We met at the Primrose Hotel near Dublin airport on Tuesday 15th May. After kit distribution and various administrative duties (head-shots, player profile sheets etc.) we headed over to the ALSAA ground for a training session.

We left for Dublin early on Wednesday morning for the Royal Bristol Marriott Hotel where we have been based ever since. We have been training at the Coombe Dingle Sports Complex in Bristol since our arrival, and trained every day in the lead up to our first game against Canada. The game was played at Sandy Park in Exeter (absolutely class set-up by the way), and we were delighted to record our first victory over a mainly full strength international Canada side, with all the Ulster boys playing a role in the game as well as Ulster bound Seamus Mallon.

A few days of R & R followed, and on the Monday we headed back to Exeter to the Royal Marines base for a day of team building activities at the Commando training Centre in Lympstone. On Wednesday we went go-karting at Castle Coombe Circuit and finally on Friday we went to this old abandoned church that has been converted into a wall-climbing centre called the Church Bristol Climbing Centre. It was an alternative to the gym which all the boys found really challenging and enjoyable. I feel that the team has adjusted very well given the short space of time we have been together, and with various players joining the team late due to club commitments.

In between the various activities the team have been training hard.

All in all it has been a thoroughly enjoyable trip to date, and hopefully it will continue to be so.