Each summer, Michigan Rugby sends one or two select players to New Zealand to train with our partner club, Poneke FC. Jack Regan, Zach Small, and Max Nelson are there now, and Jack is writing about his experiences abroad each week. This post concerns June 9- June 15.
This week was jam packed with lots of rugby and fun activities. The week itself was pretty normal with work, practice, and buying lots of groceries. We had our usual team dinner o bc Thursday after practice where we watched game film from the previous week. There’s lots to learn. Friday was a downpour so we got to get off work early which was nice. That meant extra time to rest and beat large in 2k.
Saturday was gameday, featuring an away matchup against Johnsonville. We all fueled up and headed to the clubhouse for the bus. Warmups weren’t crisp which was concerning, but nonetheless we pulled out with a 47-20 win. This was a much needed victory after our 3 game losing streak. Immediately after all of us went to go watch the Prems play, and win! A few of us even went to the Hurricanes semifinal game afterwards. It was a great time but unfortunately the Canes didn’t come away with the win. Better luck next year. That night we had some of our teammates over to hang out, play 2k, and watch the Dark Knight (the best Batman movie).
Sunday we hit the road to travel north up to the Lake Taupō region. It was a stark difference to the bustling city of Wellington. There were rolling hills and farms as far as the eye could see. That afternoon we hiked a trail in Tongariro National Park. It honestly felt like we were on a different planet, completely different to Ann Arbor! Monday morning started off with a delicious breakfast at a local restaurant. We then traveled to Huka falls to admire the gorgeous views of the rushing water. Then it was off to the hot springs to relax and take in even more scenery.
My personal favorite event of the day was next when we went to a honey farm to do some honey and mead tasting. It was honestly the best honey I’ve ever had. The flavors were wild and unique and were much better than the stuff you get at the grocery store. We ended our trip with yet another crazy hike and then headed home. This was probably the most action-packed weekend we’ve had so far. If you’re ever in New Zealand, I Hhighly recommend visiting Tongariro National Park! See you next week!
