It’s Been a Good Ride
Dates: Oct 23 through Nov 1, 2015
Location: London UK
Home Base: Kew Gardens Hotel
Number of Games: 4
Executive Summary
Well my merry band of Privateers. Congratulations on a tremendous performance on tour. So Many great memories and so good to meet/catch up and be re-connected with all of you.
We started strong and kept the momentum going through to the final. Our impact players brought in for the final weekend didn’t let us down breathed fresh wind into our sails and kept the fun rolling… it’s amazing what you can pack into a weekend! Fortunately, although having the most powerful medical team on the planet assembled (just in case), we did not have any injuries or require any emergency care…James won the over/under for the number of days it would take him to A) lose his blackberry or B) injure himself. Well done Morty!
In the end, the week unfolded as expected with the game of the century lining up for the final…and we were not let down. New Zealand is just too good right now and it was a pleasure to watch. For those new to the game you just witnessed one of the greatest teams of all time, with some of the greatest players in the history of the game.
Let me know if there is anything or anyone I have omitted.
Tour Highlights
You can fill in the gaps but here are my top 10.
10) Opening night at the Sun Pub and followed up by a Curry…
9) Open Double Decker Bus ride en-route to final
8) Our Server Laura singing “Failure” (she stole the “I can actually sing” award from Jim Stone)
7) Heineken Tent (For Semi and Final)
6) Dinner at Ma Cuisine
5) Daniel Carter – (Stepped up in the biggest game of his life and played flawlessly…I love stories like that
4) The Final (of Course)
3) “Our” Captains Table in the Pub at Kew Gardens where we held our evening meetings post Game!
2) Any one of the renditions of “It’s Been a Good Ride”…fantastic and stuck in my head!)
1) And finally, the quintessential display of rugby camaraderie and generosity when Jim Stone gave my Campese Jersey (which he had just won) to Paul Beck – can’t top that!
The David Campese Jersey
Team Roster
(Total World Cup Privateer Caps (appearances))
- Dave Lougheed (3)
- Dana Lougheed (1)
- James Morton (2)
- Janice Morton (1)
- Jim Stone (3)
- Pam Stone (1)
- Tom Goetz (2)
- Dina Panagiotopoulos (1)
- Glen Phelps (1)
- Julia Phelps (1)
- John Morgan (1)
- Cathie Morgan (1)
- Jim Friars (1)
- Ailing Friars (1)
- Graham Brown (1)
- Denise Brown (1)
- Mark el Baroudi (1)
- Bertus Eksteen (1)
- Rick Bourne (1)
- Dana Bourne (1)
- Peter Dirks (1)
- Tara Dirks (1)
- Rod Heard (1)
- Nicole Heard (1)
- Khloe Heard (1)
- Dave Spence (2)
- Glenn Harvey-Mckeen (1)
- JP Pawliw-Fry (1)
- Trevor Julian (1)
- Toby Mallinder (1)
- Paul Beck (1)
- Dan Muruve (1)
- Tim Wiggan (2)
- Shane Jones (1)
- Don Cameron (1.5)
- Phil Beck (1)
- Elizabeth Beck (1)
Play List top Picks
- It’s Been a Good Ride (Jim Stone) – (Jim will provide lyrics and music)
- Failure (Laura Marling ) – (here is the link)
- American Pie – Don McLean
- Sweet Caroline – Neil Diamond
- Summer of 69 – Bryan Adams
- Brown Eyed Girl – Van Morrison
It truly was a good ride my friends and Dana and I thank you for being a part of the most recent edition of the RWC Privateers!
We wish you all the best for a safe, happy and prosperous finish to 2015 and until next time I will leave you with my favourite rugby quote.
“And now is the time to show what mettle is in you. And there will be a warm seat by the fire, and honour and plenty of bottled beer for those who show their mettle in the next 80 minutes. 80 minutes worth a year of common life.”
– Tom Brown’s School Days.