Day fourteen 20th December 2024:
Our final day beneath the Turkish sun,
Where tales of court brought laughter through the haze.
The punishments for crimes were all in fun,
Yet sore heads lingered from the night’s wild ways.
A few sought solace in the gymnasium’s embrace,
While others hunted gifts for Christmas cheer.
The barbers trimmed our locks with practiced grace,
And flames to ears left memories to endear.
At lunch, we swore no kebabs would be served,
But still they came, a feast we couldn’t fight.
The darts in pubs, our final games preserved,
A flea market that failed to bring delight.
With one last laugh, we flew to skies above,
Two weeks of bonds, of rugby, and of love.
Day thirteen 19th December 2024:
Thursday morning. The lads woke up to a surprisingly luxurious breakfast from a tucked-away hostel, and were ready to hit the road for some touristing about in the great city.
First on the list was the hagia Sofia, where the 25 euro fee (approximately 3 beers in the cape) proved an insurmountable barrier to our entry. It looked great from the outside though. We headed to find somewhere for lunch - not without choice certainly, with restaurant owners competing to offer the biggest discount. After a delicious Turkish meal with free tea and baklava, the group headed to the blue mosque, a second gargantuan mosque approximately 200m from the hagia Sofia, with free entry.
We then hit the streets to find the grand bazaar, where the group splintered, employing a variety of haggling techniques to get the best prices on the finest Turkish hats, scarves and rugs, as well as the latest abidas trainers and kalvin clein underwear - chief amongst them being the arm wrestle, earning beefy a free tablecloth.
Later on, as groups began thinking about dinner, we were informed of the imminence of tour court, with timely attendance being compulsory. In court justice was dealt out by judge bosh to all tourists for their various crimes.
For the last night on tour, unsurprisingly, a bar was found, and the drinks flowed. A small group dared to cross the Bosphorus bridge into Asia and was richly rewarded with the sight of another magnificent mosque and a stunning view of the Istanbul skyline at night.
Day twelve 18th December 2024:
Travel day: Tblisi to Istanbul
On Wednesday the lads took the 12pm plane to Istanbul (besides a few who happened to be left behind and had to wait around in Georgia until 6pm). Kebab, Jimmy Pratt and Toze enjoyed yet another day of new experiences in Tblisi including a cable car and chimney cakes. Excellent reviews for Turkish Airlines for food and screens on the flight. No wonder they’re a star alliance airline!
Uber and taxi scams from the airport quickly welcomed the lads into Turkish haggling culture and after the relative luxury of Fabrika hostel, Tblisi, some of the lads were treated with the prospect of a 9 man hostel room no larger than Iffley road’s refs toilets. Unsurprisingly this turned into an 8 man room when Hammo opted to ditch the lads’ sleeping arrangements for his girlfriend’s hotel.
Upon arrival in the largest city in Europe and most visited city in the world, priorities of trims and kebabs prevailed. The evening was one of intense engagement with Turkish culture… The drinking of German beer, in an Irish bar, watching the traditional Turkish sport: darts. A wholesome evening of darts and beers ensued before the lads settled for an early(ish) night to allow for a day of exploring the city on Thursday…
Day eleven 17th December 2024:
After a great night in Tbilisi the troops rallied and took to a very windy Shevardeni rugby stadium to train against the Georgian national 7s team. As bodies were still sore from a physical match against Kochibe, Georgia 7s agreed to play 3 matches of touch 7s. The blues held their own, defending well and scoring some jouè tries with Harry Pratt and Joel Anjorin making history as the first front row players in history to play in an international 7s match.
The lads then made their way back to the hostel. Some broke away to see the sights of Tblisi but for most it was a “day of rest”. Wolfe Morn put in a particularly impressive performance, napping from 12pm to 7pm in preparation for the night ahead.
As it was the final evening in Tblisi, the team decided to take full advantage of the final opportunity to indulge in the local cuisine by fuelling up exclusively on margerita pizzas and chicken katsu. We set out on a bar crawl that turned into a one-stop adventure at the Nomad’s Bar, where we ended up spending the entire night singing our hearts out on the karaoke. The blues journey to Georgia concluded on a high note.
Written by Zenden Rozenbroek and Jack Sander
Day ten 16th December 2024:
The lads woke up a bit worse for wear today, following some very thorough wine tasting the night before. Breakfast at Schuchmann went down a treat (omelette station, wow!) and then, after piling into the wine shop to do our Christmas shopping, we hopped on the coach for our trip back into Tbilisi.
We arrived at Fabrika, our accommodation for the next two nights. We had a quick turn around because we’d been fortunate enough to be invited to a function at the British Embassy. 1s + cap donned, we set off in the now trademark convoy of Bolts. It was a fantastic event - food and drink flowing, and it was lovely to chat with the Ambassador and his staff. The highlight was Tornike, CEO of Georgian Rugby, presenting GAM with a Georgian rugby shirt. After a few hours, the lads headed back to Fabrika.
At the hostel, we had a few light refreshments and then headed out into Tbilisi to commemorate our penultimate night in Georgia in style. Thanks very much to the Ambassador, Tornike and everyone else who facilitated a unique event and a brilliant night.
Vivek Raman, Will Roddy and James Pratt
Day nine 15th December 2024:
The squad woke up in Tbilisi, now missing a few members who had to return home early (GBNF Benny Scher and Sick Mick ‘Toothpick’ Behan). Saying goodbye to the lovely Vera Hills Boutique Hotel, we took a coach to Telavi, one of Georgia’s beautiful wine regions. As we arrived, we found ourselves surrounded by vineyards, in a rather upscale wine village.
After settling in, the group went for a hearty Georgian lunch, which was a nice prelude to what would be a laid-back afternoon. Following the meal, we split into two groups: half of the crew headed off to the gym and pool, while the other half lounged by the fire sharing stories and napping.
As the sun began to set, we gathered for a winery tour, led by an energetic guide elated by her passion for wine made in the Georgian way. The tour was incredibly interesting, and ended with us tasting some of the best wines the region has to offer. Of course, this was accompanied by a traditional Georgian feast, with hearty dishes, fresh bread and a fruit platter to finish.
After the meal, the team couldn’t resist picking up a few bottles of wine to take home. We spent the rest of the evening together around the fire enjoying the wine, company, and jolly atmosphere. This made for a perfect end to an unforgettable day in Georgia’s wine country.
Day eight 14th December 2024:
After a victory and successful night, Saturday had an exciting itinerary planned with the first prospects of exploring Tbilisi and some old town culture. To start the day a group of boys explored the Holy Trinity Cathedral of Tbilisi, one of the largest religious buildings in the world, before heading across the city towards the old town. Our guide Rory, a previous Oxford graduate of St Catz, took us around the natural sulphur baths and sauna where the boys recovered after the game. Despite some initial frowns at the smell, the boys quickly got stuck in and 30 lads piled in to a room fit for 10. Following the baths the boys tucked into a traditional Georgian feast and were then guided on a walking tour through the central regions of Tbilisi - passing parliament, shopping markets and more. Slightly intimidated by the hoards of armed police and vehicles, the lads swiftly booked 15 bolts and headed back to the hotel, where a further 15 takeaway KFCs were ordered and the lads settled in for the night. The boys got stuck in to “Tour banter” before saying bye to a few leaving members and failing to find a link to the champions cup rugby. Excitement was nonetheless rife throughout the boys who had been informed that Sunday held a wine tour and tasting session.
Day seven 13th December 2024:
Game day:
Tbilisi breaks dawn,
Half the squad’s stomachs rebel,
No excuses here.
Otis stands, words strong,
Rugby’s hard, no room for fuss,
We get on with it
Roddy smells the gap,
Untouched, he darts through the line,
Scrum work pays off sweet.
Kochebi digs in,
Pick-and-go tries keep them close,
The game swings both ways.
Otis breaks the line,
A hat-trick seals the moment,
Tired, sick, we fight.
George at scrum-half grins,
A clever kick keeps them back,
Four men move him back.
Kochebi’s kind touch,
Sandwiches and beer offered,
Generosity.
Irish pub awaits,
Guinness flows, we test our taste,
New things, we all try.
Thank you to RC Kochebi for a well contested fixture and their kind hospitality even in the face of the difficult situation in Tbilisi currently. Final score 24-50 to Blues
Day six 12th December 2024:
Travel day: Racha to Tbilisi
The Blues boarded the minibuses once again and departed Racha circa 10 am in search of Tbilisi. The journey began beautifully with views of snow-covered mountains, frozen lakes, and horses walking by the road. Despite a few sore heads from the night before, spirits were high and the team were eager to arrive in the city which the world has been watching in recent weeks. Patiences were tested, however, as a 3 hour journey became a 4 hour journey became a 6 hour one. The boys nonetheless made the most of their time together, exchanging romantic stories, solving difficult NYT riddles, and making unsolicited £35 bets (cheers GAM). A quick pit stop saw the boys refuel on crisps and honeyed nuts and then get to experience what was for some their first pay-per-use toilet which sparked much debate. The journey continued but so did the countdown to Kenchy’s flight home, which unfortunately had to be brought forward as the health of his elbow deteriorated quickly (cheers sepsis). Time pressure saw Head Coach resort to opening the minibus door mid-protest-induced-traffic-jam (driver didn’t like that!) and jump in a pre-ordered Bolt (Uber) for Tbilisi airport. Reports confirm Kenchy’s safe arrival in Oxford and stable health. The team thank him very much for his contributions on tour so far and will be sure to do him proud in the remaining days.
The rest of the squad strapped their seatbelts tight as the buses headed straight into the heart of turbulent Tbilisi. It was eye opening to say the least to see thousands of Georgian’s taking to the streets waving EU flags and blowing loud whistles. The Blues witnessed history, that is for sure.
An eventual arrival at the hotel saw the team check-in then head straight back out for food. The term “When in Rome” was seemingly taken too literally as the boys settled in for “the best Italian outside of Italy”. Fuelled on pizza and pasta the Blues then Bolted to training (7 pm). It quickly became clear how much the Georgians love rugby, with Kochebi RFC displaying a brand new 4G pitch, a top-grade grass pitch, a serious gym, and painted rugby-themed murals all around the ground. The Captain’s run was all class led by the Blues’ youngest talent Otis Walker, a very well deserved and welcomed selection. An early night followed as the Blues locked in ready for their first game the following afternoon. Another successful and jam-packed day in Georgia!
Hammo and Kirky
Day five 11th December 2024:
Day 5 saw another day of adventure for the boys. After a peaceful second night in Racha and a wholesome Georgian Breakfast (awesome pancakes), the boys piled into the common room for a review of last week’s Major Stanley’s fixture. Despite the disappointing result, there were some players with some impressive stats. Matt Wall made 20 tackles (13 being dominant), Fergus Dick carried 13 times and Wolfe Morn Had 105 post-contact run metres.
After a productive analysis session, the team swapped their notebooks and pens for wetsuits and helmets as they took a couple mini buses down to the Racha rapids. 24 brave men, split into 4 teams, raced their way through the mountains with a view that you’d usually only see on a Windows PC screensaver (when we weren’t spinning out of control). This made for a good distraction from the extensive rowing and ambitious instructors. After a short pit stop to ‘rehydrate’ and heat up the cold hands round the fire, both players and instructors came back rejuvenated. One such instructor took this a bit further than the rest and managed to flip the raft, sending 6 OURFC members flying into the rapids (sorry Mikey).
After a successful rescue operation, led by Joel Anjorin and his team, the players were kindly hosted by the rafting instructors, providing the group with a delicious barbecue and traditional home-made “cha cha”. This carefully distilled Georgian beverage definitely put some hairs on the chest of the more prepubescent members of the squad (sorry GAM). After what was an incredibly uplifting campfire evening filled with toasts, songs and hymns the group returned home to round off an incredible day in the Georgian mountains. GAUMARJOS!
Written by Michael & Vasco
Day four 10th December 2024:
In the style of James Joyce’s stream of consciousness:
Beers beers beers and more beers last night swirling foaming spilling sloshing down the throat down the hatch down to nowhere good the morning comes too soon too sharp a jolt a pang minibuses minibuses where are we going where is Wyllie and his contraptions no legroom no seat belts clattering over potholes the countryside sprawling endlessly beautiful desolate forgotten by the world forgotten bags bags bags tied to the roof flapping noodle heaving Joel backwards in time or just his seat or maybe his mind spinning spinning spinning stop stop stop breathe Racha we’ve arrived no not a Pokémon not a game it’s here naps bowel movements the great journey the little lives carrying on onward to the quaint little astro Racha Arena the lads dismount wolves and school kids who knows lineouts thrown tossed spinning again caller’s got the reins he’s steering now low foot speed high detail it’s happening happening always happening.
Back to the ‘hotel’ though is it a hotel or just a holding pen arctic swims freezing skin the fish watching fish knowing boys Spar-bound for something edible edible to who to what to where napski napski Star Wars Georgian style blasting from the throne room blasters pew pew pew pew the boys Sunday best looking sharp looking rough cuisine finest finest or maybe not a bite tour banter flying spinning Sander bottling bottling again what is it the thought on the thought nothingness a trick magic magic tricks the little fellas delivering wonder eyes wide mouths wide all closed soon early night surprise tomorrow lurking waiting another minibused promise ahead.
By Tom Elway and Fergus Dick
Day three 9th December 2024:
The boys woke up on the second day in Georgia for another traditional Georgian hotel breakfast. Having had an early night the team were ready for an intense day of training at the AIA Arena in Kutaisi. We departed for the arena and began the first training session of the day which involved an hour of skills & conditioning. After a quick break for a snack & drink, we then entered the arena gym under the stand for a hot & sweaty mobility & gym session. The boys then had a group meeting in the Georgian sun which was beaming down and the kickers stayed for a quick session before heading back to the hotel for some rest. The boys headed into town for a big feed, trying the local dishes, where the khinkali dumplings and chicken schnitzels were hits. After a couple hours of rest & recovery, the boys prepped for their final block of training for the evening; an opposed session against Georgian Pro team & current league leaders Ares Kutaisi. This was a full contact line-out & maul session for the forwards and starter plays with the backs. The blues ripped into this and went toe-to-toe with the local side, with some great rugby on display. After a team photo with Ares, we headed back to the hotel, cleaned up and headed out for an evening of food and festivities.
by Jack Botham and Harry Bridgewater
Day two 8th December 2024:
Our first day in Georgia started with a team breakfast at the hotel before moving on to explore the markets and main square of Kutaisi. In the afternoon we visited the (mostly) abandoned spa town of Tskaltubo, with the boys taking in the grand architecture of the Sanitorium Medeya while also making friends with a number of stray dogs along the way.
After having spent the morning and early afternoon absorbing Georgian architecture and history it was time for some much deserved downtime after a long travel day on Saturday. After this brief intermission, next up was a team meal affording ample opportunity for team bonding and to explore Georgian cuisine. Khinkali, mtsvadi, and lobiani are just a selection of the dishes that were shared between the team. An excellent meal was not only the perfect way to end our first full day in Georgia but also prepare us for our first day of training on Monday.
by Joel Anjorin
Day one 7th December 2024:
Travel day from London Stansted to Kutaisi via Mimingem
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