Each week, Sharks centre Tim Whitehead will bring us news from the camp in his own words. Touring can be tough but The Sharks always make sure that spirits are high as we read for week one.
Sunday: The Day After the Game
So it's Sunday morning after the great comeback victory against the Reds at Mr Price KINGS PARK and the excitement seriously starts to kick in for the Australasian tour. We were obviously extremely chuffed with the effort from the boys after the poor start, but a win against the defending champs instilled a true sense of confidence and belief in the team. Despite the stiff, bruised body, the thought of spending a month traveling to the other end of the world with your best mates and playing against some of the best teams (and players) on the planet picked me up very easily!
The time had eventually come for us to board our Qantas flight for Sydney, the only difficulty was the sad farewells for the couples involved. It was clear that the women were the more emotional ones at the gates. However, I couldn't help but notice a lot of moisture on Marcell Coetzee's cheeks at Jo'burg International!
The flight itself was really good and we were looked after brilliantly by the Qantas staff. There was, however, a slight hiccup in the upstairs section after a passenger passed out an hour into the flight. The pilot was about to turn the plane around to head back to Jo'burg when doc came to the rescue! He literally saved the passenger's life and was bumped up to business class with young Paul Jordaan and the trip went on. The rest was smooth sailing, which was surprising after watching a few episodes of border security on Discovery channel. Australian customs are strict, seriously strict!
Monday: Coogee Bay
The main goal for the day was staying awake as late as possible in order to get into a good sleeping pattern as early as possible. Coogee has a beautiful beach and some really great coffee shops and delis, which made staying awake more rewarding! Despite the cool, overcast weather, it didn't stop the boys from a good swim in the rather chilly water. Good for recovery...
After quite an interrupted night's sleep, an early wake up to the fantastic breakfast buffet was a huge hit! It's actually not as great as it could be because of the way Steelo (fitness trainer Mark Steele) patrols the eating area looking for people to ridicule over their diets. Lucky for Craig Burden, the mayo served here is 97% fat free. Thereafter we climbed into the local gym and had a good flush out.
Tuesday
Myself and Paul Jordaan have attempted to set the tour moustache trend which has not taken effect as quickly as expected. Louis Ludik was next to hop on the bandwagon after sculpting a gorgeous dirt lip, but the nickname Byleveldt has stuck and is a bit disappointing for him! I'm predicting Keegan to take the next step soon...
Had a good training session this morning in preparation for the Waratahs, the guys are positive and ready for the challenge.
The weather is a lot better today so us backs decided on an outing to the famous Bondi Beach. It almost felt like a setting in a movie it was so stunning, reminded me of photos from the south of France. Charl McLeod ended up in his Sharks speedo and it felt like time stood still when he began his Baywatch jog into the water. Alone. We then hit the mall, where it took Marius Joubert over an hour to make an iPad 3 purchase. I have never seen a salesman so frustrated before and so keen to pass his customer on to another salesman at the expense of commission. Pat Lambie bought exactly the same iPad in 4 minutes, no problems.
This evening we headed out for a team dinner at a Brazilian meat house called Churrusco. Serving awesome buffet meats and pretty much everything else, I reckon we definitely got our money's worth. However, fighting the jet lag with an overloaded stomach is a lot more difficult.
Thursday
The early morning field session went really well today and the guys looked slick. Nick Schonert joined the squad today for the first time and he's looking sharp despite the jet lag, he's fitting in well!
Friday: The Day Before
It's tour game one tomorrow vs the Tahs. We had a good captain's run at the Allianz Stadium in the warm afternoon sun. Thereafter the boys had a swim at Coogee and soaked up the remaining afternoon rays. Dale Chadwick felt nothing to strip down into a super sexy pair of short training tights amongst a few hundred sunbathing locals and tourists. He didn't stand out at all... All in all this week produced loads of laughs and good prep for the game. The guys have had a ball and the atmospheres incredible.
Sunday
The morning after the disappointing loss to the Tahs wasn't too great, we know we weren't good enough in a few aspects and since then have been working hard on our reviews and analysis. A lot of discussion has focussed on our errors and this week is vital for rectification. We had some good passages of play but we're still making a few too many mistakes. However, we're extremely excited for the next step, the challenge against the Brumbies who are looking sharp this year.
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