2009 TAIPEI

The 24th Rhinos annual tour saw the club's first visit to the island once known as Formosa. Breaking from tradition this year, the tour took place in May rather than June - although no one can now recall why. The Taipei Baboons were our genial hosts, and skipper Rob Bulloch elected himself as tour translator.

A total of 29 Rhinos made the journey to Taipei, a tour that featured one of the hardest games of rugby we have played for many a year. Although we fielded a very strong side we still came second best to a powerful Baboons squad. It was a cracker of a game which saw 10 tries in all, with the team that had not tried to drink the town dry the night before scoring six of them. Jimmy Parfitt was again awarded man-of-the-match, and skipper Bulloch wasn't.

Match day was also birthday to two Rhinos. Dughall received a splendid cake, whilst Jason received a not so splendid jug of vomit.

The Fullerton North Hotel was the hotel for the tour. It was not the Fullerton South, nor was it the Fullerton West. Predictably Jay, upon arriving in Taipei, attempted to check into both of the hotels where the Rhinos were not, eventually arriving at the correct hotel the day after everyone else.

Evening activities in Taipei featured a girl tattooed as a parrot (which could have been a parrot tattooed as a girl), and a midnight bicycle race - which Rod didn't win due to the fact that the bike he stole was still chained to a fence. The Baboon's local pub, the Brass Monkey, began as our main watering hole. That is until Brendon invited Hendon, and we were all asked to leave.

Other tour highlights included the skipper's helpful navigation of the team bus to the match. Here Rob, using his language skills to the full, directed the bus driver (who had lived his entire life in Taipei) around the city until we were completely lost. The Rhinos were eventually rescued by the Baboon's chairman, who just happened to be passing in the opposite direction on his way to the game when he noticed a bus full of blokes disappearing down a side street that led to nowhere.

On board HMS Rhino on the Sunday saw the boys on good form for a cruise around East China Sea. It was a colorful trip spiced up a little by Stitch's dancing girls - and Ron's wheelbarrow. After quite a few beers Stitch fell in love with his girls (all of them) and Ron fell in love with his wheelbarrow.

The cruise was interrupted by a man over board drill instigated by the General. It became very obvious why so many ferry tragedies are not avoided in Asia as unfortunately we  nearly lost him…again.

During the AGM Timmy's white shoes almost went overboard, yet again, but it's not such a big deal these days as he now brings several pairs on tour expecting the worst.

Hendon and Brendan received the Paul Hoban award as best Rhinos on tour and were so excited they started a fight with each other.

Captain: Rob Bulloch

Edwards, Hutton, Kerr, Bird, Bulloch, Hewlett, Howard, McRobbie, Freer, Kennedy, O'Callaghan, Swift, Jones, Bateson, Aaron, Jessop, Davis, Babis, Sanderson, Mcdowell, Kibble, Mills, Parfitt, Rutland, Aitken, Chalon, Judges, Wilkins, Jones, Boy, Savage.

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