<p><img style="width: 500px; height:334.375px;" src="https://media.caxtonfx.com/img/1100359/rugby-uk-travel-money.jpg?width=500&height=334.375" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/9e575ac9b6e34624bfa89a56435ac6e9" /></p> <p>‘<em>It reflects what we're about as a school. Pushing the best to be the best, be competitive against the best, and create access and opportunity for all to play</em>.”</p> <p><strong>Ian Bardgett, Director of Sport, Halliford Sport</strong></p> <p>Travelling school sports tours are less frequent than they used to be. There’s much more responsibility on the travelling staff. But it’s the kids who miss out. Fortunately for Halliford School, their sports department and parents encourage the like.</p> <p>After previous visits to Australia, South Africa and Canada, the timing was ripe for a visit to the mighty All Black territory of New Zealand. They wanted to experience travel and see as much of world rugby as they could fit in before the 16 to 18 year olds head off to the next stage of their lives.</p> <p>Was it going to be the challenge they’d expected. With a strong team, and squad of 31 trusted young men, Ian and 4 other staff members left the UK to land in Christchurch. Here they took on Middleton Grange School. A muddy affair, high standard, a slippery ball, and a convincing win. Not a bad way to commence the tour. England had arrived.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height:375px;" src="https://media.caxtonfx.com/img/1100360/rugby-team-uk-travel-money.jpg?width=500&height=375" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/c382b128df7540c9bc7b52d124f7058f" /></p> <p>Everyone within the squad had an opportunity to play in all the matches, and from Christchurch they headed south to the City of Dunedin. Playing Kings High at the stunning Dunedin Rugby Club, right on the shores of the Pacific, the lads played a young side, a closer game was had, finishing with a good exchange of scores. They defended ferociously, held their line well and made the most of opportunities. Another win.</p> <p>To the delight of the school, the boys had come together to establish their core values, for what they wanted on and off the pitch, on their own accord. Clearly this was paying off. Final stop on the south island, with Queenstown a few days later, or them to immerse themselves in 101 ways to kill or thrill. We’ll leave those stories with them…</p> <p>The windy city awaited, and the infamous Westpac stadium in Wellington. The ground which has seen the All Black show the rest of the world how to play rugby. It was indeed windy, making challenging circumstances, but another wind.</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height:334.375px;" src="https://media.caxtonfx.com/img/1100361/rugby-training-travel-money.jpg?width=500&height=334.375" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/2dd00cc6e21e46fc881e01b27eb3ec84" /></p> <p>Rathkeale College hosted Halliford at Masterton, following an assembly held with English input and in return a haka performance from the rugby squad. Incredible. It had the intended response, and after 20 minutes of not their best performance of the tour so far, they went on to win.</p> <p>If you love the smell of sulphur, then Rotorua is the place to see. Polynesian spars, local Maori villages, authentic cuisine were enjoyed by the boys before going via Lake Taupo to the most stunning final destination, with white surf beaches, Mount Maunganui. Halliford saved their best performance to last. The best Ian had seen in 15 years. Retaining their own strategy, knowing when they have the ball, to make their own inroads, and knowing that they can cause plenty of damage, whoever they took on, all worked.</p> <p>A tour of only wins. A tour full of competitive games. 3 years in the waiting. Plenty of preparation. A desire deeper than their opponents, maybe.</p> <p>It was a trip of a lifetime. The boys were inspired, and intrigued to how the teachers had experienced the trip too. They left not just victorious, but with an abundance of confidence and people skills. Pushed outside their comfort zones, staying with host families, immersed in another culture, and a taste of independence.</p> <p>Fuelled by the Caxton Card, Ian and the team were able to focus on what mattered. They found the card ‘Easy to use and top up. Reliable, convenient and accessible.’</p> <p>Thank you from Caxton Life. And well done to Halliford School for taking the leap.</p> <p>#EasierwithCaxton</p> <p><img style="width: 500px; height:321.875px;" src="https://media.caxtonfx.com/img/1100362/school-rugby-uk-travel-money.jpg?width=500&height=321.875" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/24a52d66f4c047e0a1b4571ce506e084" /></p> <p><strong>Alistair Kinder; A Captains View</strong></p> <p>It’s always a nerve-racking time to take your school on tour, and to lead the team across the other side of the world. Alistair Kinder, Halliford School’s Captain, gives his perspective of the two week venture to the Southern Hemisphere.</p> <p>“The New Zealand Rugby Tour was an awesome experience I’ll never forget. It’s always been a place I have admired, just for its culture and the people, and these two weeks certainly didn’t disappoint. Staying with the host families showed me how they lived, which isn’t that different to us, although I found that religion is much more important. Even walking around, the towns, people kept coming up to us to ask questions, which I doubt would happen over here, showing how welcoming people there are.</p> <p>On the other side of the Tour, and the main one, the rugby was too good. Playing boys a few years younger but bigger than us was quite funny until they ran into you. Becoming closer to people I’ve been with since year seven and forming new friendships with those I’d never really spoke to added to the whole tour experience, enhancing the unity of the group as time went on. It was amazing to win all four matches and to do them with mates, I’ve been with for over six years just tops it off. The whole environment, on and off the field, with the opposition teams is one I will not forget.</p> <p>I’m sure everyone learned something about themselves over the course of the two weeks. It was a great opportunity to learn more about who you are; with being as far from your family as possible, away from what you know and in a whole new environment. For me personally, I feel this experience has taught me to go outside my comfort zone more, as, only then, you have your most enjoyable moments and become more confident in yourself. On a whole, it was the best two weeks I’ve had in years, maybe in my lifetime, and, for certain, I’ve made friends I will definitely stay in contact with and memories that won’t be leaving me for a very long time. Cheers NZ.”</p> <p><a rel="noopener" href="/the-best-prepaid-currency-card-and-account/" target="_blank"><img style="width: 500px; height:122.5px;" src="https://az695284.vo.msecnd.net/img/1099043/cardbannerblog-grey.png?width=500&height=122.5" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/072557bc0e014b42b266e1b6f6544c57" /></a></p>