Ireland Rugby star Conor launches kids’ Mini Nations Cup

WITH rugby fever in the air, youngsters around the country are being offered the opportunity to play their own Mini Rugby Nations Cup in the Aviva Stadium.

Ireland scrum-half Conor Murray was on hand last week to launch the campaign alongside mini players in the Aviva Stadium.

As a proud sponsor of Irish Rugby, Aviva is celebrating ahead of Ireland’s campaign in Japan by searching for a total of 20 Boys’ U10 and Girls’ U12 teams to play in a tournament, which will be held at Aviva Stadium on Sunday, September 22 – the same day as Ireland’s opening clash against Scotland in Yokohama.

Tapping into the rugby excitement around the world this Autumn, each minis club will be twinned with a team competing in Japan, while representing their local club at the home of Irish Rugby.

The event will spearhead Aviva’s #SafeToDream campaign, which celebrates how kids’ dreams are the same as their Ireland rugby counterparts. Many kids dream of playing in our national stadium at the highest level for their country, and Aviva is now presenting the future stars of the game with the opportunity to make this happen.

Aviva has also announced the regional dates and locations for the 2019 Aviva Mini Rugby Provincial Festivals, which will take place in October, running concurrently with events in Japan.

These festivals offer both girls and boys the opportunity to develop as players at grassroots level throughout the country.

Four provincial locations have been chosen including, on October 13, Leinster Provincial Festival at DLS Palmerston.

Hundreds of boys and girls will get to play with their club’s minis teams in provincial festivals and each participating team will be in with the chance of being picked to play in the National Festival, which is held in Aviva Stadium in May each year.

Conor Murray, current Irish rugby player said: “I’m delighted to help launch the Aviva Mini Rugby Nations Cup.

“Looking back on my time playing with my local club, Garryowen, when I was younger, it would have been a dream to play in Aviva Stadium with my friends, particularly during such an exciting time for Irish Rugby.

“Every Irish Rugby player once dreamed of playing in the Aviva Stadium and it’s great that Aviva is giving the opportunity to so many clubs to get involved.

“Running out of the tunnel is such a buzz, and it will exciting for kids to experience this at the Aviva Mini Rugby Nations Cup.”