Ex-Pirate is always a supporter
JAMES Slipper will headline a cast of football stars at “A Tale of Two Codes” sports dinner on the Gold Coast tonight as he continues his close connection with Bond Pirates.
Slipper played four seasons at the Pirates as a junior before his weekends became dedicated to rugby commitments at The Southport School.
But the 27-year-old remains a Pirate at heart and was eager to get involved with the dinner that will pit high-profile figures from both union and league – including Garrick Morgan and Phil Daley – in an engaging panel discussion.
“I’m only happy to give my time back to a club that has been pretty important in the pathway for me in my career,” the Queensland Reds and Wallabies prop said.
It’s all part of a fundraiser to help the Miami-based club send their under-14s side on a tour to Fiji.
Slipper has a long-running association with that particular team, starting with an appearance at their 2015 under-12s grand final.
“One of the players actually contacted me through his mother’s social media and just invited me down,” he said.
“He went out of his way to try to get in contact with me and I actually didn’t reply – I showed up and surprised him.
“The look on their faces when they saw a Reds player down there supporting them, who was an ex-Pirates boy, it was pretty special.”
Slipper meanwhile took plenty of positives out of Queensland’s 32-13 trial win against Melbourne this week.
“If there was anything to be most pleased about, it was just the depth that we showed in our squad and the amount of players that are ready for Super Rugby,” he said.
The Pirates event will begin at 6.30pm at the Mantra on View Hotel in Surfers Paradise.