James Simpson-Daniel: My most memorable trip was a school rugby tour to South Africa in 1998

Jamie Simpson-Daniel is a former English professional rugby player who primarily played as a winger. He spent the entirety of his career with Gloucester Rugby club in the English Premiership. Simpson-Daniel was known for his incredible speed, agility, and elusive running style, which made him a dangerous attacking threat on the field. He possessed excellent footwork and had a knack for scoring spectacular tries. Simpson-Daniel represented England at international level, earning 10 caps for his country. Simpson-Daniel is still remembered as one of the most exciting and dynamic wingers of his generation. After retiring from professional rugby in 2014, he has remained involved in the sport through various coaching and media roles.

We asked Jamie to reveal some of his best touring moments:

“My most memorable trip was a school rugby tour to South Africa in 1998. It was the first time that I’d visited and is a place I will never forget. I loved the people there: they were very passionate about their sports on the field but so friendly off the field. We were hosted by local families for some of our time and it was fantastic to experience their lifestyle. It is a beautiful country with plenty of activities to do. We went on Safari and deep sea fishing which was amazing.”

“One of the places that stood out for me was Durban. It is right on the coast with awesome restaurants. Going to watch the Super 14 game (as it was called at the time) was incredible.

My advice to anyone going on their first tour would be to take everything in and be willing to try things that you wouldn’t get to do back home.”