Rugby's Big Try Out

The sporting talents of rugby players in the Aviva Premiership and The Green King Championship are well known, but on May 20th The Matt Hampson Foundation is giving some of its stars the chance to reveal their flair in the field of entertainment.

Billed as ‘Rugby’s Big Try Out’ this fund raising event which is to be held in The City of London, will be a show case for some of the country’s best known rugby players to demonstrate their showbiz skills in front of the general public.

Hosted by recently retired England and Leicester’s George Chuter, the evening’s proceedings will include a number of players and key people from the rugby world, displaying their talents as singers, comedians and musicians. Scotland captain Kelly Brown is already confirmed and other acts will be announced in the run up to the event depending on commitments toward the end of the rugby season.

“There will be a few surprises, a lot of laughs and some real discoveries I am sure’ says Victoria Chipp of Raise 4 Matt who coordinates fund raising in London for The Matt Hampson Foundation. ‘We are all always looking for slightly unusual ways to raise the profile of The Foundation and when a ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ style event was suggested by one of our volunteers we jumped at the idea.”

“Acts will not be judged as such but will certainly be have to prove their worth in front of what will be a (fairly) sympathetic audience” adds Simon Greenhill whose company, Thinkers Live, is helping The Foundation to stage the event. Simon is well known amongst rugby fans as the pre match singer for Saracens, so he is well qualified in knowing what appeals to a rugby crowd.

Duncan Townsend, manager of The No 1 Sports Bar who is a life long rugby fan and supporter of The Foundation has again provided the venue free of charge and tickets are on sale to the general public for £20 plus booking fee through Eventbrite at www.rugbysbigtryout.eventbrite.com