THE rugby mad pupils at Lancaster's Royal Grammar School are hoping to do what Will Carling and Co couldn't, beat the Australians at our own game.

An ambitious, three-week rugby tour of Australia is being planned at the famous Lancaster school for next July with 26 pupils and four teachers hoping to head down under and prove that poms are best.

All that needs plenty of cash so the fund-raising has already started at the Quernmore Road school. Many events are on the drawing board, the most eye-catching a Sportsmans' Dinner to be held at Lancaster Town Hall later this month.

The seven-match tour will take in places like Darwin, Brisbane and Sydney before the 30-strong party head for the tropical island of Bali for a relaxing couple of days on the way back.

So with a tour like that in the offing, there's sure to be competition for places in the squad which will be made up from the school's senior sides next season.

Master in charge of rugby at the school Brian Bonney told the Citizen that with such a 'glittering prize' to aim for, he's expecting a successful season from the school's senior players. Other schools beware.

The organisers of the tour are looking for local support to help the young players realise their dream. Tickets for the Sportsmans' Dinner - starring television's voice of Rugby League Ray French and well-known comedy scriptwriter Mike Craig - are on sale now priced £25.

The event, to be held at Lancaster Town Hall on Friday May 24, is sure to be a sell-out so to get hold of tickets contact Brian Bonney on (01524) 32109 or Robin Lowman on (01524) 822472.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.