WRU takes Lion cub Halfpenny back to his roots

22 April 2009, 4:45 pm

By Simon Rimmer

The Welsh Rugby Union is sending Wales national team coaches, operational staff and selected players into SWALEC League Division 2 West club, Gorseinon RFC, tomorrow to run coaching clinics and meet and greet club members and local fans.

The likes of Leigh Halfpenny, Ian Gough, Robin Mcbryde, Neil Jenkins and Rob Howley will all be getting to grips with grass roots rugby at the Swansea club, which won the visit as part of the prize for success in a television quiz show backed by the WRU (S4C’s Cwis Meddiant).

For the 20-year-old Halfpenny, who will become the youngest Welsh Lions since Keith Jarrett (1968) when he joins the tour to South Africa this summer, the visit will be a real homecoming as he attempts to keep his feet on the ground by returning to help out at the club which made him.

The event is open to the public and will begin at 4.30pm with coaching sessions for Gorseinon youth teams which fans will be able to watch in action and finish at around 6.30pm.

There will be opportunity for fans to meet and greet with the Wales stars and club members will also be able to attend question and answer sessions with key WRU departments, including ground staff, coaching, operations and elite performance in a bid to share knowledge about the running of the professional game.