Our bucket-list IV trip didn’t get off to the easiest of starts with a fire outbreak at a power station near Heathrow putting the whole trip into jeopardy. A cancelled flight, 3 hours on hold to Virgin Atlantic and plenty of itinerary re-arrangements later, we were finally on the road, 24 hours later than originally planned.  A day in the life for us tourism folk!’   Straight off the plane, we picked up our rental car and took the short drive to the iconic Newlands cricket ground (where the Western Province and Durban Dolphins women’s sides were warming up for a top of the table clash in the Pro20 series). With the stunning backdrop of Table Mountain, a stadium tour or live cricket fixture at this incredible venue is an absolute must-do for any sports tour heading to South Africa.  The rest of the morning focused on inspecting some of the great hotels that we use for our groups staying in Cape Town. Josh and I stayed at Never @ Home in Green Point. A stone’s throw away from the DHL Stadium and a short walk away from V&A Waterfront and the City Bowl, the accommodation is in a fantastic location. A perfect stay for large groups on more of a budget, with spacious dormitory and private rooms, a lovely breakfast and even a small swimming pool for recovery or relaxation. If you are looking for a good hotel in Cape Town, then my pick of the inspection would be StayEasy in the City Bowl.   Some of our previous groups have been lucky enough to experience Gold Restaurant in Cape Town, which Josh and I were able to sample thanks to our hosts’ invitation. A sumptuous 14 course African taster menu, with participation African drumming in between courses: what’s not to like! This would be my final night recommendation for Cape Town to sign your tour off in style’  Day 2 started with a 5am wakeup call for our guided hike to the summit of Lion’s Head. We completed the 5.5km incline to around 700m above sea level, in about 50 minutes, which according to our guide was a ‘good time’. The climb is certainly not for the faint-hearted with some tricky terrain and occasional rock scrambles but the views from the top are well worth the hard work. Incredible 360 views of the City Bowl, Sea Point, Camps Bay and back around to Table Mountain!  Later that morning, we headed to Aquila Game Reserve, 2 hours outside of Cape Town, for an incredible game drive experience. An overnight stay here, is an absolute must-do for any group tour heading to Cape Town. Our groups are allocated into the well-appointed hotel-like rooms in the main building, some of which overlook the stunning pool with swim up bar which is accessible throughout the day.   We were lucky enough to see 4 of the big 5, missing out on the leopards who are almost nocturnal. If staying overnight, groups also do a game drive the following morning where you are more likely to see all the big 5. Finally, the buffet food at Aquila is also incredible!  Our final day in and around Cape Town was spent in Stellenbosch, with the first stop taking us to the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport (SAS). A fantastic sporting facility for our groups to base themselves for a couple of nights and make use of the pristine pitches, indoor training centre and recovery pool.   There are also plenty of top sports clubs and schools in the area for a fixtures. The town-centre is a 10-minute walk away, boasting many restaurants and cafés with outdoor terrace seating. If staying in the centre, then The Stellenbosch Hotel with its old Victorian charm is the place to be. As Stellenbosch is part of South Africa’s wine capital, a vineyard visit with a wine tasting is a must do for our adult groups and I would recommend Vredemheim estate or Spier Wine Farm based on our experience.  The day left us with just enough time to make it back to Camps Bay to see sunset from a beach-side restaurant. Again, a must do on any tour to Cape Town and for us, a perfect way to end a magnificent 72 hours in this thrilling and vibrant capital city. 

We held our inaugural Let’s Get Touring: ‘Club Together’ fundraising evening last night at Aberdare RFC.  Hosted by Ross Harries, Head of Events at MSG Tours, our midweek events bring tourists and club members together to chat all things travel, high jinks and rugby touring.  76 players and supporters from ‘The Snakes’ will be embarking on a 12-day tour to Canada in May 2026, commencing in Montreal and taking in Ottawa, Toronto and Niagara Falls.  In 2025/6 we’re moving dozens of teams around the globe that clearly demonstrates an appetite for spreading the rugby gospel to far flung places.   ‘Club Together’ nights are part-funded by MSG, allowing clubs to sell tickets and reduce travel costs. Wales and British and Irish Lion Man of the Series in 2017, Jon ‘Fox’ Davies joined Ross on stage to recall touring tales from his numerous trips around the planet, including a timely recollection of his Wales debut in Canada 🇨🇦   Get in touch to help plan your next touring adventure and fundraising evening. 

Ben and Sam from our business development team recently traded the office for the winter sun of Lisbon and Porto. The inspection trip offered an opportunity to meet our industry partners in person and experience the depth of both cities.    Experiencing our touring centres in person helps our team develop robust and well-matched itineraries relevant to each age category; a skill easily recognised by our clients who return each season in search of exciting touring programmes. The trip started by gathering intelligence for our Portuguese tournament packages at the Universidade De Lisboa. Boasting six football and two rugby pitches, the facilities are perfect to host many teams across weekend events.   A visit to Sporting Lisbon’s stadium club shop followed tour of the Estadio do Benfica, two enriching locations for any touring group. Next on the itinerary was Benfica’s training facility in Seixal. As expected, it is of the highest quality with multiple grass and artificial pitches. This facility is a MUST for any team wanting to experience professional training sessions. When it comes to rugby tours, Lisbon is an understated destination. Both the Grupo Deportivo Direito and Belem Rugby Park have amazing facilities with gyms, artificial and natural turf, padel courts and on-site restaurants. The generous year-round climate and progressive rugby levels mark Portugal as stand out among other coastal European resorts.  Porto was the perfect cherry on top of the Portuguese cake. Despite a very quick visit to Estádio do Dragão and the FC Porto Museum, the facilities are state of the art and are the perfect destinations for a sporting group. Alongside visiting historical landmarks across the city which pay homage to the deep-rooted history of the city and the formation of the nation.  “The takeaway from this inspection trip to Lisbon is that the facilities from the football & rugby pitches to the accommodation have all been of top quality. Any team, club or school coming here will be very impressed.” “To stay beach front, have a pro coaching session at one of Europe’s top teams and play against local teams; what more would you want from a football tour?” – Sam “This inspection visit gave us a great insight into all our Portuguese tours, especially our tournament packages. They are organised in conjunction with our friends at Move Sports and played at top notch facilities.” – Ben “It was great having Sam and Ben visiting our country! They are two sport enthusiasts who have a great passion for sports. Hopefully seeing firsthand the great potential our country has to offer in sport tours will translate in a fruitful relationship.”  – Pedro, Move Sports

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.