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Jason Robinson, known to rugby fans the world over by his nickname Billy Whizz, will be hot-footing his way to Bahrain to inspire, encourage and coach some of the most promising young players in the region.
Robinson competed at the top level in both codes across the sport and is most famously known for his role in the victorious England squad that lifted the Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2003.
He will be launching a sporting partnership between HSBC Middle East and Bahrain Rugby Club with a one-day coaching programme and a day of entertainment on October 14.
Robinson said: “Winning the Rugby World Cup in 2003 in Australia was fantastic. I have played in three World Cup Finals in my career and to win one of those was incredible.
“My personal highlight was scoring the try in that match – that is a great memory for me. We were also the first Northern Hemisphere side to win the World Cup which makes it special.”
In recent days rugby fans have been enjoying the TV highlights from the early stages of the latest World Cup adventure in New Zealand and Robinson was earlier quoted as saying the England side’s mindset should be ‘this is ours’ as far as the 2011 tournament is concerned.
He explained: “England has been the team to beat in previous World Cups, but they have not been as consistent recently. If they find their form and win the group then it is knockout rugby and it’s anyone’s game.
“England have got to do what’s in their control – make sure they are ready and do what they need to do. They are capable of winning big games.”
Many pundits, including GulfWeekly’s Abu George, predict success for New Zealand. Robinson is not as convinced. He said: “There is a lot of pressure on New Zealand. They have been in form, they’re on their home soil, and looked unbeatable until they played Australia in the Tri-Nations.
“Form is good but it isn’t everything. It’s all about confidence. We’ll still be glued to our screens to watch it all unfold.”
As part of the evolving HSBC Middle East Regional Rugby Grassroots Programme, HSBC Middle East has partnered with Bahrain Rugby Club and it will be the bank’s rugby ambassador’s first visit to the kingdom.
“I have never been there,” said Robinson. “I’m looking forward to the trip and getting involved at the grassroots level to help get more children into the game of rugby through the HSBC programme.
“HSBC Middle East has partnered with Bahrain Rugby Club, so we’ll be able to use their facility and invite up to 500 participants.
“At the event I’ll be coaching and working on different drills and skills with the juniors and they will get to experience working as a team. As a player, it’s nice to be able to put something back into the sport. I’ll be there to interact with the kids, encourage them and make it fun.
“The aim of the programme is to help grow the sport in the region and create more coaching opportunities for kids. Grassroots is the lifeblood of the sport and leads on to the development of the next generation of talent – so hopefully we’ll attract new players and supporters to the game and maybe find some future stars.”
His advice to young players is simple: “Be prepared for a lot of hard work, commitment and focus – you have to give 100 per cent,” he said. “It’s also important to have a good support network around you. Ultimately you have to work hard, but you should enjoy it too.”
Bahrain Rugby Club has made a significant multi-million dinar investment to upgrade its sporting and clubhouse facilities to help mark its 40th anniversary this year.
A state-of-the-art artificial turf was laid to standards approved by the International Rugby Board (IRB) to provide an all-weather multi-sports playing surface which is now the envy of the Gulf region.
“These are exciting times,” said chairman Mehdi Honar, looking forward to greeting another of the world’s greatest players to the club, just a short time after welcoming legendary All Blacks captain Sean Fitzpatrick, global rugby ambassador for DHL, the official logistics partner of the Rugby World Cup 2011, and Scotland’s Cameron Mather, to a special sporting dinner.
And, last December, rugby ace Colin Charvis, the former captain of the Welsh national rugby union team, dropped into the Saar club to join in a training session.
“I’m delighted that HSBC are bringing Jason Robinson to Bahrain Rugby Club,” said Honar. “This will be an excellent opportunity for our younger players to benefit from the experience of a Rugby World Cup winner.
“Following the previous visit by Colin to the club, I’m very pleased to say that Jason’s visit will not only benefit our under-6 to under-17 years players, it will also provide a chance for younger players from rugby clubs in Kuwait and Saudi Arabia to participate in this special rugby coaching and development programme as both clubs, thanks to HSBC, are invited to come and join us on the day.
“This special one-day event is part of the evolving HSBC Middle East Junior Rugby Programme to launch several rugby tournaments for junior players throughout the GCC. I’m looking forward to welcoming Jason to Bahrain Rugby club.”
Robinson, 37, played at wing or fullback, and won 51 rugby union international Test caps in total for England, and in rugby league won 12 caps for Great Britain and seven for England.
Throughout his career Robinson was noted for his acceleration and his nickname Billy Whizz comes from a character in the British comic The Beano, who is extremely fast. After the 2003 Rugby World Cup, Robinson wrote an autobiography entitled Finding My Feet: My Autobiography. In it, he wrote about how he overcame issues from his childhood and bouts of drinking when he found success as a rugby player.
