexit—to Remain of course was the right answer and we were across
Anyway that’s it----another night enjoying La Linea and then a quiet flight and coach trip back to Worcester on the Tuesday to be welcomed by our familys. We counted them all out and we counted them all back except AJ who arrived back in Birmingham from Malaga the following day.
We have a number of thanks to make
Firstly the tourists—a great bunch of lads who gelled together really well enjoying both the rugby and the social aspect of the tour
The Gibraltar, St Neots and Bahia Rugby Clubs for their rugby fellowship and hospitality.
Adrian Parsons and his company Spanish Rugby Tours for organising the Gibraltar and Spanish elements of the tour and for the photos accompanying this article.
Jo Jo Parsons for keeping the lads amused.
Those tourists who couldn’t in the end make the tour and who donated their tour money to enable less well off tourists to join us.
