Brazil Rugby Tournament -SP

A week long rugby tournament in Sao Paulo is great experience and great socially to learn more about the culture and language. My week started with a smile from ear to ear knowing I was about to embark on a week long trip with some people whom I only call friends here unlike others from school etc. We left florianoplis at night and travelled for ten hours by bus until we arrived in Sao Paulo early in the morning, game day today and we all went to our humble sleeping arrangments which was altogether in a classroom with matresses laid down like every other team.We ate lunch before we went to the playing field, our team was the first game of the tournament against 1 of 3 sao Paulo teams, Sao Paulo white. We didn't fair to well losing against them but that did'nt phase us any and so we just looked forward to the next game against another Sao Paulo team the next day. After our first game we had watched the other games until we all had finished then it was opening ceremony with all teams in front of the flag singing the national anthem etc. After all that was over it was time to rush back to the school and wait in line for a shower before going out and seeing what the night life in Sao Paulo had to offer. It was cool seeing all the teams walking around like gangs and our team decided to go and enjoy some Acai a famous milkshake type sweet only served in Brazil. Mmmmmmmmm very very satisfying that all of us went there every day to buy some or even some of those days we bought more than one. Orders were given for lights out at a reasonable time of 10 o clock but before then when our team got back it was chaos in the hall way leading to the room of each team.The mass of each Sao Paulo team together were calling on every other team to face them in I don't kknow but what seemed to be like a sort of fight but really it was just all the testosterone in the air and young men wanting to prove and test how hard they trained against everyone else. When things were'nt going their way they started to force their way into every teams room and occupy their space if they were'nt challanged at the door first which every team put their forwards up front and got into scrum formation and forced the intruders out of their space which was really fun to see and get envolved in and I know that everybody else would agree that this was a crazy and exciting first night that was tenaciously welcomed by the teams of Sao Paulo.





Day 2
Waking up today was cool to know that I was with a good bunch of guys and that we would all be playing rugby today, breakfast was the first thing on the mind of most of us who were called last night to eat at 8.30am as we were going to be the last to play so it was only fitting that we ate last too along side our opposition for the day Sao Paulo Red.
We all came down in little groups one after the other, the hosts were serving normal brazil food very common all over, ham in a bun with a side of in between milk and yoghurt strawberry drink, I liked it but thats just me I like almost anything here and have never turned down anything for the record.Our team was scheduled to play at 4.30pm in the afternoon, alot better than 1pm when the heat is a killer but rather play in the dusk of the day when its plenty cooler.So our team had alot of time on our hands so some of us decided to go and get some Acai while others lounged arouned the room catching up on some sleep that was missed from the long journey here which looked tempting but I knew that sort of thing only slows you down and is not a good way to prep for a game.So me and a group of friends went out and about to see how things looked from days perspective which was'nt too bad.Its lunch time now and we are all liniing up for some grub when by the time some of us at the end got to the front to get some food all the cutlery had been taken already so it was up to us to wait for some other player to finish with theirs before beginning our meals. After lunch it was time for us to begin putting our heads into the game for we only had a few hours before our game so we all went to watch the games that were first. We watched especially our opponants for the next game,Rio de Janeiro.About an hour before the game we went to our room to get our rugby jerseys and rugby boots on and then it was back to the field to warm up for the game ahead.The game was here and in the first half we managed to convert a penalty kick and in the first half they got awarded two penalty shots at goal but only managed to covert one and in the end it was a tie breaker 3-3 which was a good game we thought and I could see that we were only getting better and better as long as we were here together bonding and growing strongly everyday at the tournament.Atfer the game we all went to the showers and ate dinner which was usually rice,beans,salad and a type of protein that changed every day, we finished up then had the rest of the night for our selves so we all we out to get Acai before bed at 10pm but once we had returned some of the guys were getting a little peckish so they decided to order some pizza which was really good and cheap too.

Day 3
Today was a day of recuperation for all the players to relax and heal those swollen, scratched, aching and bruised muscles like my own. But we all still hadvto get some practise in for tomorrows game and our team was the very first to get to use the field in the morning light which was good for us to get out of that sleepy mode and turn our motors on again. We trainned for an hour then it was the next teams turn to train whilst .whilst I played I suffered a knee to the hip when giving the tackle to the ball carrier which wasnt to exciting to walk around with but other than that I was o.k, but other players in the team had things like knee pains, ankle pains and wrist pains.We all spent the morning relaxing and trying our luck to sleep under the constant chatter of those with a little more energy than the rest but other than that we all just fooled around with one another being teenagers etc.Lunch time came quick and after we all had something to eat we all went out to get some acai again but this time once we finished some of us visited the internet cafe to check up on girlfriends family etc. We went back to the school to relax more and let our food settle, before I knew it their were a bunch of us getting haircuts and the thing that was so funny about this was the outragous stylist making everybody look like retards except me, mine looked almost normal but really really different unlike the others whom were over the top crazy and clown looking with bits of hair all over the head . Now that we lokked like a bunch of idiots in front of all the other teams it was time to go downtown to all the shops and show off our beautiful haircuts to the public whom gave their smiles freely and sometimes without comment but when it came to the players their was always a whistle or something to let us know how much they think of us.
Night came quickly and everybody had some energy so it was time to start some wrestling up among us.The game was simple we put the matresses in the middle of the room and played our own version of MMA,the first person to tap out was the loser,their was no punching or kicking allowed just grappling and clinches. There was about 4 fights altogether and afterwards when everyone was hot with energy it was time to take a warm down walk into downtown and buy some acai to replenish some energy and and walk back in time for bed but when we did arrive some of us noticed that other teams in their room was doing the same thing, MMA.



Day 4
Today we played Rio de Janeiro in the second game, our team up together to eat breakfast to let others know that we operate as a unit and that we shouldnt be taken lightly. Our coach and assistant coach came early to go over strategy and take us through a stretching lesson which made everybody better in one way or another as our entire body was stretched from head to toe. After all of that was taken care of those of us still with a haircut that made us look like clowns all got baldheads including me which made me so happy because our stylist was our captain who is the strongest in our team and he wouldnt let me do it on the first round so I had to wait for a long time until I got what i tryed to get in the first place but i didnt let it get to me too much but instead I went with it like the rest of us clowns in the team. We were all told to eat light to make sure we were all in good nutritional working order. Once we were finished it was time to gear up and go to the rugby field and and prepare for our match against Rio de Janeiro(River of January).We take about half an hour to warm up with stretching and sprints etc. Now the time had arrived where we played and they got the lead in the first 20 minute half but in the second half we totally dominated winning our first victory of the tournament but everybody was getting weary by the fourth day and the enthusiasm from our win didnt come as big as I thought it would but I knew that it was becuase of fatigue.The team still went out to celebrate non the less with acai and pizza which was very cheap compared to the prices in Florianopolis but thats just one of the perks of being in a big city.
Once we had done all of that it was time to look towards the next game because the team we were about to play against was the best U19 team in Brazil with this team having about 7 Brazil U19 rugby selection players so the thought in everybodys mind made us even more weary but for our health tomorrow so every body got a good nights rest for the toughest game for us in this tournament.

Day 5
Today was the toughest game for us in the entire tournament and every player by now was feeling a little hurt by now but didnt stop our spirits from pushing on.The day went quick and before we knew it we were playing a little game for us but our main focuses coached into us was defense and experience to better our techniques that may be lacking.we lost this game against the Sao Paulo Black and I got a red card for kneeing some joker in the chest because he was holding my leg while I was trying to go for the ball in the ruck but the referee didnt see him holding my leg just me kneeing him in the chest. For the afternoon we just watched the team who we were about to play against in the match for 3rd place and after, later that day during the night it was time again for another team to spawn out of their quaters and begin playing about as a team in the hallways stirring up the other teams with jokes and games until we went to bed and joked around a bit before going to sleep.
Today there was no game just another recuperation day for our injuries and another trainning for the finals the next day.Our team spent the day doing bits and pieces in groups after having our trainning before lunch.I went with a friend after trainning looking around the place we were living in for the moment and it was cool looking at the scenery high and far which wasnt like florianopolis but it looked more poverty stricken.This day would be our last night in Sao Paulo so our team got me to do something for them which at first I didnt want to do but after all their coments for me to begin made me front up and teach them a little about doing the New Zealand All Blacks haka. It was fun stirring them up and playing leader for them.I got alot of feedback too during the lessons they were giving about how good it was making them feel to shout and let some of that anger in defeat go. After they could do it without me thats when I called it a night and went to sleep after the guys had settled down after all that agressive haka.
The last day today was a good day every body was feeling a little more energetic except me, I couldnt play the last game of the tornament because I got a red card the last game so our coach repayed this by setting me up with the organizers and I had to go early and help them by getting water and gatorade for the players and help setting up the sound systems etc.Our team matched up against the state team of Parana and they had a team full of baldheads, almost all of them had baldheads except for a few but other than that their team looked good and were too as they beat our team just and claimed the 3rd place in the tournament and us the 4th whilst the last game played was both Sao Paulo teams white and black , in the end the last game for 1st and 2nd was directly after our game and the winners went to Sao Paulo Black. The prize giving and players selected to trial for the Brazil U19 selection team was anounced and then it was time for us to pack all our things and take a couple bus rides all the way back to Florianopolis as 4th place winners from the Sao Paulo tournament.