Llanelli Warriors update

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   Taken from the Warriors website - it sounds as though they're having a whale of a time...

Posted By dean on Thursday, June 30, 2005

1st chance to take stock and post on here and can't beleive what we've done in such short time. Didn't sleep on 2nd flight so am pretty tired but it's a crazy tour. We got into Auckland and met our guide Gappa and then flew a 33 seater to New Plymouth. With only a few other passangers on the flight we soon took over with our own waitress service and by the end of a short flight we had the driver ribbing us and everyone knew who we were.
We were****ing about on the runway and then as we walked into the reception (it was about the size of Pembrey airport) I could see what I thought was a busker. It turned out to be a primary school teacher with a full load of kids who put on a great performance of singing and dancing including the 1st haka of tour. It was very impressive and we were quite blown away. We gave them a crap version of Sospan fach and handed out some keyrings and stuff.
We met our other guide Marshy who played for Taranaki until he hurt his shoulder. Him and Gappa are huge and want to play for us, doubling our pack weight in 1 go. We got a free coat and got on board our 'flower power' bus. Drove to Palmerston North and watched the Lions put 100 points on Manawatu. Glanaman boy Shane Williams got a new try record and we got the flag on tv for a bit.
Not everyone made it out but your intrepid reporter made sure he was there for research puporses. Its a very student town so although not very big had plenty of bars and clubs open late. We took over a bar which was literally four walls a DJ and sawdust floor. Some of the boys ended up in a dance off with some of the locals and I eventually came in 4:00am which is a great way to see off jet lag.
yesterday we got the tour started properly with the usual kangeroo kourt, t shirts, tour slave etc etc. Visited the NZ rugby museum and gave them a badge, they were actually quite interested. A Welsh bloke in another party spotted a letter he'd sent last time he was in NZ with a 1st day cover of the Welsh triple crown, on display. we stopped and embarrased ourselves at a local park with a training run and then visited the Tui brewery. highlight was getting boys to pose for photos in a bed with a cardboard cut out woman, blackmail letters to follow!
Quick pub lunch and then drove to Masterton. We had a few (more) beers and met former All Black, Buck Williams who was capped alongside former NZ coach John Mitchell.
Thursday: Good kangeroo court followed by Choir practise in Big Als room. game against carterton this afternoon. Selection issues now with 3 extra players and Louie promising places in the team in return for bribes. We have a small band of supporters with us, a jock another taff and a couple of kiwis, one of whom is also going to play. Gullibles travels are also staying here and some of them may come and watch. The main tv station are going to come and film some of the tour and there was a small bit in the local paper about our game today. Plenty of stories but we are paying for this by the.

- dean(dean@llanelliwarriors.co.uk)

Llanelli Warriors Vrs Carterton

Posted By dean on Thursday, June 30, 2005

Llanelli Warriors Played their first game of the tour Yesterday at Carterton Final Score Warriors 41 Carterton 39 thanks to a dodgy decision by the Welsh linesman Lewis Jones. 
The game was played is good spirit in front of a large crowd, who were entertained by a feast of running rugby. The Match celebrated the 100 game for lock John Horwood who capped a fine performance with some outstanding line out work. Dai Newson scored his 50 try in a warriors shirt. The game has had some good press coverage, with several press releases and also hitting the Wellington TV 
Also Colin Talcon recieved Man of the match. Other Try scorers were Colin Talcon, Lee Rowlands, Dai edwards, Richie Hapus, Ian Marshall and match winning try was scored by the young promising GARY JAMES!!!!! Also on the score sheet was John Kerr with 5 successful kicks Rhys Besley with a drop goal from nowhere. The game was Marred the poor performance by the long haired freak Gwilym Lewis!!!!!!(sponsored by Head and Shoulder Shampoo)
The After match function was one to be remembered, where we enjoyed lots of singing, and a new record was broken with Lewis Jones buying beer for All!!!! 
Lewis Jones is now in hiding following his controversial decision, that resulted in the police being called to arrest the cheating linesman!!
He hopes to escape the country on a quickly built raft and plans to sail to Fiji in the morning!!!! With the northerly winds and his ears used as sails he is hoping to arrive in Fiji within the Hour!!! 

- dean(dean@llanelliwarriors.co.uk)

Edited by scarletchick