I arrived at OR Tambo Johannesburg international airport on Sunday, January 8th after an 11-hour flight from London. Kobus and Dylan de Villiers (a Menlo Park student) met me and we went for a traditional South African breakfast. Later that day, we met up with all the Menlo Park coaches and I had my first South African steak.
On Wednesday, January 10th, I went to Menlo Park High school for the first time and enjoyed some of its sporting facilities. Everyone in the school was very welcoming to both myself, Lara and Tess Maritz as they showed us around the school and helped us along with our first few days until we became familiar with our new surroundings.
I am currently training three times a week from 6am - 7.30am with the school 2nd team and with the 1st team in the afternoons. I also have one-to-one batting coaching every day in the indoor centre at the school.
I have also become involved with Sinoville Cricket Club playing a game for their 3rd team and scoring 33 from 28 on debut. For Menlo, I have played two games with the 2nd team and have gone well with the ball taking 3-41 off 10 on debut. Unfortunately, it did not go to plan with the bat as we lost out to our big rivals Waterkloof in my first ever game ever under lights.
So far, I have experienced some South African traditions and seen some amazing things. I went to Pilansburg National Safari Park and saw three of “The big five”
I went to the second day of the third Test match at the Wanderers stadium in Johannesburg between South Africa and Sri-Lanka, which was very enjoyable.
I have had a braai also which is a South African barbecue.
I have also done some coaching here helping out with the junior club and school U14 B and C teams and am really enjoying it. It has become a requirement for all the Leinster TY students who travel to South African schools to contribute and offer coaching to the schools junior teams.
I would like to say big thanks to the De Villiers family for hosting me for the first week and the Lange (Jaco played at Balbriggan last summer) family who are currently hosting me. Thank you to Menlo Park for taking the Maritz sisters and myself under their wing and welcome me as one of their own. Thank you to Cricket Leinster for organising this trip on my behalf and Franciscan College Gormanston for facilitating my time off from TY studies. Thank you to the Hills Cricket Club for their support and for the send-off they gave to both myself and Harry Archer who is currently at Muir College in the Eastern Cape area of South Africa.
Ryan Tobin
The Hills CC & Franciscan College Gormanston