Community Connection: Nippers program kicks off at Coogee

HSBC Waratahs Rob Horne, Sarel Pretorius and Sekope Kepu will this Sunday head down to Coogee beach to join hundreds of Nippers for beach sprints and ball games, before challenging them to a tug-o-war and posing for photos. 

The three will be joined by team mates Bernard Foley, John Ulugia, Lopeti Timani and Brendan McKibbin and coach Alan Gaffney.  HSBC Waratahs supporters are encouraged to soak up the sun and watch the fun as the players and Nippers take to the sand around 8.30am before making the most of autograph signing and photo opportunities and bagging the HSBC Waratahs giveaways on offer.

Also attending will be former NSW Waratahs and Wallabies legends Simon Poidevin and Warwick Waugh, whose boys are involved with Coogee Nippers.  

Said Poidevin, “A lot of the Nippers play for local village clubs, so to have the Waratahs come to Coogee is a great opportunity for them to connect with the players they look up to, certainly they are all looking forward to it.”

The event is part of the HSBC Waratahs’ Community Connection program, a new initiative aimed at bringing players and supporters closer together through a host of school, charity and community events planned for NSW across the season.

The following Sunday (January 29) will see players hitting the beach at Balmoral, with Freshwater the venue for the first Sunday of February (4th).  All sessions start at 8.30am and run for two hours.

Earlier this week, Tamworth pair Benn Robinson and Paddy Ryan joined coach Michael Foley in Armidale for the New England National Rugby Camp, where they worked with around 300 boys and girls eager to improve their rugby skills.  Yesterday, Adam Ashley-Cooper and Daniel Halangahu were among a number of NSW sports stars to play backyard cricket in The Rocks to help promote a state-wide program of Australia Day celebrations.  Photos from all events are posted on the Waratahs Facebook wall, with full details of forthcoming events available on our website at www.waratahs.com.au/CommunityConnection