Spent the day doing all my last little bits of preparation and visiting friends and family that I’ll no doubt miss for the next 3 weeks!!!

Did some last minute boxing training (Thanks Adele + Jeff) You can never be too prepared for a tour with the whole country baying for you blood!!!

Had my suitcase and hand luggage packed (Thanks Mum!!!)

Recieved some dollars ($300) thanks to all (Especially Charile Atherton - no relation) that helped to raise this from Wigan St Patricks A.R.L.F.C

Also got some pounds (£200) thanks to all clubs (Wigan St Pats, Wigan St Judes, Ince Rose Bridge) that supported the evening with the stars and raised money for all Wigan based players and officials!

Knocked up a couple of t-shirts at work which all the boys will like, Sasch in particular!!!

Off to bid farewell to a some of Michelle’s (my other and better half!!!) family, irony of ironies, they are emigrating to Australia!!!  See you out there perhaps!!!

Carpe Diem 

My last day at Optimum has arrived and I’m busy doing a few last minute jobs. Just been to see our designer Mali with some work for him to do while I’m away having fun!! I’m sure he will enjoy reading my blog!!! Made my big pile of follow up work for Sean so he should be nice and angry with that once he gets back from Glastonbury and have no time to check the blog.

Nipped out to see Jimmy Aspinal and Mel today, picked our kit up and it is fantastic, also forwarded blog details to a few more friends and family so we should start getting some hits. Before departure I’ll be posting a profile picture of all the players and staff so you can get to know who’s who on the tour who is getting stuck into their forward (Mel), who is scoring the points (Jordan) and who is keeping the physios busy (Pengy)!!!

Off to get some much needed rest from my Mum packing my case and got another full day of it tomorrow.

Carpe Diem

As the countdown continues there is just 3 days before I jet off.  I have been in contact with one or two of the boys today and they think the blog idea is fantastic.  It will be a really easy way to relay news of our progress back home and give our friends/families/wives/girlfriends the opportunity to keep tabs on how we are progressing.

The few I have spoken to are as excited as I am to play at this higher level and are relishing the opportuninty to gauge ourselves against competition from down under.

Before I jet of I would personally like to thank a few people … Jimmy Aspinal and Jimmy Taylor for presenting me with the chance to tour down under.   Pete for letting me have the time off and taking time out of his busy schedule to concieve the idea of blogging on tour and finally Duncan and Scott for finalising everything and bringing me up to speed with how to blog properly!!!

Carpe Diem

 

Here is the full playing and management squad pictured with guest of honour Tony Smith following our pre-tour training day held at Leeds Academy on Saturday 14th June 2008.

Optimum Sport, the Wigan based Sports brand is sponsoring Anthony Atherton of the Great Britain Community Lions rugby league team as he tours ‘Down Under’ during July.

Selected from the ranks of local teams like St Pats and etc, etc the Lions undertake a 5 game tour in 3 weeks and Ant will be sending his daily blog to family, friends and fans to keep them all up to speed with his try count!

‘We’ve all been training hard and Optimum have sponsored me on the tour and set up the blog so that I can be on form and on line!’, said Ant. It’s hoped Ant can blog back to Wigan with an assortment of news and images to give us all an idea of life on tour.

The whole blog idea was that of Pete Moran, the owner and founder of Optimum Sport.

‘We’re delighted that Ant has been selected to tour. We can keep him fully kitted and protected with Optimum kit and keep in daily contact with our new blog. Its part of our new marketing launch under the banner ‘Totally Committed’ which kicks off in July and we’re lucky enough to combine the new launch with the tour.’

Optimum has always been a brand that innovates and this represents the first step in a significant integrated marketing approach which is set to grow the brand internationally.

For more information about the Great Britain Community Lions tour 2008 click here.