For the second time in three years, the Seoul Suvivors hit the road for the annual Angkor 10s in Cambodia. After having one of the best tours in recent memory two years ago, we finally made it back to Cambodia for a weekend of fun, sun, rugby, and certainly plenty of happiness. One significant change this time around was the new locale; the tournament was held in Phnom Penh, the capital rather than in the shadows of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap. Not a problem at all, though, as Phnom Penh provided plenty of amenities, a great pitch, and a fantastic time all around.
The tour started out in record fashion on Friday morning, as one member announced in the airport at 9:10 am that he was going to get some beers for everyone...this was even before check-in; a first in my memory and definitely a portend of what was to come for the next 48 hours. Funny how it just happened to be our biggest, roundest prop who was responsible for this purchase; excellent role-playing indeed. The 5-hour ride to Bangkok proceeded to take approximately 2 hours, with the Survivors performing brilliantly despite coming up against a strong offensive opposition of stocky, wobbling, iron-haired Ajumas clad appropriately in obnoxious blue sweaters - very appropriate attire for a trip to a tropical country for sure. Despite facing such overwhelming odds, the team prevailed and managed to make the trip an extrememly fast and enjoyable one, thanks largely to our last-minute recruit and secret weapon: Reno the Legendary non-turbaned Seikh. Excellent work by Ringo in getting him on our side...as it turned out, Ringo was also a key figure on the pitch for us...which is good, as he is likely to have no memories whatsoever of the rest of the happy weekend.
On with the report. The 3 hour layover in Bangkok also managed to speed by..this time in around 1 hour, as the boys merrily continued on with their debauchery. One member had already had enough and found a way to hide in the restroom stalls in the airport for much of the layover. A good technique perhaps, but somewhat expected from a tour rookie I suppose. The connecting flight to Phnom Penh was over even before takeoff & the tour took off for real from there. On landing, we made it to our (very nice) hotel & proceeded on to do some more competitive consuming; greatly enhanced by the fantastic hosting job done by the local team, les Pilliers d'Angkor. The Survivors managed to put in a good showing, with a few stalwarts making it all the way to the legendary Phnom Penh late-night house of ill-repute, Martini's...where along with the Manila Nomads & other recently acquired friends tore up the rest of the night dancing and enjoying fine cocktails.
Saturday started out rough & got worse from there. The only saving grace was the fact that A) it was only a one-day tournament and B) they had set up a small pitch-side sitting pool for the players to relax in between games. A brilliant idea & quite surprising that no one had thought of it before. As for the games; well they went as follows:
Our first pool game put us up against a team made up of locals (Cambodian) backs...fast, fit, fearless, and without even a trace of a hangover between them...and fat, big, foreigner forwards (admittedly with hangovers akin to ours). As has become a strong Survivor tradition over the years, we played our first game in a very disorganized, sloppy, and confused fashion, Fortunately the only thing we had going for us was the fact that the opposition was even more disorganized, sloppy and confused. The good guys got through, winding up on the top end of a 14-0 score.
Game two saw us against the heavily-stacked Nomads from Manila. They managed to come to the tournament with a compliment of 25 players...enough for over two teams, which is exactly how it felt when you played them. Regardless, the Survivors with their compliment of 11 players, played the Nomads, the eventual cup-winners, evenly throughout and came up one try short in the end, losing 19-12 in a very well-played game by both teams. Despite losing, the Survivors played arguably there best game of the tournament & left the pitch feeling that they could do well the rest of the way.
From there it was on to the tournament semi-finals; our game was to be against the hosts, les Pilliers. Again, we were up against a very formidable opponent & one heavily stocked with players. This time, however, the Survivors came up flat..the second half of the game being the only truly bad half of rugby played by the team all day. Tied 7-7 at the half, we ended up on the short end of a 28-7 score. The hosts gained a spot in the Cup final against the Nomads & we were placed in the Plate final against none other than our old friends the Pot Belled Pigs, who showed up with an uncharacteristically stong side; they themselves having put up a very strong showing against the cup-winning Nomads. As is often the case with our two sides, over the course of the tournament players from both sides played in games for the other side - proof of the long-standing friendship and cameraderie between our teams. It was quite ironic that we would meet in a Plate final; as their captain Peter said to me "This is the 0nly time we've ever had a serious game against each other". True enough. The Survivors put together a solid, almost flawless performance - rebounding nicely after coming out flat in the last one, and ended up Plate winners by a 24-0 score.
From there, well...on with the traditional evening of post-tournament debauchery; this time around with the untraditional meal of Happy Pizza, courtesy of Happy Herb's Bistro. Delicious Pizza it was...too good perhaps, as over half of the team gobbled down two very large and very happy pies. Unfortunately your author was one of them, so the report will digress rapidly from here. Suffice to say the rest of the evening is locked in memory as more of a slide-show than a video; the night going by much faster than a fast plane trip to Bangkok. One by one, the Survivos vanished (Where's Brian, anyway?) and despite the fact that the meal included the most absolutely incredibly delicious cake ever made, the rest of the night will have to pass into the unknown....as is always the case with rugby tours: You just had to be there.
Sunday was slightly less of a blur; the Survivors along with the Pigs went on a city tour to a couple a very sobering sights; the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Prison - both places that serve as testimonials to one of the lowest points in the history of humanity. Nonetheless, very fascinating and worhtwhile sights to see & as always good to hang with our friends from Hong Kong.....one of whom (who shall remain nameless, but is very large and plays prop...hmmmm....)looked into a new line of jewelry during the bus ride...earrings to be specific. He declined puechase, by default that is, as he managed to sleep through the entire sales presentation.
So that was it...another legendary tour and this time with the added bonus of bringing back some hardware. More like an art exhibit actully...undoubtedly one of the nicest looking rugby trophies one would ever expect to see.
The rest of the story...whatever there is of it...will have to wait for the next tour.
