SAL writes: "An early start saw a short trip to the Argentinean side of the Iguaçu Falls. The breathtaking scenery from above was trumped by the views from the river once we took our aqua safari. Mr Hulme was fully to blame for the subsequent soaking which entailed; when asked, "how wet do the boys want to get," his reply of "very, very" was certainly taken literally. At one point the boat seemed to sit under the water fall and drench the whole party. A quick change and an all you can eat buffet meat feast later and we were ready to drive to Brazil to see the other side of the falls. Delayed slightly by Ed Russell not paying his bill and Jake Studholme losing his camera, we were on our way. The Brazilian side offered a full panoramic of the whole stretch of the falls and was well worth the effort; or so we thought…….when the bus broke down, it was not wholly unexpected as for at least a mile the sound of scraping metal suggested all was not well. Our guide Luis organised some light refreshment and a replacement coach was with us within half an hour. Impressive stuff. After a quick change back at the ranch, we sped into town for our final meat feast. This was followed by a "Kangaroo Court", Judge Ed Oram presiding. Inter alia there were fines for Jones' constant tardiness, Russell ma's constant noise, Hartley-Russell's unhealthy obsession with Russell ma and Mr Gregory's bogus chant of "come on Windsor". Mr Paul was also in trouble with the bench for advising under-age boys that The Ship Inn in Wandsworth (near the McDonald's roundabout) was somewhere they might like to go to meet with ladies and success of a Sunday. Our final port of call was the Cuba Libre. Once again we saw the "Dudge-Step" and Russell mi compromised his integrity by being less than truthful about certain elements of his personal details.

 

The next morning saw breakfast and the opportunity for some tourists to enjoy a helicopter trip over the falls. At 12:30 we embarked on the 25 hour odyssey back to Heathrow. It all went smoothly until the final leg from Madrid. Charlie Hobhouse briefly lost his passport, just at the moment when we were about to have a chat with Ruud Gullit, who was boarding our flight. Fortunately he found it to ensure that bar the odd injury, the tour concluded trouble-free. I would like to thank the boys for their conduct on this tour. It is a somewhat nervy experience, given the range of mishaps which could happen. However, their attitude was constantly positive and they never gave up trying to enjoy themselves both on the pitch and off of it. And in both regards they got it right. I would also like to thank the staff members who came along. Mr Paul and Mr Gregory do not even teach at Eton, so deserve huge respect for giving up their time and for becoming an integral part of the tour so quickly. Mr MacLennan has only been at Eton one year but his coaching expertise and proactive approach belie so little experience. Finally, Mr Hulme, who knew nothing of rugby, proved worth his weight in gold. Knowing that boys taken to hospital were in the hands of a fluent Spanish-speaker made the tour much less stressful all round, as did his good humour and sage advice."

 

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James Tozer writes: "The day began (very prematurely) as the previous one had finished: on the long and winding road to Buenos Aires, deep in the bowels of the "Marcelo-mobile". Weary heads lolled against each other, with some gaining valuable rest by leaning on the windows. Some looked the worse for wear after a night out in Rosario; some had barely made the bus, sleepwalking from their rooms out of the Imperio's front door. The journey passed by in a blurry haze, with only the odd silhouette stumbling down the aisle or the blast of passing car horn for distraction.

 

We arrived at Buenos Aires' now familiar airport at 7am, with the check-in queue fast becoming a mass of bodies sleeping on suitcases. Arriving at the gate 2 hours later, we had plenty of time to kill, with most gratefully accepting the opportunity to get some more shut-eye. One poor wretch - who certainly appeared to be suffering from the after-effects of "Rosario-gate" - was the victim of an elaborate, passport-related prank by Russell and Hartley-Russell. With all international documentation recovered, we boarded the LAN flight to Iguazu. 

 

After a somewhat turbulent flight - in which much was done by various members of the squad to assuage James Phillpot's fears - we arrived to the happy news that the hotel was yet to ready our rooms. One local pizza meal later, and we were back at the Complejo Americano, this time to unpack and settle in. Though a few individuals ventured into town to partake in local amusements - with Nick Russell receiving a fine return on a sound investment - a large portion of the squad remained in our new base, resting up. Dinner was served in the hotel's dining area - a light pasta dish - before a comparatively early night in anticipation of a 7am start for the falls. With the mosquitoes circling, all windows were kept firmly shut."

 

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James Tozer writes: "Though some of the squad were still feeling the after-effects of a week's intensive rugby, and many were suffering from a mild degree of mid-week fatigue, we pressed on with the itinerary. A whistle-stop tour of Rosario kicked off at 10.00, with the "Marcelo-mobile" whisking us through the more aesthetically-pleasing areas of the city. Highlights included a "magical" flower-bed calendar, a bridge that apparently stretched for 60km and a 300ft marble monument offering a panoramic view of Rosario for a 2 peso fee.

 

The tour concluded around 1.30pm, leaving the rest of the afternoon free (including the opportunity to catch up on sleep / complete the Imperio experience with a pool sesh). Some of the tour shuffled into central Rosario to see what offers were on the table, though the results - as ever with this enigmatic city - were something of a lottery, with Messrs Russell, Redwood and Hartley-Russell looking particularly down.

 

Either way, we all found our way back to the hotel for a 7.30 departure to one of the classiest restaurants in town for a celebratory meal. After a pleasant steak and Lopez combo, an executive decision was made to allow the squad a night out, with a nearby bar - electriK (sic)  - the location of choice. Following a quiet sampling of Argentine mead, we headed back to the Imperio for a "hydration period" before setting off into the eerie night, Buenos Aires-bound, beginning at 2am."

 

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The Final Match

James Tozer writes: "Following a leisurely morning of cereal, croissants and cutting-edge video analysis, we arrived at Club Rosario by 11.30. We were immediately impressed by the standard of the clubhouse and pitch, both of which belied the club's colonial roots. Unfortunately, the beautifully kept first team pitch was declared waterlogged - apparently a groundsman spotted dew on a few blades of grass by the corner-flag - and we were forced to relocate to the reserve pitches, another half-an-hour's drive away. These facilities were clearly less cared for, with parts of the pitch closer resembling sandpaper than turf. Unconcerned, we prepared for our last match for months, and the make-or-break game of the tour.

As customary, the 2nd XV assumed the curtain-raiser role, stepping out first into the sunny Rosario afternoon. The game started in the worst possible fashion, leaking a cheap try through missed tackles, but the 2nds soon equalised with a well-worked backs move. Both sides exchanged scores throughout the first half, with Jamie Wilson's precision goal-kicking grafting out a slight advantage. The second half continued in similar fashion, with an evenly-matched game creating a nail-biting finish. Sam William's late try clinched the victory in a real dog-fight: 34-29. James Tozer was awarded MofM for his tireless defence / chip-and-chase skills.

The XV faced a formidable opponent in Rosario's first team, but began the contest in the ascendancy, with Shane Adams' mazy run almost opening the scoring. Rosario made the most of a half-chance to take the lead, somewhat against the run of play, before quickly consolidating their advantage with two further scores. A Hartley-Russell penalty and Oram try reduced the deficit, but further dominance from the home side was asserted before half-time. Paddy Cavanagh-Butler continued his fine try-scoring form, adding to his tally despite carrying an injury, but in the end the local team proved too strong, running out as 48-17 victors. The XV must be commended for their resilience on this game, with the side ravaged by injury - 5 starters ruled out, 7-8 of the team carrying knocks and a record 8 substitutions used - and showed good commitment to match a well-organised, physical team for long stretches of play. MofM went to Dom Steele for his imperious work in the line-out.

With spirits refusing to be dampened by the events of the afternoon, the squad made the most of Club Rosario's hospitality, with cervezas in tow, before a bite to eat at McDonalds and a deep, deep sleep at Castle Imperio.
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James Tozer writes: "Having packed and stowed our gear for Rosario, we made the most of our last morning in Santa Fe, enjoying a relaxing swim and spa session. 40 sweaty rugby players piled into the heated swimming pool, and proceeded to create the world's largest whirlpool (in which several of the younger members of the tour are believed to have been lost at sea). A game of water "bulldog" followed, with Jamie Wilson - still feeling a bit ginger from the night before - being one of the first casualties.

We sauntered onto the bus braced for another epic journey, eager for our next destination. The ennui of travel was alleviated by another Lions tour DVD - this time the 2009 South Africa edition - whilst Edward Russell entertained us with his stand-up act. The 3 or so hours transit flew by, and before long we were checking in to the luxurious Hotel Imperio, our latest HQ. The call of Rosario's city centre beckoned - with plenty of exciting activities on the cards - before dinner. Earlier, the coaches had decided to stick with steak rather than twist with pizza, and a full house settled down for our usual steak and chips at a local restaurant, before an early night at the Imperio."
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URGENT NOTICE FOR PARENTS IN ARGENTINA

Please note venue change has been confirmed to Rosario Atletico "Plaza Jewell" on Goddy Avenue between 8900 and 9000 (these are the block numbers). If you go up Goddoy Avenue, go past the Channel 3 studio/offices, over the railway and you will see the club on your right. Alternatively, you may come to the original venue (where we will be having lunch) and follow the coach, which will leave at 12:45. Kick off at 2:30 for 2nd XV followed by 1st XV.
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James Tozer writes:"
Fresh for the upcoming clash with Universitario, we marched out to the waiting coach through the windy, drizzly morning. Arriving at the club an hour later, we were instantly aware of the difficult conditions, with an initial warm-up on one of the many pitches somewhat hampered by the wet and cold. Undeterred, we headed in for a quick pre-match bowl of pasta (with a generous helping of "butter sauce") before setting off to the changing rooms.

The 2nd XV were up first, striding into the arena to strains of "God Save the Queen". After an initial scrap, a sizeable lead was opened up, with holes in the home defence exposed and exploited time and again. A hatful of tries from all departments of the team brought the halftime score to 27-0, with a further 3 scores in the second period leading to a 42-0 rout. Freddie Davies was awarded the MofM award for his dynamic ball-carrying, with the young back-line also impressing.

The 1st XV, heading out into a darkening storm, were next up. Featuring a slightly altered side from the Newman match, the tourists started brightly, only to be pegged back by an untimely charge-down try. The team fought back well - despite occasional bouts of kick tennis - but trailed 7-0 at the break. A few chances presented themselves in the second half - notably a Sasada try disallowed for offside - but a late score for the home team killed of the game, with a final score of 15-0. Despite the result, the side did well to deal with a spate of injuries, and all 5 substitutes had to be used. The MofM accolade was awarded to Rory Anderson.

Once again, the home side treated us with great hospitality, providing a warm and enjoyable evening for us all at the club. Mr Lambert recited his traditional thank-you speech in Spanish - with an intricate joke at the expense of Hartley-Russell thrown in - before checking back into the hotel for a swim, spa and optional night out in Parana."
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