After last year's successful tour to Lisbon, we unanimously agreed we'd do it all again this year! There are two simple objectives in all of this; participate to the very best of our collective abilities and showcase our great club! The bits in-between will fall nicely into place as ever. We are all acutely aware (particularly the boys themselves) that we are representing ourselves, our club and indeed our country at one of the biggest underage rugby tournaments in Europe.

There are so many people to thank in pulling all of this together; as we all know, this doesn't happen without considerable effort on many fronts. Thanks to our sponsors, fundraiser organisers, coaches, team management, tour committee, parents and of course the boys themselves.

For the tour organisation, Peter and Oscar (IRI) have done all of the heavy lifting. No stone has been left unturned; they have been the most important cog in making all of this happen.

And the preparation for the tournament itself. We will play 6 or 7 games (30min each) over two days. Peter and his coaching team (in particular Oscar and Darragh) will take care of all things rugby, on and off the pitch. We know the boys will be as well prepared as ever when they're taking to the pitch over the weekend.

And finally, a special word for the boys, without them there would be no tour. They have worked so hard and this is a reward for all the effort, success and joy they have brought to themselves, parents, coaches and club alike this season and many before - and after