HSBC Waratahs pocket rocket scrum half Brendan McKibbin was the star attraction at Bondi recently, joining over 160 Bondi Breakers youngsters and their families at the end of season bash, joining in a game of touch and presenting the Golden Boot trophies to the best and fairest player in each team.
As well as demonstrating his rugby skills, the 27-year-old Coogee local showed the sense of humour that has caused his team mates to describe him as the comedian within the squad.
“The kids were in awe of him and kept asking if he was wearing shoulder pads, whilst the dads pulled hamstrings trying to catch him,” said the club’s President Gabrielle Cullen.
“One of the boys, Ben (pictured), was his greatest fan on the day. He turned up in a Brumbies jersey, which Brendan and he were heckling each other about all day. Ben now wants a Waratahs jersey!
“Brendan was amazing with the kids and a fantastic ambassador for rugby. He played numerous games of touch, put up hundreds of Garryowens and captained the kids’ side against the dads.
“His approach and attitude won everyone’s respect. He tapped into the spirit of our club with his amazing approach and attitude to our Bondi Breaker kids, he was so giving and understanding of what it meant to the kids to have him there.”
After recently paying a visit to the Bellevue Hill Primary School Fete where he ran the pass the football competition, yesterday club captain Pat McCutcheon joined Sydney's Under 16s at training, helping coach Joel Rivers with the team’s final preparations for this weekend’s Australian National U16 Championship before joining the team for dinner and presenting their jerseys.
He did the same last week for the state’s Under 12s ahead of the PSSA National Championship which they won with a clean sweep of three victories and Joel and the U16s boys will be hoping that Cutch’s presence will have a similar impact on their title aspirations, when their campaign kicks off at Riverview this Sunday.
This month has also seen players support the Sydney Premiership, with Sekope Kepu, Wycliff Palu, Lachie Turner, Damien Fitzpatrick, Bernard Foley and Drew Mitchell on hand on Shute Shield Grand Finals day, meeting supporters, signing autographs and having their photos taken.
Days earlier, Fitzpatrick and Turner spent the evening with over 120 students, parents and teachers for the SCEGGS Redlands school’s end of season dinner, held at the Mosman Returned Services Club. As well as sitting down to dinner with the first XV players, the pair handed out the end of season awards and took part in a Q&A session with around 60 boys aged 13-17. After talking about life as a professional player and their eating and training regimes, their response on Tatafu Polota-Nau when asked about their favourite and least favourite roommates was the part that most will remember most, resulting in much laughter from around the room.
The events were part of the HSBC Waratahs’ Community Connection program that brings players and supporters closer together through hundreds of school, charity and community events throughout NSW across the season.
Next month, the focus will be on the Central Coast Sevens tournament, which kicks off on Friday October 26 and sees 16 men’s, 12 women’s and 12 school teams competing for $30,000 in prize money. As well as the main competitions, the event opens with a special charity XVs match for the Black Dog Institute, starring a host of former international players including Jim Williams, Caleb Ralph and Clyde Rathbone.