sport news 'Rugby family' show their support for former WRU commercial director Craig ... trends now
Those within the sport are well aware of the idea of the ‘rugby family’ – the notion being it fosters a collective spirit and shared values between its individuals.
Some readily dismiss the idea. I beg to differ and have first-hand experience as to why.
In the United Kingdom, rugby continues to battle problems both on and off the field.
But, for all its issues, there remains no other sport like it in being able to bring people together as a force for good. To spend a day with the inspirational Craig Maxwell this week was a reminder of exactly why that is the case. Here’s hoping it always will be.
On Monday, I took on a 20-mile leg of the Wales Coast Path walk as part of a heroic fundraising mission led by Maxwell – the former Welsh Rugby Union and Six Nations commercial director – who was cruelly given a diagnosis of stage four, incurable and inoperable lung cancer in 2022.
MailSport joined former Welsh Rugby Union and Six Nations commercial chief Craig Maxwell on his length of Wales charity walk on Monday
The walk, which started in north Wales, will culminate on Sunday when Maxwell and his family deliver the match ball for the Six Nations match between Wales and France at Principality Stadium. A huge total of £800,000 has already been raised with 600 walkers participating.
Taking in other heroic efforts he has already completed, Maxwell’s total fundraising to support the cancer pathway in Wales stands at an astonishing £1.2million.
The ‘rugby family’ really has come together in an incredible show of support.
‘The aim of creating the Maxwell Family Genomics Fund was to raise important money to support cancer diagnosis, research, innovation and treatment in Wales,’ said Maxwell.
‘The response has been just amazing. This challenge has been so hard. We’ve been walking a minimum of 20 miles each day over difficult terrain. But having different people come each day and bringing their energy has really helped. It’s been unbelievable. I wouldn’t have been able to do it without that support – no way.
‘The bit I’ve loved is seeing and reconnecting with friends who I’ve lost contact with or not seen since working together. I’ve also loved meeting people I didn’t know previously who have had similar cancer journeys to me. We’ve been able to give them some purpose and direction and allowed them to look at how they can support the cancer pathway too.
‘Their stories have been really inspiring.’
It took 78 days from the day he was first tested for Maxwell to officially receive the life-shattering news of his diagnosis. The aim of the Maxwell Family Genomics Fund is to reduce that time to 26 days for cancer patients in Wales through better testing and increased research.
Former Wales centre Tom Shanklin (right) joined Maxwell on Monday’s leg. Lunch was spent at Tenby RFC – Shanklin’s first club
That is why the walking challenge has been a total of 780 miles over 26 days.
‘The fund will look at different ways to speed up cancer diagnosis and treatment. I never thought we’d raise this amount of money,’ said Maxwell.
‘Unfortunately, it shows how much cancer has affected different families in Wales. For me it’s a priority to make a happier and healthier Wales.’
I joined Maxwell as part of a 30-strong contingent for day 20 of the walk which took place in Pembrokeshire. Conditions, to put it bluntly, were horrific. We began in Stackpole.
After a dry start, the driving rain began after the first stop at Manorbier Castle – a poignant venue for Maxwell given it was where he married his wife Tracey.
Fuelled by sausage rolls at Manorbier and bacon sandwiches at another stop off, our party walked – or rather oinked – our way towards Tenby which is where things took a turn for the worse.
Driving horizontal rain turned to hailstones at one point. There was a howling wind. The wet weather meant the coastal path was caked in
