Pass the ball – Safe To Dream

By Kathrin Kobus

Irelands scrum-half Conor Murray took a short break from Worldcup preparations with the Irish squad yesterday and was at the launch of the Aviva Mini Rugby Nations Cup. “Looking back on my time playing with my local club Garryowen when I was younger, it would have ben a dream to play in Aviva stadium with my friends. Running out of the tunnel is such a buzz on match day, and it will be incredibly exciting for kids to experience this at the Aviva mini Rugby Nations Cup.”

Pictured with Conor are, from left, Eve White, age 11, from Wicklow, Caoimhe O’Reilly, age 11 from Wicklow, Shea Delaney, age 10, from Dublin, and Shane Fox, age 10, from Dublin. Photo by Brendan Moran/Sportsfile

20 Boys’ U10 and Girls’ U12 teams will play in the tournament on Sunday, September 22. On the very same day Ireland will have to face Scotland in their opening game at the Worldcup proper in Japan. Each Minis club is going to be twinned with a team competing in Japan, while at the same time representing their local club.

Lisa Bergin, Sponsorship Manager, Aviva Ireland said: “We want to encourage kids to play rugby in a safe and fun environment. We are delighted to make the dreams of young children come true by playing on the same pitch as their rugby heroes, including Conor Murray. We want to encourage rugby clubs from all corners of the country to get involved.”

There will also be the provincial festivals of rugby coming in October (still running parallel with the Worldcup in Japan) with the Leinster festival played on the 13th at DLS Palmerston, Dublin.

To be in with a chance of claiming a place at the Aviva Mini Rugby Nations Cup or to find out more about partaking in the provincial festivals, visit: www.aviva.ie/safetodream and follow #SafeToDream on Aviva Ireland social channels.