Tuesday 20th June Chiefs Time

 

A busy day set out for us today (yes another one) – bike ride – hot springs baths and then Lions v Chiefs back at Hamilton.

On the Lions front there is controversy as 4 Welshmen are taken from the tour to Samoa and go straight into the Lions squad.

Hats to breakfast of course...

...and then it’s off into the wilderness again for the bike ride. Another bus ride through the beautiful New Zealand country side. Mountains loom ominously in the distance and there is talk of

NZ rugby teams using them to train.

 

 

 

Luckily we stop short of the mountains and stop in another 1 storey town to pick up our bikes. The plan is a gentle there – a pub – and back. Not everyone fancies the ride and so a fair contingent stay on the bus.  I get the pleasure of wearing the slave outfit: dress and hat for the bike ride

 

It’s a perfect day for a bike ride, the route is nice and flat with a river running alongside and a decent length of very dark tunnel (you can’t see the exit until you’re half way through). Not everyone likes the narrow bridges and Jamie certainly doesn’t like the tunnel as he is convinced it is full of evil spiders. Burry Port seniors don’t like the exercise and when the pub turns out to be closed they get on the bus for the return journey. Jamie almost breaks the sound barrier going back through the tunnel, but it’s otherwise quite pleasant.

Slave attire - it was a struggle to look this dignified 

In Spider tunnel

 

 

 

 

 



 

It's a nice pleasant morning well spent - I Don't know what Gringo is on about - maybe he got lost??

Once back we sort ourselves out for food in the town (Pizza/Subway) and admire the local ornamental cows, John Lewis finds a Welsh one

Then we head for the Natural hot springs. Visions of rock pools next to geysers and water falls are a bit short of the mark – it’s a small swimming pool. The water is lovely though and we have the place to ourselves so it’s either chilling out or general tomfoolery on the floats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once back at the hotel there another change of sleeping arrangements. New (properly paying) guests are do at the Narrows so Committee: Ben, Jamie & Me and Burry Port OAPs (Kipper, Grav, Shed and Mark) are to spend a night with host families as organised by Gappa.

This doesn’t seem a big deal to me and Jamie but others are quite put out: Kipper, Ben and especially Mark are worried that they will get lost, be lost/raped/murdered/make a tit of themselves drunk etc. We meet at Hamilton Marist Rugby Club again as this is the common ground.

Me and Jamie meet our host and are soon being treated to lamb chops and beer and discussing the rugby. It’s interesting to get an NZ perspective on the Lions tour. Our host feels that Gatland has then playing in a way that the All Blacks aren’t used to and that the series will be a challenge. He feels this is a minority view, but one that’s growing.

Fed and watered, we head into town. The place is rammed and obviously isn’t used to it. It takes the best part of an hour to get a pint in. Though it eases a bit after that, it’s elbow to elbow. We even struggle to see all the Warriors before going in. The walk up to the ground is a bit surreal with a hot air balloon and fireworks going off into the dark sky. We pass the Sky Fan Van but no sign of Warriors President Scott Quinnell.

Preview of the match: https://www.skysports.com/rugby-union/chiefs-vs-lions/preview/80966

 

 

 

Not even the hat helps us get served

 

 

 

 

 

 

We don’t have the best tickets – but we are on the Lions tour again! 12 years after we last watched them in NZ.

 

 

 

 

The Lions record a pretty comprehensive 6-34 win with a decent performance.

 

Video highlights of the game from NZ All Blacks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dAT7N8bWrvQ

“As it happened” from The Guardian (with links to the match report)

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/live/2017/jun/20/chiefs-v-lions-tour-match-live-new-zealand

 

The main tour head of in a bus to their new hotel which is a few miles out but for those more local it's a few beers in town afterwards - mainly shivering around patio heaters.  With it being cold and as we’re travelling to Samoa tomorrow we call in early and head in at midnight. Importantly as I’m sleeping in the actual living room – I remember to wear pants.

Boys seemed settled in the hotel where they had a good night without going very far

 

ALL the photos from the day https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/llanelliwarriorsrfc/photos/nz-tour-day-6617-bike-ride-lions-v-chiefs-943127.html