Crazy that this hasn't received more publicity

[Rich Taff]

Next time anyone thinks 'damn, that's a bit cold out there'...

 

[nickdnz]

Ehhh. Hope the charity does well, but it does seem like it's just a reason to do something challenging, that's not all that extraordinary.

 

[NickE]

Nothing wrong with doing something challenging and if it benefits a worthwhile charity that is even better so well done guys! If this challenge is ordinary what do you need to do to be extraordinary?

 

[nickdnz]

Nothing wrong with doing something challenging and if it benefits a worthwhile charity that is even better so well done guys! If this challenge is ordinary what do you need to do to be extraordinary?

Resurrection.

Maybe it's just I'm grumpy (and I can fully accept that as the case), but I honestly don't see the merit in this.
They set themselves a personal challenge which requires a tonne of money and resources to be able to do, attach themselves to a charity, and they become altruistic?

I'd love to go on a trip to the North Pole. I'd love to go to Mt Kilimanjaro which I believe they did last year. If I had the resources I'd happily do both of these things. Doing these things with a rugby ball (for me!) isn't a testimony to the resilient nature of the game, it's a testimony to the resources available to former professional players. Again not trying to attack the guys, fair play for giving money to the charities. But the charity looks to help children who are physically, mentally or socially disadvantaged through the use of sport. For obvious reasons a bunch of healthy former pro-players going to the North-pole, seems like the equivalent of raising money for deafness by organizing a kick-ass rock concert.

I honestly don't mean to rip into the guys, every dollar raised to help someone else is great. But I'd much rather see professional athletes either directly fund charities, or take a hands-on approach to actually helping those kids. 'Raising awareness' by doing totally unrelated things is one of my pet gripes, especially when it requires resources and opportunities which far exceed what most people have.

 

[Perky_Originale]

I guess that's the sad case of charity these days

Resurrection.

Maybe it's just I'm grumpy (and I can fully accept that as the case), but I honestly don't see the merit in this.
They set themselves a personal challenge which requires a tonne of money and resources to be able to do, attach themselves to a charity, and they become altruistic?

I'd love to go on a trip to the North Pole. I'd love to go to Mt Kilimanjaro which I believe they did last year. If I had the resources I'd happily do both of these things. Doing these things with a rugby ball (for me!) isn't a testimony to the resilient nature of the game, it's a testimony to the resources available to former professional players. Again not trying to attack the guys, fair play for giving money to the charities. But the charity looks to help children who are physically, mentally or socially disadvantaged through the use of sport. For obvious reasons a bunch of healthy former pro-players going to the North-pole, seems like the equivalent of raising money for deafness by organizing a kick-ass rock concert.

I honestly don't mean to rip into the guys, every dollar raised to help someone else is great. But I'd much rather see professional athletes either directly fund charities, or take a hands-on approach to actually helping those kids. 'Raising awareness' by doing totally unrelated things is one of my pet gripes, especially when it requires resources and opportunities which far exceed what most people have.

I suppose that's the sad situation with charity these days, people seldom give for no reason and it takes 'glorified' stunts/projects/activities to raise the necessary attention for donations.