EPXV’s Tour to Wales

It’s not exactly the usual time for EU institution employees in Brussels to arrive at Place du Luxembourg. Typically, they gather a few hours later for a drink or apéro at the famous cafés surrounding John Cockerill’s statue. However, on a damp and frankly miserable Friday morning - November 22nd - the 37 players and support staff of the European Parliament Rugby Team set off on yet another unpredictable adventure. Mission EPXV: Tour to Wales was finally underway.

Despite the 12-plus-hour bus journey ahead, fuelled by caffeine, blind optimism and a picnic brunch of questionable nutritional value, our enthusiasm remained remarkably high. We dozed intermittently, which made the drive from Brussels to the Calais Le Shuttle terminal slightly more bearable. After a brief but uncompromising UK passport control, we boarded the train and left EU shores behind.

The sight of the Folkestone White Horse confirmed our arrival in Brexit Land. Around this point, reality began to sink in: in less than 24 hours, we would face the formidable Senedd Cymru Rugby Team. The coaching staff worked tirelessly on tactics - individually and collectively - keeping us focused even as we became stationary in heavy Friday-afternoon traffic on the M25, which at that hour resembled a car park more than a motorway.

After several long hours, the sight of the Prince of Wales Bridge spanning the River Severn was a welcome relief. Spirits remained high, buoyed further by the warmth of our Welsh hosts. We were greeted by the club captain and colleagues from the Senedd, who kindly gave us a tour of the Welsh Parliament. We politely pretended to understand the finer points of contemporary sustainable modernist architecture. The generous reception - and the mandatory short speeches - confirmed what we already instinctively knew: rugby has a unique ability to unite people, regardless of politics or nationality.

Saturday arrived. Match day.

The obligatory pre-match carbo-loading took the form of a full English breakfast for some, and a first encounter with Marmite for others. Kit bags, mouth-guards, boots and socks were loaded onto the bus for the short journey to Llandaff RFC, where our Senedd opponents awaited.

Typical British weather delivered a thoroughly muddy pitch, adding an extra layer of challenge. In keeping with noble tradition, the anthems Ode to Joy and Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau were solemnly played, signalling the beginning of the chaos.

True to EPXV’s inclusive values, our Welsh hosts agreed to a playing format combining touch rugby, full - and gloriously brutal - contact rugby, and finally mixed teams. This ensured that everyone could take part in the field of combat and dreams. Amid mud, rain, heavy breathing, determination and occasional flashes of athletic brilliance, friendships were forged - hopefully for the long term.

Despite our best efforts, we finished second in the full-contact element of the tournament, but enjoyed sweet revenge by winning the touch rugby. In the end, everyone agreed: rugby was the real winner. Traditional post-match drinks and lunch followed, complete with customary speeches and presentations, sealing those newly formed bonds.

Next came the much-anticipated visit to Cardiff’s magnificent rugby cathedral: the Millennium Stadium - officially the Principality Stadium. The final match of the Autumn Internationals awaited us: Wales versus the All Blacks.

The stadium buzzed with excitement, fireworks and raw emotion as 80,000 rugby fanatics sang in unison. Watching some of the world’s finest players - after having taken the field ourselves earlier that day - was both inspiring and humbling. The occasion was historic: Hollie Davidson became the first woman to referee an All Blacks Test match.

The rousing Welsh anthem paid homage to the legendary 1905 encounter between Wales and New Zealand, when the home crowd spontaneously sang Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau in response to the haka - the first recorded instance of a national anthem being sung before a sporting event.

After dinner at a lively pub - once again impeccably chosen by our Welsh hosts - Sunday morning was predictably subdued. It was briefly enlivened by the late arrival of several “southern” colleagues who had yet to adjust to GMT. Following 18 traffic jams on the M4 and an impromptu touch-rugby session on the hard shoulder, we eventually reached Folkestone, where a traditional fish-and-chips lunch by the sea provided fitting closure.

We returned to Brussels around midnight: exhausted, sore, but immensely happy. Another EPXV rugby adventure had come to an end - blending sport, camaraderie, and just a touch of parliamentary diplomacy.