All the boys chosen for the Lions tour assembled at Gateshead RFC to get some squad photos taken and do some final training before playing Dame Allan’s B team that afternoon. Training went really well and by 1:30 pm, the Lions were on their way to Dame Allan’s.
The boys began the match a little nervously, making a couple of handling mistakes in the first few minutes, but then things began to click. The backs made good ground through strong running from Ben Curry from EC and Oli Keeler from KA. One break from Ben, with excellent support, meant the Lions scored after about five minutes. Straight from the kick-off, the ball landed in Jayden Ajiyi’s arms from EC, and he set off on a mazy run that ended in him scoring a try from about 50 meters out, beating half the Dame Allan’s team to do so. The Lions then went on to score four more tries before half-time. In the second half, Dame Allan’s put up more of a fight and defended much better than in the first half. The Lions managed to score another three tries, with some conversions, and the final score was 55-0 to the Lions. After the match, the Lions had tea at Dame Allan’s with their players and then set off for their new base in Keswick, where they would stay for the next three days.
The Lions were up for an 8:30 am breakfast, followed by training in a nearby park in Keswick to prepare for their next match on Thursday. Once training was over, in monsoon-like conditions, the boys enjoyed some free time in Keswick before getting ready for their Go Ape activity. This involved a series of obstacles and zip lines through the trees in Whinlatter Forest. The whole course took 90 minutes to complete, and by the end, we had some tired lads! The boys then returned to their accommodation to change for their evening bowling event in Carlisle. They returned at around 10:45 pm, ready for bed after a busy day.
Once again, the boys were up bright and early, training and preparing for their match against Nelson Tomlinson School in Wigton that afternoon. Confidence was high after a solid training session. After some down time in Keswick, where some of the boys played crazy golf and pitch and putt while others went shopping and explored the town, we set off for Nelson Tomlinson School at 1 pm.
Nelson Tomlinson has a long rugby tradition, and their team, which also plays for Wigton RFC, was well-drilled and physical. The Lions knew they were in for a tough test. Nelson Tomlinson scored after 10 minutes and again soon after, leading 12-0 by the 15-minute mark. The Lions regrouped and fought back with excellent attacking and support play, along with some great defense that turned possession over. After gaining possession from a scrum and a couple of rucks, they went over to make it 12-5 with 10 minutes left in the half. Nelson Tomlinson managed two more scores before half-time.
In the second half, the Lions regrouped again and scored three good tries without response, two of which were great team efforts, while Noah Alexander of BA scored an outstanding individual try from our kick-off, running untouched under the posts. Nelson Tomlinson, clearly rattled, responded with a try from their powerful number 10, who also plays for Wigan Warriors Rugby League Academy. Nelson Tomlinson could have scored even more tries if not for some outstanding defending from the Lions. The standout moment was a tackle from fullback Finley Donnigan of CC, who cut down a winger from Nelson Tomlinson School just as he was about to score, tackling him into touch and saving a certain try. This play also gave the Lions possession from the line-out.
The Lions then scored again, bringing the game to 38-31 with two minutes left. They were attacking well and going through the phases when, unfortunately, one of the Nelson Tomlinson players kicked the ball through in a ruck. They won the race to the try line, fly-hacking the ball all the way and managing to score under the posts, converting to finish the game 45-31. It was an amazing game of rugby, one which required the entire Lions squad to push an excellent Nelson Tomlinson side all the way!
The boys returned to Keswick for their squad meal and a Kangaroo court session afterward.
The boys were up early for breakfast, packed their bags, and stripped their rooms, ready to head back to their respective schools. The final activity of the tour was a presentation in the youth hostel room, where the ESF Lion of the Tour and the individual school Lions were awarded. After the presentations, the boys and staff said their goodbyes and returned to their schools.
The boys were a credit to themselves, their families, their schools, and the ESF as a whole. Everywhere we went, people commented on how well-behaved the boys were, their manners, and their sportsmanship during matches. We hope that the boys continue their rugby journey well into adulthood and carry the experience of touring as a Lion forward into their school and personal lives.
Finally, a big thank you to all the staff who accompanied the boys on the tour. Events like this can’t happen without the staff giving up their time and energy to make the tour a big success.
Captain of ESF Lions 2024 – Louie Halliday (EC)
ESF Lion of the Tour – Oli Keeler (KA)
Bede Academy Lion – Will Potts
Christ College Lion – Finley Donnigan
Emmanuel College Lion – Louie Halliday
Grace College Lion – Sayam Shakeel
Kings Academy Lion – Hamza Shariff
