Exeter School rugby players from the Upper Fifth to the Upper Sixth have returned from an unforgettable rugby tour to Portugal, organised through Sports Ventures. The boys began with a training camp at Browns Vilamoura before heading to Lisbon, where Agronomia Rugby Club and Grupo Desportivo Direito hosted two excellent fixtures and welcomed the team with amazing hospitality. Between matches, the squad took in plenty of the city’s sights and strengthened their bond through a range of team-building activities.
Days 1–3
After landing, the squad headed straight to their rugby training camp at Browns Vilamoura. The boys too part in pitch and gym sessions, sharpening their skills and techniques ahead of the fixtures. The England Rugby team regularly trains at this facility, alongside other professional teams, so our players were in excellent company.
Away from training, the team played padel and volleyball, and cheered on the girls’ netball team from the sidelines during their competition.
Day 4
The squad set off for Lisbon, stopping for lunch at Vilamoura Marina along the way. The team then stayed along the coast in Caparica.
Day 5
The day began with a big surf lesson on the beach, and the boys loved every minute. They then faced Agronomia Rugby Club in Lisbon for their first fixture, and both teams came away with brilliant wins:
- U17: won 36–31
- U18: won 21–7
Two victories in the opening match was an amazing achievement and created a real buzz across the squad.
Day 6
The team went sightseeing in Sintra and explored the Atlantic coast. In the afternoon, an energetic session of paintballingput their teamwork to the test, with plenty of fun along the way.
Day 7
The boys explored the history of Lisbon’s old town and enjoyed some downtime before the second fixture against Grupo Desportivo Direito. The matches were hard-fought:
- 1st XV: lost 12–14 in the last play of the game
- 2nd XV: lost 0–26
Grupo Desportivo Direito is a fantastic club with a superb set-up, and the team rounded off the evening with an amazing buffet, which everyone thoroughly enjoyed.
Day 8
The boys took a stadium tour at Benfica before flying home.
Thank you
A huge thank you to Sports Ventures for organising this memorable sports tour, and to Agronomia Rugby Club and Grupo Desportivo Direito for their wonderful hospitality. Well done to every player for representing Exeter School so brilliantly on our rugby tour to Portugal.
