Rugby? What rugby? England captain Chris Robshaw escapes to a Caribbean beach
By CHRIS ROBSHAW, Daily Mail, UK
Rugby is a game of inevitable bumps and bruises – and I experienced my fair share last season in my role as England captain.
There was the enormous high of beating the world champions New Zealand at Twickenham in December – but also the painful defeat to Wales in March that cost us both the Six Nations title and the possibility of a Grand Slam. And on a personal note, missing out on selection for the British and Irish Lions tour of Australia was a huge disappointment.
So the prospect of an escape to the beach once the season was over was an enticing one – a chance to lick my wounds and recharge my batteries.
Rugby fans will know my girlfriend Camilla Kerslake from her pre-match performances at Twickenham. She’s a classical singer and her schedule can be as busy as mine – and so our holidays are often last-minute affairs. But she had space in her diary – and when we realised I would not be on tour with the Lions, we knew this was our moment to flee the country in search of real sunshine.
People tend to think that summer is a bad time to visit the Caribbean. But while it is true that June is technically the start of the hurricane season – which means that rain is more likely – it is rare for the clouds to hang around for long.
Prices also tend to be far lower in the Caribbean in summer, and the beaches far less crowded.
Not that packed sands or a battle for the sun-loungers were ever going to be a problem at our chosen destination. A friend had recommended Peter Island, a private hideaway in the British Virgin Islands with one luxury resort; just 52 rooms and three villas.
Neither Camilla nor I had ever been to the Caribbean before. We have travelled to Abu Dhabi, and we usually have a yearly break in Portugal. So this was a new departure.
We arrived after dark. But when we woke the following morning, there was the exact scene we had been hoping for. Outside our door was a little patch of grass, a spot of decking, an inviting hammock tied between two palm trees – and then beyond, plenty of white sand and turquoise water.
This definitely lived up to all our expectations.
The main plan for the holiday was to relax. Rugby is an intense game these days, with players lining up for more than 30 matches a season, and the sport is becoming more physical, more abrasive and faster. So it is crucial to switch off and let the body recover.
I certainly managed this, and perhaps it helped that no one in the Caribbean seemed to know much about rugby. In fact, I suspected that most of the friendly and helpful staff might never have watched a game in their lives – which was fine with me.
The resort has a private beach, White Bay. We dabbled with scuba diving here. This was the first time Camilla had done this. Both of us had to go under water in the swimming pool, but once we had shown our instructor that we knew the basics, he took us out into the bay, and I was astonished at how much wildlife you can see – sea turtles, eels, all manner of coloured fish.
The food in the resort was excellent. We would start the day with a hearty breakfast – but we also enjoyed a few evenings of fine dining. One night, we had dinner on the beach, which was not something I had experienced before. To be sitting with your feet in the sand – a table for two under the stars; freshly caught seafood; a bottle of quality wine – is pretty special. And pretty romantic, too.
Of course, these big meals had to be taken into account. Even during the off-season, it is important to stay fit so that when you start preparing for the new campaign it isn’t the shock that it might be.
Happily, Peter Island has one eye on the health of its guests. It has just set up a triathlon route. The staff are calling it ‘Island-Athlon’. The course probably isn’t quite at Olympic level of difficulty, but the island is large enough for this to be a genuine challenge. It is around five miles long, shaped oddly like a boomerang, and laced with hiking trails.
Anyone feeling energetic is supposed to swim for a mile, ride two five-mile loops around the coast on a bike, then finish with a five-mile run. Camilla and I did this together as a joint effort. She can certainly keep up. But we opted for the so-called ‘easier’ option of kayaking the first leg, because I’m not the greatest swimmer. Our time wasn’t brilliant, but it was good to get in an exercise session.
Our reward was a couples massage in a private cabin overlooking the sea. This was far removed from the sports massages I’m used to receiving after a match, where the physios are working on a painful dead leg. Instead, this was 90 minutes of pure pleasure, where you have your head and feet rubbed as if you’re a new-born baby. I’m happy to admit we both fell fast asleep.
In some ways, the whole holiday felt like a dream. Certainly the week seemed to be over in a flash. But we at least had a stop off to look forward to on our way home.
We spent two nights at The Inn at English Harbour – a splendid hotel on Antigua’s south coast. It has a colonial feel with a Caribbean twist. We were able to sit in hammocks, reading books, rum cocktails in hand. The Inn is just around the corner from Nelson’s Dockyard – the 18th- century naval base where Nelson used to moor up.
Cooling off: Chris and Camilla enjoy a little down time at one of the resort’s pools
I’m sure my jet-lag will have cleared in time for me to watch the first Lions Test against Australia tomorrow. The support for the team Down Under has been superb, and I’m hoping for a Lions win.
Of course I’d love to be there, but I’ve also been lucky to have experienced the Caribbean and its heartwarming people. When pre-season training hots up next week, I shall think about those gentle breezes on Peter Island and those glorious days of doing nothing very much at all.
Travel Facts
ITC Classics (01244 355 527; www.itcclassics.co.uk) offers seven nights’ B&B at Peter Island Resort & Spa for £1,899 pp (two adults sharing), including flights and transfers.
Double rooms at The Inn At English Harbour (001 268 460 1014, www.theinn.ag) cost from £348 per night, half-board, minimum three-night stay.
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