Ospreys Players visit Children at Morriston Hospital

http://www.welshrugbypics.co.uk/events/3111-ospreys-hospital-visit-201211

We're always hammering them, so it's nice to see something nice for a change, well done lads.

Nice one fellas!

Well done boys, its things like this that the gutter press generally choose to ignore as there is no scandal attached to it.

During WC there was numerous visit to Christchurch by players but hardly any got a mention.

Well Done Boys

A lot of teams do stuff like this all year round. It's a shame that the press don't mention things like that.

I could not think of anything worse than a bunch of over paid rugby players visiting me in hospital or maybe I can a bunch of footballers. Let's face it if they were not playing rugby , how many of them would have a decent job or earning a tenth of the money they are currenty being paid?

Going by the crowds I suspect many in the hospital will not know who the hell they are and more likely frighten the inmates.

I would visit hospitals etc if I was overpaid for a part time game I enjoyed playing but the game has changed into what can I screw out of the club when they can't afford to pay stupid money for a product with limited appeal i.e., no crowds.

I enjoy the game but I am not into hero worship.

For me they should concentrate on getting crowds in and growing the game in Wales to pay their massive wages or make the game sustainable.

Are you the spokesperson for the children ? Somebody is trying to bring a smile to the children's faces and all you can do is criticise them.

Glamorgan - I would think that children stuck in a hospital ward are pleased to see any special visitor whether it's a pop singer or a sportsperson, and they probably recognise a couple of the players, or at least know who the local regional rugby team is. If it cheers them up and takes their mind off their illness briefly, then what harm does it do? From what I've seen, kids seem to love having these kinds of visits, makes their day a little bit different and special.

Come on let's get real, the players only go to functions etc because they are told to by their management to promote the club as they can't think what else for them to do for their wages. The point I was trying to make not everybody follows rugby, in fact the vast majority don't, take the two regional games, 10.5K for the Blues V Dragons and a likely crowd of 15K for Scarlets V Ospreys that totals just over 25K total club rugby supporters in Wales out of 3M population! Even if you multiplied the supporters by 4 that leaves 1 in 30 in Wales follows rugby and likely to know any of the players.

I am sure last year we had J Hook, L Bryne, M Phillips and the previous gang of NZ players doing the rounds they have gone for more money, no doubt visiting French hospitals at even higher wages.

In other words.. Bah WUMbug?

glam - I really don't know what to say about your diatribe back there, other than it was very uncharitable in the season of goodwill.

Most clubs put plenty back into their communities all year round*, and Christmas visits to local hospitals have long been a part of that. Those kids are not going to have a family Christmas, and seeing their local heroes will make their Christmas that much better.

*As Cari says - this sort of community activity doesn't often see the light of day in the national press. Local newspapers will regularly carry such stories though.

glamorganalun wrote:Come on let's get real, the players only go to functions etc because they are told to by their management to promote the club as they can't think what else for them to do for their wages. The point I was trying to make not everybody follows rugby, in fact the vast majority don't, take the two regional games, 10.5K for the Blues V Dragons and a likely crowd of 15K for Scarlets V Ospreys that totals just over 25K total club rugby supporters in Wales out of 3M population! Even if you multiplied the supporters by 4 that leaves 1 in 30 in Wales follows rugby and likely to know any of the players.

I am sure last year we had J Hook, L Bryne, M Phillips and the previous gang of NZ players doing the rounds they have gone for more money, no doubt visiting French hospitals at even higher wages.

So people will only know a player if they attend regional games? Biggest load of rubbish I've ever heard. I've never been to a premiership football game but I can name most of the players in the league just from having a bit of an interest in football, so that's your theory blown out of the water.

Also, remember that regional rugby is watched on TV by figures in the low hundreds of thousands. Those viewers would also probably be able to name the players, so your ratios are all out there for a start.

That's very true Griff - I never watch cricket live or on TV but I can name one or two players.

glamorganalun wrote:Come on let's get real, the players only go to functions etc because they are told to by their management to promote the club as they can't think what else for them to do for their wages.

Actually the Ospreys do a lot of off the field charity events, and it was the players themselves who volunteered, the management never asks the players to do these things.

Alyn,

They always do and not just Ospreys or Regional temas, happened in the amateur day as well when they didn't get paid for playing.

But like said Gutter Press (local papers aside) don't report on it as its not news worthy.