We beat the Aussies and Auckland goes mad!

"The best moment of my life" was how one of our guests, 69 years of age, described our great win over Australia.

For all of us fortunate to be there it was simply one of those matches we will never forget.













































You have never seen anything like it. The stadium was heaving with well over half supporting the Irish thanks to the Kiwis desire to see Australia lose! We didn't disappoint them. It was the biggest sporting win we had since the soccer world cup in 1990. The supporters were amazing singing Ole Ole Ole, Fields of Athenry etc and that undoubtably helped the team. I heard 20,000 came from Australia alone and certainly most of the people I have met are living there.

It was also the biggest ever post match party - total unadulterated joy and unprecedented boozing and singing!!

We had a great pre and post match party and the atmosphere was electric. These pics were taken that night. Keith Earls Dad, Ger and Johnny Sextons Mum, Clare, sister Gill and cousin Roy who are on our tour were particularly overjoyed and very very proud.

The Aussie press blamed dumb play for their loss and NZ tv pundits bemoaned the lack of tries. Stuff em!

After about an hours sleep 50 of us went for a day trip to Hamilton to watch Wales v Samoa. That was a tough journey! We had a bar booked for lunch and all the Welsh supporters gave us a standing ovation as we all piled off the coach. Made me very proud to be Irish. Didn't see anything at the match that would unduly worry us in the quarters if indeed we do play Wales.

So now it looks like we have a real shot of making it to the semis. It is one game at the time but confidence must be sky high. Big change from before the lads flew to NZ.

Heard on the grapevine that George Hook still can't eat humble pie!





Yesterday we went down to Taupo and last night we had a mystery tour which was to meet the Irish squad. Everyone on tour was blown away. Thanks to Kurt McQuilkin & Declan Kidney and all the lads because it was a brilliant evening that our guests will never forget.





Today we all went jet boating at Huka Falls. Great fun even if we did get soaked!

Posted by Trevor Brennan Rugby Tours

New Plymouth Hangover

New Plymouth didn't know what hit it. Thousands of fans painted the town green and drank it dry!





Our tour group met up for lunch in a local bar then headed up by coach to the match with a great sing song on the way! Conditions at the match were terrible so we all had to head to a nice warm bar afterwards to dry off. The general consensus was that a win is a win and lets move on.






We then made our way to Rotorua with a trip included to the Waitomo Caves famous for its glowworms.

So far we haven't lost anyone on tour yet, despite the fact that our group is starting to resemble patients in the Betty Ford Clinic! We did leave Waitomo after lunch without one lady but spotted our mistake after 100 yards. The funny thing was that her husband was on the bus and didn't say a word when we drove off without her!!!

Posted by Trevor Brennan Rugby Tours

Opening Ceremony - Party Time!

The start of RWC was a brilliant time to be in Auckland as every Kiwi was mad for a party! Despite the long flight all our tour party arrived in that morning, showered and headed for "party central". Over 100,000 people were down on the waterfront soaking up the great sunshine and of course the beer!



A huge firework display took place off the Sky Tower and then the All Blacks kicked off the tournament against Tonga.

Quite a few sore heads the next day and we headed down to New Plymouth via lunch at Waitete RFC with AB legends Colin and Stan Meads.

New Plymouth was buzzing last night with thousands of Irish in town. This morning is match day and the weather has turned. Cold, wet and windy!

We can't wait for the match against USA and we will be cheering on the boys big time!

Posted by Trevor Brennan Rugby Tours

Our tour begins!

I thought we would start this blog with the bleeding obvious - it takes ages to get to NZ! My business partner Mark just rang me to let me know!! He is now in Sydney waiting for his three hour flight onto Auckland and has had enough of flying already! He also sent me the worlds most boring photo! I promise that these will improve!

Apparently Sydney Airport is promoting the Wallabies big time - can't wait for when we play them on the 17th. Being underdogs suits us and canny Declan will probably holding a few things up his sleeve for that one. Been on the dry the last few days as I am expecting a brilliant social time in NZ.

Posted by Trevor Brennan Rugby Tours

Pre World Cup Social - Ireland v England

Despite miserable rain and miserable rugby, I have to say there was some fantastic banter in the D4 Berkeley on Saturday when our tour group had our first social outing of the trip to New Zealand. Ireland may have gotten their backsides reddened by the English but you'd never had thought it with the smiley, cheerful Irish fans clutching their new jackets and greeting their World Cup travel companions.

Our Rugby Jackets Logo

Guest speaker Brent Pope did a fantastic job and really set the right tone not just for the evening but for the whole trip. It was social, funny, relevant, interesting and I think right good craic. These are the things that I'm hoping we'll see on tour together.

I tell you one thing, we have a group well able to enjoy themselves. When we finally tore ourselves away from the comfort of the Pembroke Lounge several hours later than anticipated, we all stumbled into the comfortable hotel bar where the meets and greets continued for several more hours.

Above all else what we were delighted to see was the attitude that people came into this meeting with. We have people travelling on their own, young and mature couples as well as large groups of pals. Its very easy to go to the Ireland v England match, have a free beer and go home. Everyone arrived with the right attitude - willing to talk to someone new, eager to talk rugby and have a bit of fun. If Saturday is anything to go by its going to be a super tour to New Zealand.

Trevor Brennan Rugby Tours Blog - Rugby World Cup 2011

I just wanted to give a warm welcome to those of you having a read of the blog we will be running for Rugby World Cup 2011. A lively, vibrant and enthusiatic group of Irish rugby supports head to New Zealand eager to see an improvement from Declan Kidneys men.

You won't need us to tell you the score of the match, but find out where the craic was, which were the best bars and who were the people who made this a fantastic and memorable trip to the land of the Long White Cloud. The Aotearoa experience beckons for the hundreds of people lucky enough to make the 18,000 km journey to the most rugby mad country on Earth.

This blog will provide a really valuable insight as to what you get from a trip to New Zealand and what you can expect from Trevor Brennan Rugby Tours.  Our tour lasts for five amazing weeks filled with activities, entertainment, beers and laughter. If we're lucky we might even have time for a bit of rugby. And for you worried and jealous partners, husbands, girlfriends, parents and mates, don't worry - what goes on tour. . . . . . . goes on Facebook!!!

Group Bonding

We currently have 30 guests on tour with us and this number will swell to nearly 80 on Friday ready for Ireland v Australia.


It's amazing how just after a few days great friendships are made on tour. This pic was taken at about 1.30am in our hotel bar in Rotorua. There is nothing like a love for rugby, a few drinks and having the craic to bring people from a wide range of backgrounds together!!



We also get out and about and yesterday a group of us visited the buried Maori village near Rotorua. Like Pompeii it was buried by volcanic ash when the nearby mountain blew it's top! So you see, it's not just beer and rugby - we do cultural as well!


Today we are off to watch Samoa play in their first match of the tournament
against Namibia. It's been raining heavily all night but due to dry up for the match. We are meeting at midday in the local Irish bar so it could be a long day!

Posted by Trevor Brennan Rugby Tours