The trip followed two previous southern hemisphere tours in 2002 and 2005 and Wednesday 25 June saw an excited group of 41 boys and 4 staff departing from Belfast to Sydney, where they were greeted by sunshine and clear blue skies.
The team were fortunate to be booked into the 4-star Menzies Hotel for four nights in Sydney and the central location allowed the boys to explore the likes of Circular Quay, Darling Harbour and the Rocks.
"Some training at the Domain Park on the Saturday morning also brought a fortunate coincidence when we came across the French International Rugby Squad," Rugby Coach Ray Menown told The Sentinel.
"They too were using the Domain for a 'morning run through prior to their evening international against Australia. Sebastian Chabal was of course the main focus of attention and to his credit he posed for a few photos with the boys.
"We had acquired tickets for the France vs Australia match, and it allowed us to savour the Sydney Olympic Stadium which hosted the fixture. It was certainly an impressive arena."
Following their time in Sydney, the team caught a short flight up to the Gold Coast. The boys were billeted for the next three nights in the town of Alstonville, the location for their first set of matches. Under floodlights, the Seconds struggled to contain the opposition, especially a talented set of backs and although Robin Cooke and James McKenna scored a few consolation tries, Alstonville were worthy winners.
The Firsts fixture was a more competitive affair. With only minutes remaining in the match, and after some excellent continuity, John Burns scored a try out wide to put Foyle into a 24-20 lead.
"We made the cardinal error of assuming the game was won, and when Alstonville gained possession at the restart, they broke through our defence to score under the posts. It was disappointing to lose such a close game (during which Tom Patton and Mark Hamill also scored), but our excellent performance was some consolation," said Ray.
The next day was spent relaxing in Byron Bay, a seaside resort which perhaps encapsulates why Australia is such a wonderful place to live. Tranquil blue waters, a golden sandy beach, unbroken sunshine and beach-side cafes made for the perfect recuperation after two very tough and physical games.
A two night stay in Surfer's Paradise allowed the team to take part in the Southern Skies, an annual rugby tournament held in Brisbane that attracts schools from across the globe. The tournament took place in the excellent facilities of Brisbane Boys College, where despite the very dry conditions, the pitches were perfectly manicured, according to Mr Menown.
"Bearing in mind that the Seconds were up against exclusively 1st XV sides, they put in a number of notable performances, and displayed admirable qualities throughout," he said.
"On day 1 we were narrowly defeated 5-0 by Dubai International School – a game which we had chances to win. In the other games Adam Smyth (2nd captain), Darryl Morrison and Andrew Magee scored tries.
"The Firsts got off to a very promising start in the competition with a comprehensive victory over Dubai International School. Our forwards dominated the game – a dynamic maul from the lineout allowed captain Paul McFeely to score the opening try. David McDaid scored the 2nd try by rounding off some excellent teamwork which included both backs and forwards. Other scorers in the match included David Murdock and Aaron Patterson.
"However, the highlight for the Firsts was a magnificent victory in the quarter-final against the hosts Brisbane Boys College, one of the top rugby schools in Queensland. Despite going behind, we again showed our dominance in the forwards, when Paul McFeely crashed over after a series of drives. An excellent break by Andrew Semple led to a penalty which he himself converted and this left the match finely poised at 10-5.
"Although Brisbane piled on the pressure, David Graham managed to score a break-away try to secure a 17-5 win. Although we lost the semi-final to a very strong Hawera High School from New Zealand by 24-12 (Aaron Kitson and Steven Pollock scoring tries for us), reaching this stage of the competition was a notable achievement."
Paul McFeely and Simon Logue who both made the All Stars team – both stood out and were nominated by the coaches of the teams that we played against.
The final leg of the tour was spent in Dubai, which proved to be a unique experience in the spectacular city. The highlight of the trip was a desert safari, which involved travelling in 4×4 jeeps that rallied over the dunes.
"The sight of undulating dunes as far as the eye can see is a picture that will remain in the memory for a long time. Some quad-biking, camel-riding, belly-dancing and a feast in a Bedouin village rounded off the tour on a memorable note," Ray said.
The school hope to repeat the trip again in 3 years time, as a way of rewarding the boys for the commitment that they have shown over the past number of years. The school would like to thank all of those who supported the fundraising events over the past couple of years.
A particular note of gratitude goes to the fundraising committee who gave freely of their time and effort in order to reduce the financial burden of the tour for the boys.