Underdog

11. TEXTS AND TRAVEL

Saturday 6th February 2021

5:00pm

Changing Rooms after Italy vs France

Isabella Eira Jones PoV:

The boys made the right choice in the second half.

After the team talk at half time, there'd been a huge hug between everyone involved in their training before the team made their way back out and absolutely killed it in the second half. T

They went from 17-24 down at half time to 34-27 by the end of the game, thanks to an amazing try from Varney, who was in pure disbelief and could barely speak, and another from Ioane who truly loved the feeling of scoring an exceptional try for Italy. The game had ended with a penalty kicked by Garbisi.

Italian supporters stayed for ages after the game, desperate to get shirts, rugby balls and photos signed by the team, I didn't blame them, they'd witnessed something very special today and they wanted to hang onto that as long as possible. Everyone was joking and laughing, embracing the feeling, spending every possible moment with their team, family and fans who'd got them to this point in their career.

When that final whistle had blown, the team were in tears. Franco and I watched as they collapsed to the ground, head in hands but not for the same reason as the previous year, they honestly could not believe the change in a year.

Now, an hour later, we still sat in silence in the changing rooms, the boys refusing to take of their shirts.

"We did it..."

A voice came from the corner of the room.

David Sisi was the one to break the silence.

"We actually did it!"

He repeated with a laugh.

"Yeh, you did do it! Believe it!" Franco spoke up.

And that was all it took for the celebrations to restart. Music, cheering and laughter quickly filling the room as the boys began dancing round.

I stood back and let it continue for a while before deciding to kill the mood and bring them all back to reality. Shutting the music down, I stood up on a bench and reminded them all that we'd only won a single game and needed more than that to stay in the competition.

"It's okay to celebrate, to remember this moment because if you want this again, we need to earn it again! So take tonight and tomorrow off but first thing Monday morning, it's back to training. Today was good but you're capable of so much more so I need you to prove it to me, now grab your stuff and get out!" I jumped onto Monty's back and he carried me over to our things, the two of us then leading the group out of the room and to the coach waiting outside.

Eventually, we were all given our phones back and they were blowing up with texts, social media posts and news articles about the game. I scrolled through my messages until one stood out to me.

Louis Rees-Zammit <3

5 unread messages

Unlock to read

A smile spread across my face immediately and I unlocked my phone, connecting my air pods and playing music before going to the messages app to see what he'd sent me.

Louis

1:30pm: Hi, it's me Louis. Just wanted to wish you the best of luck for today! x

1:55pm: Guessing your phones have been collected x

4:00pm: What a game! I'm impressed Jones x

4:30pm: Let me know when you're home safe :) x

5:00pm: Phones are going away for our match tomorrow, hope you'll be

watching. I'm terrified... x

The smile on my face faded after seeing the last message, realising I'd be responding too late for him to see it. I decided to send him a text, anyway, not wanting him to think I'd ignored him.

Isabella

5:06: Hi Louis :) Thank you, it really was an amazing game, all credit to

them though, not me! We've just left the stadium so should

be at the hotel soon. Best of luck for tomorrow, I know you'll kill

it. I'd be there if I could :( x

Louis

5:09: Bet they're all buzzing, what a feeling that must be! I wish

you could come and watch, I'm sure Alun would love that too!

You better come see me in Gloucester after this is all over x

Isabella

5:11: Give me a time and place, I'll be there. They really are buzzing,

I've never experienced anything quite like it :) x

"She's texting Zammit!!" Monty said as he and Stephen snatched my phone out my hand. "They're organising a meet up and he's telling her how much he wishes she could be there for the game tomorrow!!" A crowd of players surrounded the two boys and my phone scrolling through the few texts sent between the two of us.

"Boys give the poor girl her phone back!" Franco shouted from the front of the bus, earning groans and mumbles of complaint in response but eventually, my phone was handed back to me, and they all returned to their seats. "Bella come here a minute!" The South African called back to me, inviting me to join him and the other coaches at the front of the vehicle.

"As you know, the boys have got the day off tomorrow and as you've worked so hard from the day we hired you, we'd like to offer you two days off. This is a plane ticket taking you to Cardiff Airport, leaving in an hour and returning Monday night, go and see your brother play!" My jaw dropped in disbelief; they'd paid for me to go home for a day. Launching myself at Franco, I gave him a huge hug, thanking him over and over for the kind gesture. "As much as I love a good hug from you Jones, you're going to miss your flight and the game starts in less than 20 hours, so you don't want to not be on that plane when it takes off!"

----

I was dropped off at the airport, my bag, passport, and jumper thrown out the door at me before they left to get back to the training camp. Heading inside, I handed my ticket and passport over, not needing to hand a suitcase over as I only had my hand luggage.

The plane took off from the airport just after 6:30, taking a direct route to Cardiff where it was due to land at 8 o'clock in the evening their time. I slept most the flight, trying to recover from the crazy events at the Stadio Olympico just a few hours prior before another huge game tomorrow between Wales and Italy.

This year's Six Nations could be won by anyone! Not only had Italy claimed their first win today but Scotland had also taken down England at Twickenham to make matters even better, what a year this could be for European rugby!

Please return to your seats and buckle your seatbelts, we're now arriving in Cardiff, Wales. Local time 8:14pm.

The pilot announced before the clicking of seatbelts could be heard up and down the aisles of the plane as it began to make its descent into the Welsh capital.