Little Chiefs to star in TV ads

 

 

Two huge Exeter Chiefs' fans from Sidmouth RFC have appeared on TV in a new series of adverts for Premiership Rugby sponsor Aviva.

Jack Garner and Finn Cotton, both eight, were selected to represent the Chiefs in the adverts after a nationwide hunt at every Premiership Rugby ground.

A film crew visited the pair at Sidmouth RFC last month to catch them in action at a training session with some of their teammates, where the boys were interviewed and filmed playing rugby, as well as having their photos taken by a professional photographer.

"It's been really exciting for them, they're big Exeter Chiefs fans anyway so to be filmed doing what they love is fantastic, they've been talking about it all week," said Jack's dad Tom, 37, an estate ranger for Clinton Devon Estates.

"My parents especially are big rugby fans and love the Aviva Premiership Rugby Highlights programme so to tell them Jack was going to be on TV was really special."

The lads, who go to St Peter's Primary School in Budleigh Salterton, wowed casting directors from Aviva who scoured the country looking for the biggest fans from each Aviva Premiership Rugby club.

After impressing a camera crew at Exeter Chiefs' 40-6 victory over Worcester Warriors on October 26 with their love for everything Exeter, Jack's mum Rachel Garner, 38, admitted she was blown away to get the phone call telling them the pair had been selected.

"We weren't expecting it, I think I went into a bit of a flat spin thinking they were going to be on the telly," said Rachel, a teacher at Kenton Primary School. "They eat, breath and sleep rugby and it's a great opportunity for them.

"Jack Nowell is Jack's hero, he has pictures all over the wall of him, we've umpteen numbers of autographs from all of the Chiefs players - in fact I know most of the Chiefs players now - and if he's not at school or asleep he's playing rugby, watching rugby or reading about rugby."

The new adverts debuted on ITV on December 22, and will wrap around the Aviva Premiership Rugby highlights show.

Fans from every Aviva Premiership Rugby club have been selected to star in the adverts, which aim to highlight the real, grassroots heroes of rugby across the country.

And the pair can't wait to have their day in the sun, with Finn adding: "It's brilliant because it's a once in a lifetime experience, I just couldn't believe it."

Jack was equally thrilled after an evening in front of the cameras.

"It's cool because you get to be on TV," he said. "My friends have been asking when it's going to be on because they want to watch it."

"What we're trying to do is really get to the heart of what matters to rugby fans from the 12 Aviva Premiership clubs,” said Louisa Cheetham, Senior Sponsorship Manager at Aviva.

"I think what's been absolutely fantastic is we've seen the passion of all the fans, from an 82-year-old Leicester Tigers supporter to a pair of eight-year-olds who love Exeter Chiefs.

"And I think it's absolutely testament to how wonderfully supportive the fans are. They are ultimately at the heart of everything we're doing with rugby making it the great game that it is.”

Aviva are proud sponsors of Premiership Rugby.
For more information on Aviva's home insurance deals, go to www.aviva.co.uk/insurance