Corneli Primary welcomes Ospreys

The pair spent time in class with the children, going through their specially created workbook, answering questions and taking part in a fun rugby skills session with WRU/Ospreys Participation Officer for the Bridgend District, Mikey Williams.

Speaking about the visit, Mikey said the presence of Aaron and Rhys had proved popular with the children:

"They are really enjoying the Ospreys Schools Programme and using the Ospreys and rugby in general as a tool for learning, but as I'm sure you can imagine, the presence of two Ospreys players in their very own classroom has been the undoubted highlight so far.

"With Rhys coming from Bridgend himself, and having grown up in the local community before going on to play for the region and for Wales, it can be inspirational for children to see someone like him who they can aspire to follow in the footsteps of."

Richard Humphreys, class teacher at Corneli, said:

"The children really enjoyed it. Ryan and Aaron were excellent and helped to make it a fantastic, memorable day."

The Ospreys Schools Programme is an exciting initiative that will see the region growing ever-closer links with primary schools in the region. Devised in partnership with RWE npower renewables and supported by Sony Technology Centre and the WRU, it will bring 3,000 year five and six pupils in direct contact with the Ospreys over the course of the current academic year.

Twelve months in the making, it was formally launched at the Liberty Stadium in September by Leighton Andrews AM, Minster for Education and Skills. The groundbreaking educational programme has been developed in conjunction with education departments at the three unitary authorities in the region to ensure it satisfies National Curriculum objectives and assists in the development of key skills.

Teachers at participating schools will receive a handbook allowing them to deliver four classroom sessions, while the pupils will have their own handbook that will serve as a permanent reminder of their experience. Each session includes a school visit from a WRU/Ospreys Particpation Officer or Community Coach who will deliver rugby FUNdamentals sessions, Ospreys players joining them for one of the sessions.

That will be followed by a specially designed interactive Liberty Stadium Tour that will see every pupil taken behind the scenes at the home of the Ospreys, the undisputed highlight being a special audio/visual experience in the home changing room that replicates the match day environment. A rugby festival day between cluster schools will then round off the programme.