true International junior tournament in Vienne, France

Tours 4 Sport are delighted to become the official UK partner for the 'A l'Ouverture' tournament held over Easter weekend in Vienne, near Lyon in France. This 3 day event is a real celebration of rugby with teams from all over the world competing. Suitable for UK U14 & U16 teams. Read on for all the details.
First of all let's deal with the basics.

• When? Tournament welcome on Good Friday, 22nd April 2011, followed by two days of tournament play on Saturday 23rd and Easter Sunday 24th April. Teams return home on Monday 25th April. 
• Where? Vienne, on the South Eastern side of France, 20 minutes from Lyon. 
• Which ages? The two categories are players born 1996 & 97, which corresponds to UK U14, and players born 1994 & 95, which corresponds to UK U16

The tournament organisers are truly passionate about this event, which takes place every other Easter, and will be in its 4th edition in 2011. The aims are clear: on the field, the rugby is competitive, but fair play and respect is integral to the success of the event. Off the field, friendship and hospitality are key: all the teams and supporters have their meals together in the tournament venues; there is a large scale opening parade in the town, each evening there is music and entertainment, and the Sunday evening has awards and a closing ceremony with fireworks.


There will be teams competing from across the world. In 2006 there were 8 European countries represented; in 2007 11 countries; in 2009 there was also representation from 3 new countries: New Zealand, South Africa and Georgia. The 2011 edition is looking to expand on this further. The range of nationalities offers new experiences both on and off the field. Whilst teams inevitably want to win whilst they play, the organisers insist that the emphasis remains on making new friends in our great sport once the final whistle goes and what the french so eloquently call the 'troisieme mi-temps' or 'third half' starts. 

The tournament organisers are the RVR, or 'Rugby Viennois Rhodanien', which is the collection of 5 rugby clubs in the Vienne region. The tournament is recognised by the Lyon Rugby Board, the French Federation (FFR) and the heads of European rugby, FIRA. There has always been representation from rugby celebrities and in 2011 the tournament patron is Didier Retier, forwards coach to the French senior international team.

Different tournaments use different formats, so it's worth going through the details here. At U16 teams will play full size pitch and XV a side; U14s will play with the 5m lines as the touchlines, and play twelve a side. Games at both categories last 20 minutes. On the Saturday group stage teams will play 3 games, and in the knockout stages on Sunday teams will play 2 or 3 more games. The tournament will make use of 8 pitches across its host clubs on Saturday; reducing to 6 on Sunday for the finals. The minimum squad size will have 4 substitutes, the maximum squad is 25 players (touring parties with large squads may be required to name a playing squad of 19/22 for each match). Unlimited substitutions are permitted. Conversions and penalties are taken by drop kick for U16, for U14 only conversions can be taken at goal, again by drop kick. 

It is possible to reach Vienne in one of three ways. You could fly into Lyon or Grenoble, and we can organise coach transfers for you once you land in France. BMI fly to Lyon from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Leeds, Manchester and Nottingham whilst BA fly from Heathrow and Easyjet fly from Bristol, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Gatwick and Stansted. Alternatively we could organise coach travel and ferry crossings from the UK, a longer trip but certainly possible if your budget dictates. Train travel from Paris is also possible, as the TGV connection to Lyon is only a couple of hours, with Eurostar crossings from London to Paris an option. 

We have accommodation options covering a range of standards, from budget accommodation in school halls, youth friendly holiday park and hotels. The holiday park is located around 20 minute coach drive from Vienne, and benefits from pool, games areas, restaurant and bar on-site, with accommodation based on 4-6 berth chalets. Or choose a hotel in the centre of town, sleeping 2-3 people per room. We will organise coach shuttles from your accommodation to the tournament events and meals throughout the weekend. 

Vienne is a charming town of 66,000 inhabitants which straddles the river Rhone to the South of Lyon. With the famous river which has always made the place a strategic centre, and the attractive Roman buildings and monuments, it is a beautiful town in which to spend your Easter weekend. For those staying a little longer, the big city of Lyon is an easy 20 minute drive away, and there are some fantastic vineyards in the area as well. France generally, and this area specifically, is renowned for the brilliant food and drink. 

To enjoy a real international tournament, French hospitality at its best and to have the opportunity to make new friends from around the rugby world, contact Tours4 today for a tailored quote. Call us on 0800 043 3887 or email us on info@tours4.com.