6 Nations Rugby—Great Travel Ideas

By Hank Schrader, USMA ’71, Europe Destination & Europe River Cruise Expert

www.dreamdestinations.com

In a travel year like no other I can ever remember, Anne & I watched the end of the 6 Nations Rugby Tournament last Saturday on TV. England won but the real story is how different this year’s games were played and when they finished. As with everything else this crazy year, the competition started in February and was scheduled to end in March, but it was suspended until last week (31 October 2020) for the final 3 matches. There were no fans at the venues. It was strange but there was a lot of quality rugby being played by these national teams.

So, why am I writing about rugby on a travel blog? To me, it just points out how a pandemic has changed the world of travel and how much we miss visiting the 6 Nations that complete each year in my favorite rugby competition.

My game plan for this adventure is first to tell you a little about my rugby career, a little bit about the Six Nations Tournament and then how our travel has been associated with these 6 countries by telling you a favorite memory or two of our travels to each place.

It should be an interesting journey! Ready? Let’s go together!

My Rugby Career

I started playing rugby in 1972 as a member of the Ft. Riley-Kansas State Rugby Club, where I played for about 3 years and developed a passion for the game and the sport. Next was the Ft. Benning Rugby Club for 9 months or so, where I won the Coaches Award as the Outstanding Player in the Spring Season of 1976. My next team was the Monterrey Rugby Club for 9 months.

In Panama, I was Captain of the Atlantic Syndrome Rugby Club (where I won the Most Valuable Back Award) and later the Captain of Panama’s Pacific side and Captain of the Isthmus select 7-a-side team that competed in Mexico City. Then off to the Fort Bragg team for about 6 months or so. I also played for the Seattle Rugby Club while in grad school for a little over a year.

Upon arriving at West Point to teach physical education. I was fortunate enough to be selected as an assistant coach for the rugby team from 1982-1984. One of the highlights had to be escorting the team to play in England against the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst Rugby Team. What a thrill to visit the home of rugby and have our lads play at Twickenham Stadium, one of the venues of the Six Nations Championships!

**West Point Rugby Club at Sandhurst 1983**

I was also a member of the Old Gray Rugby Club.

My last team was a return to the Monterrey Rugby club and later as a member of a Monterrey Select team where we won the Inter-Service National Military Championship in May of 1985 at Fort Sill, OK.

In about 350 or so games, I think I have scored about 67 tries (like touchdowns in football), 16 Drop Kicks and 108 conversions (like a PAT in football) but I never really kept records.

The Six Nations Rugby Competition

The 6 teams in the tournament are England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales. Each team plays the other teams once, with home field advantage that alternates every other year. The competition began in 1883 as the Home Nations Championships with England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales. In 1910, France was added and it became known as the Five Nations Championship and I began following the tournament during my playing career. In 2000, Italy was added and the championship was renamed the Six Nations Championship.

It is the most important international rugby championship that is played in the Northern Hemisphere and features the key originators of rugby union play.

While the world cup championship is more important than the six nations, the six nations is for many fans the most interesting and meaningful rugby tournament—it is easy to follow since there are limited teams and rugby pride is rampant in the England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales countries—it is very much like our football super bowl.

It is my favorite rugby tournament—I just love the passion, the quality of play and the pride in supporting one’s national team! We were in Dublin at Kehoes Pub just before the Ireland and Scotland match one year and the atmosphere was electric—we had a ball!

So, with that in mind, let’s visit the six nation’s countries and learn about our favorite memories of each country.

England

It is easy to argue that England has changed the world more than any other country in the world’s history in the last 300 years. As the saying goes, the sun never set on the British Empire—at one time they ruled over 50 countries. England’s strength was and still is its sea power.

A place so steeped in history and fascinating places to visit, I’m going with a tranquil visit to the Cotswolds, a place that evokes calm and relaxation. I will say London was a close second, but somehow I think we managed to see a side of the more rural England and still visit some awesome nearby sights such as the country palace (Blenheim Palace), a great college town (Oxford) and a jaunt into Shakespeare’s hometown of Strafford-on-Avon.

The Cotswolds area in Gloucestershire is about 25 miles wide and 90 miles long. It is in the English countryside that is like stepping into a real life fairy tale area of rolling hills, sheep and quaint villages.

Our favorite village is Chipping Campden. It was a sheep market town that once was the most important source of wool in England. It was said that Cotswold wool was the best wool in the world and made many merchants here rich.

France

France is a diverse country that combines man-made beauty and natural beauty. From art, to great food, to philosophy, the French have been leaders for the rest of the world. One way to describe this country is “L’art de Vivre”—the art of living.

I could easily spend 6 months traveling around France, but I decided to pick Paris, as it is one of Anne’s favorite, there is such a wide array of things to do and see, it is near enough for great day trips but it is the small café’s and bistros I love the best.

Yes, the art of living—enjoy these pictures!

Ireland

Ireland is the 3rd largest island in Europe. It was ruled by the English until 1949, when 26 counties formed the Republic of Ireland and 6 counties became Northern Ireland. It became a member of the EU in 1973.

I’ve picked two favorites here—Dublin and a country estate—Mt. Falcon.

In Dublin, perhaps one of our best experiences was in Kehoes in Dublin prior to the Ireland vs. Scotland rugby match in 2011. This is a Traditional Irish Heritage Bar, established in 1803. The place was packed, both sides had excited fans and the Guinness flowed. Kilts on the Scots mixed in with Green Irish team jerseys and the banter was non-stop, pointing out the merits of one side versus the other side deficiencies.

Other great sights in Dublin are the wonderful painted doors, the Guinness Storehouse, and the Book of Kells.

The other memorable place was a stay in the country manor of Mount Falcon in County Mayo. This former estate of the Knox family is now a luxury 4 star resort.

Italy

This unique country with so many famous sights has 20 regions that have their own distinct character. This peninsula country is about 850 miles long and 150 miles wide. It has over 5,000 miles of coastline. It is a land of food and wine and the “sweet life” but still is the world’s 7th largest industrial power.

There are so many good choices, this was perhaps the most challenging country to narrow it down, but I decided to go with Rome. There is so much history of the ancient sights, the Vatican, the shopping but my favorites are visiting the vibrant squares that are markets during the day and al fresco restaurants at night.

**Campo de Fiori Flower Market—turns into liviey night spot**

One of our great adventures in Rome was a food tour led by Hande Leimer, owner of Vino Roma. We visited a Rome Market where all the produce comes directly from the growers. We visited the market, some food shops and cafes, and ended with a geleteria!

If you truly want to understand a different country, you have to participate in their daily lives.

Scotland

Scotland has two regions—the Lowlands, an urbanized area, and the Highlands, a nature lover’s area of mountainous type terrain, with over 280 hills and mountains over 3000 feet or more that is dotted with deep lakes called lochs.

Edinburgh is the winner here, as it has so much to see and do. Anne has some real Scottish heritage and I have been allowed to come along and learn about clans and the Scottish way of life. On the Royal Mile, you can visit 2 castles, see key sights and even buy a kilt, as we did.

If you only have a day or two, the choice has to be Edinburgh, but I’d stay longer and see some of the highlands also!

Wales

Wales is only 170 miles long and 60 miles wide. It has 750 miles of scenic coast. It has its own unique language that has survived to present day, although almost all speak both English and Welsh. It also has a passion for rugby that makes it the number one sport in the country.

I can’t do just one here, since one was among the most memorable trips we ever took.

Our most memorable trip has to be Anne’s 60th Birthday, when we stayed at a vineyard about twenty miles outside Cardiff. We attended a cooking school with perhaps at that time the most famous chef in Wales, Angela Grey. She taught us how to make some classic French dishes in her cooking school at Llanerch Vineyards. We made Coq au Vin Blanc (Chicken in White Wine Sauce), Lyonnaise Potatoes and Crêpes

The second has to be our stay in Conwy, Wales—a small walled city with a great castle (you knew somehow I had to get another castle into this blog) and a chance to really get down with the locals in their pubs.

My Final Thoughts

I hope you enjoyed this unique rugby tour of the 6 Nations through our eyes!

We hope this inspires you to dream about European travel—and then take action when travel restrictions are lifted! We will be ready to help!

When you are spending your hard-earned money for a vacation, you want an advisor who can match you with the right trip. You want someone who will understand your expectations and fuel your anticipation (or excitement) to get you the best possible trip experience. And, you want someone who can help you with the decision making process. We think we have all these qualities.

Whatever your Dream Destinations are, we are here to help you get the best possible vacation based on what is important to you! We will provide you high quality, expertly planned travel. Please give me a call 713-397-0188 (Hank) or email me at hschrader@dreamdestinations.com. We want to help you: Savor life…make memories…Visit Dream Destinations! Your journey begins here!

HANK is a certified Western European Destination Specialist (DS) who has been traveling to Europe for 49 years. He is also an Accredited Cruise Counselor (ACC), conferred by the Cruise Line International Association (CLIA). This recognized expert in cruise and leisure travel is a retired Army Officer, and taught World Geography for 8 years. He is a `71 graduate of West Point and has earned 2 master’s degrees. His other Certifications:

AmaWaterways River Cruise Specialist
Viking River Cruise Specialist
Scenic River Cruise Specialist
Emerald Waterways Specialist
Avalon Waterways Specialist
Brit Agent

6 Nations Rugby--Great Travel Ideas!

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