The Australian Fijians head out to JJB fitness centre to spend the entire day working on their recovery and match review. In what was a physical encounter the day before the boys have pulled up rather sore and the staff have a massive day of recovery planned in order bring their bodies back to normal as quick as possible as the playing schedule will intensify at the back end of the week with a catch up game against Rochdale scheduled for Friday Dec 12 and then their final game against National League 1 outfit the Barrow Border Raiders on Sunday Dec 14. A pool session then lunch was followed by match review, suspended movement on the cardio and power plate machines and stretch and relaxation class to finish off. Mataika Vatuvei was the only real injury concern with a loose front tooth he received when head butted by a Hunslet player.
Wednesday Dec 10
The players were given the day off which saw most of the players and staff head into Manchester for the day. Coaching Consultant Peter ‘Spider” Walsh left for Sydney as he had to return home for his son’s school graduation. The team were very sad to Spider leave as he had a great input to the teams success and was instrumental in the team securing a UK based sponsor as well as negotiating match fees and transport whilst on tour. The AFRL is truly grateful for all his help and would like him to remain with the team in the same sort of capacity in the future.
Thursday Dec 11
The Australian Fijians head out to Middleton to complete their final field session before the match against Rochdale the next day. At the completion of the session news surfaces that the match has been cancelled upon a final pitch inspection that deemed the ground unsafe due to its hard and frozen state. The team although disappointed with this decision now turns its focus to what will be it’s toughest encounter against Barrow on Sun Dec 14.
Friday Dec 12
The team complete a core based weights session at JJB gym followed by lunch. They then head back out to Middleton to complete a sharp speed and agility session followed by their final training run together on the tour before the Barrow match. The team can sense the tours end is near and the boys trained with an intensity and sharpness yet to be matched whilst on tour.
Saturday Dec 13
The players have a free day where most guys head into Manchester to do their last shopping. Others chose to take it easy in preparation for the last game of the tour and what shapes as there toughest up against a club with high ambitions in Barrow.
Sunday Dec 14
The bus departs for Cumbria once again but before the bus leaves everyone is treated to a tribute DVD of the tour put together by Suli Koroibulileka and gang. The bus arrives in Barrow to a great welcome and the conditions couldn’t be better with a sunny afternoon and a soft but fast track. Bad luck strikes the Australian Fijians in the warm up with James Lagiloa aggravating a groin and being relegated from the starting team because of this.
The Australian Fijians put three tries on Barrow early but fail to convert a goal. Barrow with a 21 man rotation begin to wear the Australian Fijians down when Eloni Vunakece was sin binned for reasons yet to be determined and peg back the lead to go in 12 –12 at the break.
With the timely arrival of Puna Rasabale and Tabua Cakacaka at halftime from a Gateshead Thunder training camp the Australian Fijians begin to gain the ascendancy again but when Cakacaka was sin binned controversially again and Barrow go in front 26 –12.
When the Australian Fijians get players back and a momentum swing with the referee which saw two Barrow players binned the Australian Fijians pull the scores back to 26 a piece. With numerous shots at Barrows line with time running down the Australian Fijians fail to get over the line and the game ends in 26 all draw.
Mataika Vatuvei, Eloni Vunakece, Samu Wara and Seva Koroi were all standouts in what were an enterprising game and a great spectacle for the Barrow people. The bus rolled back into Rochdale for the Flying Horse Hotel’s massive karaoke Sunday and James Lagiloa didin’t let the crowd down with his Lionel Ritchie performances and Eloni Vunakece didn’t go un-noticed with his rendition of Dancing Queen.
Monday Dec 15
Plenty of panadol, greasy fish and chips and sleeping was the order of the day after the final drink of the tour. A special thank you and presentation was made to Ray Hill, Andy Hulme (Hulpoint), Mike Ratu and Warren Fletcher for their help on tour. Ther was also a surprise apeearance from Perr – the Flying Horse owner who brought his collection of Eastern European Rocket Fuel for the boys which brought on the hair of the dog for everyone.
Tuesday Dec 16
An emotional goodbye to everyone at Rochdale and all the people that grew so attached to our boys in the three weeks. The long trip back to sunny Sydney was the light at the end of everyone’s tunnel with families waiting at the other end. An emotional hymn officially brought this historic tour to an end in the baggage area but the lifelong memories will live with all on this tour forever!
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The Inaugural 2008 Australian Fijians Great Britain Touring Squad
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