Gareth McClintock -recipient of 1st Rugby Bursary

After my long 23 hour flight from Belfast I finally arrived in Auckland airport where I was met by Patrick Flynn and Sam McGredy. Patrick Flynn [was] the manager of The Ireland Fund Of New Zealand, and Sam McGredy is of course the generous sponsor of the bursary.

I stayed at the Adidas Institute of Rugby. During this week I became part of the Wellington region school boys squad and I was able to both observe and participate fully in their training programme. It was a wonderful experience to become part of such an elite squad of young rugby players and I learnt much from my week spent with them. During this week I was made feel very welcome by both the boys and the staff at the Institute. I had read about the Adidas Institute of Ruby in brochures and leaflets, but I was amazed by the professional facilities, and I knew I was going to enjoy making full use of them!

My accommodation for the remaining 5 weeks of my stay in New Zealand was with the McMaster family. While I was staying with the family I was still very involved with the Institute and with their busy programme. It was the second week of my stay, which was most definitely the highlight of the scholarship. For this week I became a member of staff at the Institute so as I could be closely involved with the All Blacks squad who were preparing for their first test match against South Africa. The All Blacks took full advantage of the wonderful facilities at the Institute for this week and I was so privileged to be allowed to work along side them. Their stay involved many training sessions, meetings and team exercises. I was able to chat to all of the squad including players such as Jonah Lomu, Tana Umanga and Jeff Wilson. The All Blacks management team made me feel very welcome and it was very interesting to talk to the coach Wayne Smith and the manager Andrew Martin. I was given the chance to help with training equipment, the team kits and security at the public training sessions. Looking back on it all now, I realise how fortunate I was to be allowed to become so closely involved with one of the world’s most famous and great Rugby sides.

After these two brilliant weeks, it was time to experience the New Zealand education side of things. I attended a typical New Zealand grammar school, called Palmerston North Boys High. It was in many ways similar to R.B.A.I, therefore I settled in very well. I was made feel very welcome by all of the staff and the pupils. I had the opportunity of attending classes with the boys and observing the ways in which teaching is put forward. Again, it was very similar to that of teaching in Northern Ireland. I was also able to train with the school 1st XV and become part of the squad. School rugby is played at very high levels but I had been well prepared for this, thanks to the excellent training programme which I was part of at R.B.A.I. I managed to get to play three second halves for the school and I made my mark by scoring a try in each match. I became good friends with many of the pupils, and even after my week of school, I was able to socialise and stay in contact with them.

The local university, at which the Adidas Institute was based, had also allowed me to train with them during the duration of my stay in New Zealand. Again I was made very welcome and the players all made efforts to help me enjoy my stay. The rugby that I experienced in New Zealand was therefore very enjoyable and I was very fortunate to be able to experience the many different levels of it.

The final weeks were spent helping out at the Adidas Institute again and I was also given time to enjoy the company of the McMaster family. They were a great family which were very involved with sports, such as cycling, netball, swimming and of course Rugby. Andrew McMaster had once represented the All Blacks sevens side and is the coach of the Varsity and Manawatu regional squads. The family helped me enjoy the area as best I could, and this even included a day of skiing in the local mountain ranges. I would therefore, like to take this opportunity to thank the family and all those involved in the organisation of the scholarship, especially the sponsor Sam McGredy. It was truly an experience of a life time which I will never forget!