Home News Contact Us Committee Our Location Sponsors & Affiliates Links The Italian Job The Club When Colin Howells approached me with the brainstorming idea of taking a rugby team to Milan, I thought to myself "Brilliant". Well, it wasnt that simple was it...?....! So there were 53 rugby players, a bus, make that 2 buses, and lots and lots of snow. 2am Friday 6th February. I opened my front door at River Cottage HQ and I couldnt believe my eyes. At least 3 inches of settled snow in the road. I had a gut feeling in my stomach that this was going to be bad and it would take a miracle to get us to Italy. At 2.05am I was supposed to pick up me old mate Rich Parsons from the top of Manor Road, and before I knew it, a great big figure dressed as a mountain man came trudging through the snow. We loaded the trusty 306 and headed for the road! On the approach to the club we saw a large vehicle with lights blazing heading for the club and believe it  or not it was Andy and t he Quantock Motors coach. He had come through thick snow and treacherous ice and down flaxpool hill from Norton Fitzwarren to reach us. As we stood in the club and waited for the boys to arrive it was amazing to see the likes of Robert Branfield and Freddie Hayes who has driven in from Withypool and Winsford, some of the worst hit villages in West Somerset. 3.01am...We were off, heading cautiously to Williton where we were due to pick up outside Gliddons Garage and the likes of Scott Landon. Good Old Scott, the youngest player on tour celebrating his 18th birthday.Well doesnt he like his sleep, alot of sleep, alot alot alot of sleep, because he managed to ignore his alarm and 48 calls from various tour members who were trying to raise him. On the last attempt, he answered. For him this was lucky, but for us it was just the start of amazing events to follow.. When Scotty Langon did manage to board the bus after a 45 minute wait, we were off. In the trusty bus with our regular driver "Andy" at the wheel. Well it didnt last long did it. The snow had settled to a depth of 4 or 5 inches on Tower Hill and the bus fully laden just wasnt going to make it. At the brow of the hill, the bus decide to start back tracking further and further down the hill until we came to rest of a nearby neighbours stone wall. No matter how hard we tried to get up that hill, it was going to boil down to one thing.....good old man power. When you have got the likes of Swanny, Branners, Rich Parsons and Freddie on board then we were bound to win. So, with the help of Eddie May and his shovels, we dug our way up the hill shoveling the snow to one side. After trying time and time again for over an hour to move the bus, it finally happened. The bus started to climb the hill and gradually built up pace. The cheers were loud, and there was a panic to chase after the bus and jump on board whilst it was still moving!!!!!!! I must mention that I think Alan Woollams gravelled driveway played a big role.Thanks Hensy!! Simple really, get up Tower Hill and drive straight on to Bristol. Well that was a stupid thought as well. On our travels we came across any number of abandoned cars, an ambulance that was stuck, a fallen tree, an old couple dressed to the nines walking with a picnic basket, and of course Flaxpool Hill where it all happened again. We got stuck for the second time!! But we were experts by now, no problems. We took hold of our shovels, dug a trail and pushed a 53 seater coach up to the level. So, by now we were thinking that the rest would be plain sailing.Carry on the A358 to Taunton, take the motorway to Bristol Airport and catch just one plane to Milan. But I guess you are all getting the picture by now. It wasnt that easy!!! Beacause of our antics on Tower Hill, we had broken the bus, burnt the electrics out to be exact. Once we had managed the long nervous drive to Norton Fitzwarren we had to change the bus.So we did. Then we slowly made our way up the motorway along just one lane until we came off to join the Old Bristol Road. And then things just went from bad to worse, the snow got heavier, the traffic got slower, and the hills just kept coming. We dreaded the thought of having to stop on the smallest hill, and at one point our driver Andy decided to stop and talk to another driver to see what he could find out and the bus got stuck again!!!!!! So we had to push it, AGAIN! I kept thinking to myself afterwards what other drivers must have been thinking when they saw 53 rugby players off load from this bus to then push it up a hill. Well thats what we did. By now, we had it in our minds that nothing was going to stop us, not a thing, and we were all determined to get there. The first thing we came up against was the police and yep you guessed it, they stopped us!! No further they said, not a chance they said and after refuelling ourselves by buying every sandwich and packet of crisps in the neaby garage we decided that the only way on was to walk.Walk 10 bloody miles!!! Not all of us did, many of us were able to hitch hike in the form of Trucks, Vans, and even Hot Chicks With Hot Cars.Loving the work Tyrone!!! We stood there in Bristol Airport waiting, as one by one we came through those swinging doors.Re-united after spending and hour divded.And on our journey went.. To Be Continued... The Incredible Journey to Bergamo... HOME    1XV    2XV   STAGS   COLTS   PAST P & S   MINIS   NEWS   CONTACT   COMMITTEE    LOCATION   SPONSORS   LINKS    GALLERY   DOWNLOADS   HISTORY               Discover Websites     Minis and Juniors Sponsor