Wales players put smiles on faces of schoolchildren in Versailles

A group of Wales players put some smiles on the faces of local children in Versailles on Wednesday when they visited a special day school for pupils with additional needs.

Co-captain Jac Morgan, Josh Adams, Ryan Elias, Johnny Williams and staff visited the Institut Medico-Educatif (IME) Le Rondo to put the kids through their rugby paces - and teach them a bit about Welsh culture.

The players joined the children at the IME, which is run by the French Red Cross, to take part in a range of activities including passing games, adapted rugby drills and colouring activities.

"It’s been great. You could see how happy all the kids there were," said Elias of the visit. "We went outside and we were throwing the ball around, teaching them some skills and kicking the ball about back and forth. Then there was another station with a tackle pad and kids could carry the ball and tackle - they enjoyed that.

"After that there was a colouring station which was quite important, with the Welsh flag and the Rugby World Cup logo and things."

Wales, preparing for their final Pool C game against Georgia in Nantes on Saturday, have been based at Versailles during the Rugby World Cup.

"You could see just see how happy the kids were – that’s the main thing," added hooker Elias of the visit. "The smiles on their faces, they really enjoyed themselves.

"Also, with us being Welsh and being out in here in France it was a chance for us to teach them a little bit about our culture, teach them a few skills.

"They were colouring in the Welsh dragon, they knew what the Welsh flag was then, so it was a great morning."