When a Kenny Waters XV take to the field at Rodney Parade on Friday evening (kick-off 7.15pm) it will be the latest event staged as part of the hooker's fundraising drive for Motor Neurone Disease (MND) charities.
Hard-charging forward Waters remains an iconic figure in Gwent rugby, an integral part of the great Newbridge teams during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
A player who never took a backward step on the field, Waters is facing his latest challenge head-on.
Ex-front row Waters, who won a cap against Western Samoa in the 1991 World Cup, was diagnosed with MND in October 2017.
Inspired by the efforts of ex-Scotland and Lions lock Doddie Weir, Waters has gone on a fundraising campaign and enlisted the help of a number of his former clubs.
Players from the five teams he represented – Newbridge, Cwmbran, Abergavenny, Risca and Caerleon – will join forces to take on a Monmouthshire XV.
And Waters, who has also represented Gwent, Welsh and British Police, as well as the Combined Services, admits he has been delighted by the support he has received from the rugby world.
"It’s great the rugby community, from my time and today, wish to support me and what I’m doing,” he said.
"It shows that rugby does care and I feel very humbled there are people out there who wish to support me and help raise funds to highlight the horrible disease.
"Raising funds for the South East Wales branch of the MND Association is really important to me as it means that the money raised will stay in Wales and help the local branch.”
Today in the UK, six people will hear the devastating news that they have motor neurone disease (MND). In that instant, their world – and the world of their loved ones - is shattered.
To discover what you can do to help and support the work of the MNDA in South East Wales visit www.mnda-southeastwales.org.uk
Turn out in numbers to honour a warrior and tackle the horrible disease!
To donate – click HERE
There will also be a tag rugby festival at the event, which will get underway at 5:30pm.
Ten matches will take place: each will be seven minutes long, with a two-minute turnaround in between and there will be a guard of honour ceremony at 6:30pm. The scheduled fixtures are as follows"
Games one & two - 5:30pm kick-off
- Risca vs. Cwmbran
- Caerleon vs. Newbridge
Games three & four - 5:40pm kick-off
- Risca vs. Abergavenny
- Cwmbran vs. Caerleon
Games five & six - 5:50pm kick-off
- Cwmbran vs. Abergavenny
- Newbridge vs. Risca
Games seven & eight - 6:00pm kick-off
- Caerleon vs. Abergavenny
- Cwmbran vs. Newbridge
Games nine & ten - 6:10pm kick-off
- Risca vs. Caerleon
- Newbridge vs. Abergavenny
It shows that rugby does care and I feel very humbled there are people out there who wish to support me and help raise funds to highlight the horrible disease...
