With an eye towards 2025, we are looking to increase the number of footballing tours. The first stop on this mission was to Lloret de Mar and Barcelona where members of the team experienced the trips that enrich and develop groups’ skills.  Group Travel Coordinator Sam shared his insights after his first inspection visit with MSG:   “From the moment we gathered at the airport, there was a buzz amongst us as we looked towards our first Inspection Visit. Our arrival at Hotel Samba in Lloret de Mar set the tone with an evening buffet and balcony views of the town, even if we were greeted by the Spanish rain.   Lloret de Mar proved to be an excellent destination thanks to its convenience. Everything is within a 20-minute walk with a bowling alley, bars, the beach, and an abundance of sporting facilities on your doorstep.  20 minutes from Lloret, you’ll find Soccerland, a sporting facility comprising of 9 pristine pitches, tucked away behind a vineyard. The pitches are amazing and perfect for any football fanatic, they made me eager to dust off my boots and have a kick around!    Around the Catalonia region, they have three top-flight Spanish teams: Girona FC, RCD Espanyol, and of course FC Barcelona. First for us was Girona FC.  The community-based club was very generous in showing us all corners of the stadium including the pitch side along with talking us through the intriguing history of the Champions League club. This experience was insightful, and we’d love to start offering it to our touring sides.    Next was RCD Espanyol’s training ground. From first team and youth training pitches to the second & Women’s team stadium, multiple weight gyms, and a memorial to the late great Dani Jarque, a high-performance coaching session combined with a stadium tour will have you feeling like a professional player. The women’s second team were training when we arrived, my coaching head instantly took over as I watched on in awe. The others had to drag me away or I would’ve stayed there all night.   La Masia, the training ground of FC Barcelona was on another level! The top-class facility is a must for any sporting tour. Having crossed paths with members of the women’s first team entering for their final training session before taking on Real Madrid the day after, we saw the men’s first team area, the pitches – where visiting groups can even have training sessions and the Johan Cruff stadium where the second team and women play.    20 minutes from Lloret, you’ll find Soccerland, a sporting facility comprising of 9 pristine pitches, tucked away behind a vineyard. The pitches are amazing and perfect for any football fanatic, they made me eager to dust off my boots and have a kick around!    Since returning, my opinion has been cemented that it is the perfect location for social activities and footballing prowess. Barcelona has it all, from cultural sightseeing to the aforementioned sites of RCD Espanyol & Barcelona.    Football tours to this part of Spain are a must! Loret De Mar and Girona, or Barcelona you won’t be disappointed.” 

We are delighted to announce Coleg Sir Gar have booked their 2024 rugby tour to South Africa. Home to the Llanelli Rugby Academy, the college puts an emphasis on the academic success alongside the building of players. Lanelli Rugby Academy:  The Llanelli Rugby Academy’s main aim is to ensure that young players receive all the […]

MSGs Mike Hendey on his trip to Barbados: As I arrived at Manchester airport, the nerves began to kick in….

Freshly kitted up in L4 Teamwear gear, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineer (REME) FA men’s and women’s teams gathered outside Heathrow ready to depart on their 12-day tour covering both Miami, Florida and New Orleans, Louisiana. The tour kicked off with REME Men vs New Orleans’s Blues Brothers and REME Women took on their Women’s Soccer XI. Both teams secured wins, with the men winning 4-2 and the women 6-1. The men’s team played match 2 against the New Orleans All Stars giving them a “footballing masterclass” beating them 9-2, then it was on to Miami! Once in Miami both groups had a private tour of DRV PNK Stadium – the home of David Beckham’s Inter Miami. 2 days later they were back again this time amid the action as Inter Miami took on New York Red Bulls. REME watched on from the field-level area ‘The Paddock’ as Miami took the victory from New York, resulting in plenty of celebration. “The visit to inter Miami was fantastic, the tour and the VIP treatment at the game was amazing.” – Yvette Kemp. Then it was back to business for both teams as they took on Miami Utd FC at Milander Park. The women’s game unfortunately ended in a 3-0 loss, whilst the men completed their touring series with a 3-1 win. We’d like to thank the Army Sports Lottery, Forces Mutual, The REME Charity and the Army Sports Control Board for their help with the funding and administration of this tour as well as thank you to our partner kit company L4 Teamwear.

When Supporters and Tours Combine! We are less than one year away from the return of one of the most prestigious tournaments in the sporting world, Rugby World Cup 2023. We have a record number of our MSG family heading to France to witness history. Military and school groups will be embarking on their own tours, coinciding with RWC 2023, so will watch the sport they love at the highest possible quality. The two teams (Royal Logistics Corps Rugby (RLC Rugby), representing the British Army, and Guilsborough School) will play their fixtures alongside the tournament unfolding. RLC Rugby are fielding both a men’s and women’s team. They will be in France for 14 days, visiting Lyon, Toulouse, Montpellier, and Marseille. They will look to defeat three sets of local opposition, alongside attending two live Rugby World Cup 2023 games. During the tour, they will have plenty of time to take in the local culture through some sightseeing, exploring the beautiful French cities, and learning about the rich history of Lyon. What more could you want? Guilsborough School will be in France for four days. The group will spend most of their time in Lille, competing in one fixture. Afterward, they will visit the Stade Pierre-Mauroy to watch their beloved England side take on Chile in what is sure to be a heated affair. Before heading home, the students will have plenty of time to learn outside the classroom and experience the rich history of the area as they will depart for Ypres, a small town in western Belgium, and the site of the fascinating WWI memorial. They will even lay a wreath to pay respects to fallen soldiers from past battles. Both tours will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and we cannot wait to see them out there!  #LetsGetTouring

With a thriving school sports scene across all curriculum disciplines, award-winning gastronomy, friendly locals, bustling cities and beautiful beaches, it’s little wonder Malaysia is cropping up in conversation so often with our teachers. Sat just 12 hours’ direct flying time from London, students can enjoy the modern comforts of the A380 Malaysia Airlines aircraft and on board entertainment offered on this overnight flight from Heathrow. One of Kuala Lumpur’s key attractions – Malaysia’s capital – is its geographical contrasts.  Skyscrapers and towers overlook wooden huts surrounded by a panoramic of natural rainforest,  all of which offer an exciting array of excursions for your touring group. Spend the morning exploring the Perdana Botanical Gardens and Forest Research Institute of Malaysia (FRIM) where exotic fauna makes way for colossal trees and walkways guided by local experts.  After a sumptuous locally cooked lunch, explore Batu Caves, Chinatown and witness this incredible city from the 41st floor of the world’s tallest twin towers – Petronas – as dusk meets night. Continue your playing experiences in the southern city of Melaka, located 3 hours’ bus drive from ‘KL’.  Take in the modern art at The Orangutan House, sample local delicacies cooked freshly on Jonker Street and revel in the culture of the numerous temples around Bukit St Paul. Your trip continues to deliver excitement and intrigue, this time with the 4h journey via bus to Singapore.  This ultra-modern, English-speaking city entertains endlessly outside of your planned touring fixtures.  Must-do’s include Singapore Night Safari, journey to Sentosa Island cable car and the stunning Gardens by the Bay.  No visit is complete without observing the city from the aerial walkway over Marina Bay Sands Hotel. My travels and research trips around both Singapore and Malaysia are wholly responsible for the enthusiasm we have for these countries and their suitability for UK school groups.  The best bit? The affordability of such a trip in our traditionally higher priced summer months.  A travel budget of £1500 per person can go a long way over 11  days to these remarkable areas featuring flights, transfers, 4* hotels, sports fixtures and daily breakfast / dinner sandwiching a number of memorable excursions. It’s a little bit different to most summer touring destinations but that’s what we’re all about.  Taking you outside the touring box and constantly delivering the unexpected.

In honour of the Ireland v Wales showdown tomorrow in Dublin, we’re spotlighting local clubs set to travel with us. After a brilliant win in the All-Ireland Junior Cup, Clogher Valley RFC in Northern Ireland, are travelling to British Columbia in 2023 to compete in Vancouver and Victoria.  Putting the disappointment of a cancelled Lions tour to South Africa behind them, Clogher will head west to explore the best of this stunning region. The visit will include time in the ski resort of Whistler for summer white water rafting. 80 members of Beddau RFC are touring Cape Town, South Africa. They’ll watch The Stormers, a professional rugby union team, in the Currie Cup. Later they will test their own skills against a local outfit. “We wanted to visit a destination with a good blend of rugby, outdoor activities and vibrant nightlife. Cape Town is easy to get to from the UK, plus no jetlag, so we can hit the ground running! It has excellent value for money against the South African Rand in terms of quality of accommodation, food and drink, and a low cost of excursions,” commented David Leyshon, Beddau RFC on their reasons for choosing South Africa. Alongside the rugby highlights, they’ll visit Table Mountain, Stellenbosch, and have a tour of the Cape Peninsula to fully experience the beauty of South Africa’s Western Cape.

Ahead of our travelling Welsh rugby fans following the Series against the Springboks, touring students from Coleg Gwent depart today as our official advanced party. We are delighted they’ve been able to embark on this journey after their original tour – due to coincide with the Lions in 2021 – was cancelled due to the Pandemic. With lots of hard work, planning, late access to funding and sponsorship donations, the tour has become a reality, including prestigious tickets to South Africa v Wales in the first Test at Loftus Versfeld stadium. As a Coleg Gwent alumni, managing director Mark Gardner has personally organised this tour, knowing the value of it to the boys, having toured with the group to South Africa as a player in 1996. “Despite two and half decades passing, our group from the ’96 trip remain a tight unit with friendships made for life.  When the opportunity arose to get the Coleg back in the skies, no stone has been left unturned in making this happen at the most affordable price for the students and staff.” – Mark Gardner Read what the college has written about their tour and what it means for the group:The Coleg Gwent Rugby Academy depart on their whistle stop 9-day tour of South Africa on Sunday. The 2-match itinerary includes 4 nights in Cape Town and 2 nights in Pretoria, affording opportunities to experience a range of cultural and heritage excursions including walking up Table Mountain, the Cape Peninsular tour to the southern tip of Africa, a safari game drive, a visit to Soweto and the Apartheid Museum.

RLC Rugby was among the exceptional touring groups that embarked on their own rugby tour whilst in France for Rugby…

Flying into Gibraltar, just south of Spain, St David’s College settled in for their 5-day rugby tour. After much deliberation, tour leader Mr Lycett settled on Gibraltar: “We like to tour places slightly off the beaten track with previous trips encompassing Georgia and the Basque region in Spain. (This) trip to Gibraltar we hope is the start of many trips to this hidden gem.” As well as absorbing Gibraltarian culture, it was important that the team had a distinct rugby experience. In their first fixture, St David’s lined up against a Gibraltar Select XV. After an impressive game, it was great for the team to get the tour off to a winning start. According to Mr Lycett, “The boys put on a real display of what they are capable of.” But it wasn’t all intense games and training, the next day they climbed The Rock, which Lycett described as “the mother of the Beast (skip leg day) walk.” The evening was spent exploring more of what Gibraltar had to offer. On a high from their first win, the group travelled across the border to neighbouring Spain for their second match, against Marbella Rugby Club. After a day of high-quality rugby and gracious hosts, they headed back to Gibraltar, ready for another day. Whilst spending their last day soaking up even more Gibraltarian history at the Kings Bastion, an ex-military fortress, Mr Lycett reflected on the meaning of this tour: “Getting back to the core of what makes school sport pretty darn special. Experiences, people, enjoyment, testing yourself in new environments.” Travel is officially back! What a week it has been.