David Sisi - Pre Season and an Australian Adventure - Final
We all arrived back home yesterday (Tuesday) after flying into Heathrow in the morning and I'm now back home with my family in Southampton shattered but overjoyed at the success we experienced as a squad in Oz.
I finished my last entry building up to our final test match against Australia U18, which I later found out I would be starting in at number 8. Our final days leading up to the game were all focused on our last outing against their U18 A side. The starting XV was announced at our team run through the day before the game, and was selected on players performances during the first two games of the tour, with past reputations and performances put aside.
On game day, the team arrived and you could tell everyone was buzzing about pulling on the white test match jersey again (the first 2 games where not international tests and we played in a blue replica kit) - for the first time we could wear our international colours. After an intensive warm up, we walked out for the national anthems and saw our Aussie opponents for the first time. We sang proudly and then held a minutes silence for a former Australian U18 prop who sadly lost his life earlier this year. After paying our respects the game kicked off.
The first half was the best rugby I have ever experienced with a side so far in my short career. We executed our moves perfectly and our set piece was as solid as it's ever been. The physicality we showed in the first half was just too much for the Aussies to handle - with every carry breaking gain line and our backs being creative in the fast ball we generated. We finished the first half well ahead and although there was a late Aussie try, we were confident it was unlikely to impact the outcome of the game because of the way we were playing.
Our team talk at half time was all about finishing off the job. With such a good lead and playing so well, we needed to avoid the obvious “ becoming complacent and allowing them to find a way back into the game. Also highlighted was the importance of the bench with the need for them to come on and have a big impact on the game - keeping our work rate and tempo high with fresh legs. Throughout the second half we were consistent and solid as a team. We know the Aussies were going to come at us with everything they had and they did break through a few times, but so did we and we managed to keep the score ticking over and see out the game comfortably in the end.
The enormity of the performance was summed up at the final whistle, when our prop forward Kyle Sinckler raised his arms in delight but then fell to the ground in exhaustion after giving everything for a whole game, with no replacements available in his position due to injuries!
The mood after the game was just pure elation. We had achieved everything we set out to do on the tour and had done so in style with the last performance. All credit to the Aussies for being such great opponents throughout the tour, but in that final game we were on fire, with everything coming together perfectly. We enjoyed the Aussie hospitality immensely, especially the squad celebration that night!
I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the Australians for hosting such an outstanding tour and the England coaching staff involved “ all of whom have made this season so memorable. I'd also like to thank everyone who has helped put me in that England shirt - from my former teachers at Hounsdown School, to my former coaches at Tottonians RFC and now to London Irish, who thanks to the AASE scheme, have given me shot at fulfilling my dream of being professional rugby player. My final thanks must go to my family and friends for their continued support - especially to my mum who, amongst numerous other things, woke up at 3am to pick me up from Terminal 3!!!
Thanks to all those at Talking Rugby Union for publishing my blogs and you for reading them. I have a long season ahead with London Irish which I am relishing and it would be great to keep you all posted on how it's going.
Keep a close eye out for all of this season's England U18's boys who rose to the challenge and came away with 3 wins from 3 from the Southern Hemisphere. A serious achievement and a hopefully a marker for the future of the game in this country. Cheers!
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