Tonbridge SchoolS 1st XV Gains Competitive โคEdge โคon โขPre-Season Basque Country โRugby Tour
Tonbridge School’s โค1st XV rugby team recently returned from aโ demanding pre-season training tour of the Basque Country, culminating in a victory against St Jean de luz Rugby Club. The tour, led by Director of Rugby Rhys Crane, focused โon building team spirit, match readiness, and physical conditioning ahead of the upcoming season.The intensive program combined rigorousโ training sessions at โthe unique Stade Belascain โin Bayonne – a sunken 5G pitch built into a fortress-like structure – with โขopportunities for cultural immersion. This blendโ of athletic readiness and team-building activities aims to provide the squad with โขa competitive advantage as they enter a โคnew season. The tour’s success underscores Tonbridge School’s commitment to holistic player development, prioritizing both on-field performance and off-field camaraderie.
The team’s training base at Stade Belascain provided the “perfect groundsโ toโ train,” according to 1stโ XV Captain Barnaby Grant (PS5). beyond theโฃ pitch, players explored San Sebastiรกn, with some visiting La Mota Castle โคwhile others enjoyed local cafรฉs.
Preparations for the match against St Jean de Luz โขRugby Club intensified on day four. A carb-heavy buffet preceded the โgame, where some players, despiteโ Mathew Cowley’s advice, “overindulged.” โTonbridge prevailed in theโค match, demonstrating “strong defense and fast attacking play” against a physical French side inโ challenging weather conditions.
Followingโ the victory, theโ team enjoyed a surf lesson at Chambre D’Amour beach, aโ welcome respite coinciding with the release of GCSE results. The squad also attended the Bayonneโ vs Biarritz derby. In a final test of endurance, Rhys Crane surprised the teamโค with a beach fitness session featuring wrestling drills, hill bear crawls, and “Malcolms,” pushing them to thier physical limits.
The tour โฃis being hailed as a “resounding success,” fostering team spirit and creating lasting memories as the team prepares for the challenges of the new season.
