Rugby players and Christmas Day
Have you ever wondered what rugby players get up to over the festive season? rugby365.com got in touch with a few of them to get an idea of how they will be spending Christmas Day.
From Johannesburg, to the Drakensberg, to the Cape... and to the cold of the United Kingdom; rugby players across the globe will be gearing up for a busy festive period!
BANDISE MAKU
Lions and Springbok hooker
Recent Lions acquisition Bandise Maku will take a break from finalising the details of his new place in Johannesburg to spend some time with his family: "I will be flying down to King William's Town and spending a couple of days there - that's where I grew up, that's my hometown. We have some time with the family; have some lunch and dinner at home with some close friends. I've found a place (in Johannesburg) and it's just being painted now, so when I come back hopefully everything will be sorted."
JACQUES BOTES
Sharks loose forward
The hard-working Sharks veteran will be continuing his pre-season training schedule in the Drakensburg where he will be spending time with his family after Christmas: "We have a schedule to follow over the festive period where we've got to train by ourselves, so we can at least get into the holiday vibe. It's nice to get the training done in the morning so you can get into the holiday feeling afterwards. We will be staying in Durban until just after Christmas and then we'll be going to the Drakensburg with the family. I'm trying to finish the gym sessions while I am here with the facilities that are here. I'm not sure whether I'll be able to do any of that where in the Drakensberg, but I should have no problems at least on the running side of it."
DANIE ROSSOUW
Bulls and Springbok forward
Roussouw is in the Cape with family and enjoying some well-earned relaxation after a gruelling pre-season Bulls camp in George: "At the moment I'm in Cape Town with my fiancée's sister's husband, we are going fishing, diving for crayfish and playing a bit of golf down here. We have been to Dassenisland and Hermanus. Unfortunately, we haven't been lucky to catch anything (yet), but we have plans to go again and hopefully it will go better. The Bulls were training in George for two weeks - it was a bit cold but we trained the whole time and put in the hard work. Now it is relaxation time (for me)!"
BISMARCK AND JANNIE DU PLESSIS
Sharks and Springbok front row forwards
The Du Plessis brothers are spending the holiday period on the family farm outside Bethlehem in the Free State, but will continue the Sharks' pre-season fitness programme: "The whole family is coming here for a huge celebration. We are going to be jogging every afternoon at 6, no gymming just jogging at the moment."
WILLEM ALBERTS
Sharks and Springbok loose forward
Alberts, who made such a big impact for the Boks last month, has a family-oriented day planned for the 25th: "I'll just be spending time with my family up in Pretoria, where there will be a family gathering where we will hand out presents and celebrate Christ's birthday. I will be going back to Durban either just before or just after New Year's because our training starts again on the 3rd of January."
ERNST JOUBERT
Saracens loose forward and rugby365 columnist
Saracens' Ernst Joubert has a couple of low-key gatherings planned ahead of his team's crunch Aviva Premiership match against London Wasps at Wembley on Boxing Day: "We are just having a couple of friends over on the 24th to our place and not eating too much, seeing as we've got a game on the 26th! On the 25th we are going to Schalk Brits's house for Christmas where it will be mainly South African guys as the British guys will obviously be spending time with their families. It will be very quiet and relaxed seeing as we are playing a few days after."
GEORDAN MURPHY
Leicester Tigers and Ireland fullback
Tigers skipper Geordan Murphy will not let the Christmas festivities distract him from his team's upcoming Premiership match schedule: "I won't be doing much... In fact, it will be very, very quiet as we're training the next day ahead of our game against Sale (on Monday, December 27)."
* We will be as busy as ever here at rugby365.com over the next few days, covering all of the northern hemisphere rugby action. We will, however, hopefully be able to catch some Christmas cheer after an eventful 2010.
We would like to wish all our loyal readers a safe and prosperous Festive Season - thank you for your support during the 2010 season.
Here's to a massive 2011 rugby year; with a new Super Rugby format and the small matter of the William Webb Ellis Trophy being contested in the Land of the Long White Cloud. And we will, as usual, be with you every step of the way!
By Michael de Vries