SAINTS fans heading Down Under to watch the team in the World Club Challenge are readying for a “trip of a lifetime”.
Gerard Songsters’ Dave Howarth, who arranges away day coach trips for fans from the Dentons Green pub, is flying Down Under with a party of around 25 fans on an organised trip, in conjunction with Catalan Sports Tours.
Meanwhile, other fans have made their own arrangements to make their way to the other side of the world.
READ > The 26-man squad Saints have taken to Australia
Saints’ tour also represents a rare opportunity for ex-pat fans living in that part of the world to see their beloved team in the flesh, as the Red Vee make their first appearance in Australia since 1997.
Dave and the group are heading out on Saturday, with a stop in San Francisco, on the way, and arriving in Sydney on Tuesday, February 14, and they will meet up with around 50 others who arrive on Wednesday.
The journey will see them take in sights such as Bondi Beach, a tour of the Sydney Cricket Ground, visits to various NRL club grounds in the area and the Blue Mountains, among others.
“The excitement is kicking in, knowing that this time in four days we’ll be heading down” said Dave, 52.
“There’s about 80 going that I know of and we’ll have a coach for the day of the game and there’s about 15 ex-pats on that.
“There could be up to 400 to 500 Saints fans over there. It should be a great week.
“I’m looking forward to what should be a trip of a lifetime.
“It’s a different type of holiday than going to, say, Tenerife, or mainland Spain.
“It’s going to be an experience for every single person that goes.”
Dave says he hopes to find a bar or venue than can act as a “hub” for all Saints fans that are going out to Sydney, and will be posting details and updates via the Gerard Coaches Twitter page.
Saints face Penrith Panthers in the World Club Challenge on Saturday, February 18, seven days after taking on St George-Illawarra Dragons in Wollongong in a warm-up match.
The games also form part of the NRL Pre-season Challenge, which includes all 17 Telstra Premiership clubs, and Saints.
- Follow @GerardCoaches on Twitter for updates from Dave on the trip.
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