YOUNGSTERS at Summer Fields Preparatory School, Oxford, had the thrill of a training session with ex-England players Jon Callard and Danny Grewcock ahead of their rugby tour of South Africa.

o As part of the preparations for the trip, a fund-raising dinner was held at Lady Margaret Hall in December.

There was an auction of promises and one of the lots was a training session for the squad to be run by Callard and Grewcock.

This took place last week and during the hour-long session, Grewcock helped the forwards improve their lineout technique, while Callard worked on lines of running with the backs.

Through the auction and a sponsored swim, more than £5,000 has been raised by the tour party - which consists of 34 boys and five teachers - for charity.

This will help to provide equipment for Zimasa Community School in Cape Town and Ithemba AIDS Orphanage in Durban.

The tour party fly out on Thursday, March 20, and in addition to matches against South African Prep Schools, the Summer Fields boys will play against Zimasa and visit the orphanage.

On the cultural side, they will visit the film set of Shaka, the battlefield at Isandlwana, the Sharks Board Headquarters in Durban, Table Mountain and Robben Island in Cape Town.