How good was it to see the NSW Waratahs in Orange these past few days?
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In fact you don't have to answer it, because I was at Wade Park on Monday evening to see in person the smiling faces of dozens of juniors from across the region.
By my rough estimate, I would say that around 80 kids - girls and boys, Orange City and Emus and everything in between - were in attendance.
The kids took part in a variety of training drills, from kick tennis to the crossbar challenge and you could see just how excited they were.
That excitement may come at the snap of a finger, but it doesn't automatically mean it will last. The players needed to give their all to make sure the kids were entertained the whole time.
In my opinion the Waratahs did this and more.
I witnessed one on one training, players learning the names of some juniors and smiles as far as you could see.
Just days before the event took place, Waratahs co-coach Jason Gilmore said he was thrilled that the team was able to get on the road and connect with communities out in the bush.
"This is the first time since COVID that we have been able to get out and connect with the communities in the country regions," he said at the time.
"Earlier this year we had a fantastic trip to Narrabri but were still in a COVID safe bubble and were unable to engage with the community as we would have liked.
"We have very loyal and passionate fans in country NSW and the Central West of NSW is extremely important with many of our players hailing from this region.
"Max Douglas, Hugh Sinclair, and Harry Johnson-Holmes are all from Cowra while Jack Grant is from Orange."
Speaking of Grant, what a way to return to your home town. The Orange scrum-half only made his debut for the Super Rugby side earlier this year and as such may not have had the same face recognition amongst the younger generation as some of the more experienced players. But the parents who showed up certainly knew who he was and what a success story he is.
When signing autographs, the mothers and fathers would regularly strike up a chat with Grant, as if they had known him his whole life...thinking about it, many of them probably have.
Bathurst RC, CSU Bathurst RC, Canowindra, Cowra, Young, Dubbo Rhino's, Dubbo Roos, Geurie, Narromine, Wellington, Parkes, Orange Emus, Orange City, Forbes, Molong, Milthorpe and Mudgee. Those are the names of all the clubs that got to take part in training sessions with the Tahs on the Wednesday.
How many memories will have been created from those three days spent in the Central West? How many future talents will emerge even more determined to make it in the big time after seeing these stars up close and personal for the first time?
More a cricket fan myself, I still remember going to my local shopping centre to get Stuart MacGill to sign every piece of clothing I had.
I remember jumping over a fence to snatch a towel Brett Lee had left on the field after a Sheffield Shield game which was played outside the normal Sydney venues.
These are the types of things that will stay with kids for a lifetime. Whether they play for Australia or whether they drop out of rugby altogether next season won't matter, because in that moment on Monday evening, those 80-odd kids were the happiest kids in the Central West.
Last week I was critical of the Waratahs for its regional town absence. Well this week they deserve nothing but praise.
The NSW side may not have won a single game all season, but they won over the hearts of many a fan this week and that is surely something worth celebrating.
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