HINTS, tips and insights from the world of professional rugby have been passed on to youngsters hoping to one day make the grade themselves.

Nick Easter, England’s No. 8 during the recent World Cup, and Danny Care, who only missed New Zealand because of injury, took a coaching session at St Joseph’s College, Ipswich, on Tuesday.

The school’s Under-12s and Under-14s players were given first-hand experience from the international duo who drove straight from training with the Harlequins to take sessions in Suffolk.

Easter said: “It reminds you of why you play the game. Danny started quite young as well and I remember playing minis in the schools. It is great to give something back.

“We’ll have a word with the coaches and try and bring something new and hone in their basics as well. And any questions they have got, we’ll be happy to help out.

“We will be making sure they are very tired when they get home tonight. Hopefully, we can show them stuff they might not have done this season.”

The pair took coaching sessions as well as sign autographs at the school with the visit coming just weeks after former England star Mike Catt visited St Jo’s.

And what advice did they give to the youngsters? Care explained: “You have to enjoy it, that is the main thing. From a young age, I got pushed into all different sports – rugby, football, cricket – and told just to enjoy them as much as you can.

“Probably at this age you don’t know which sport you are going to be the best at so enjoy them all. And with rugby, hopefully we can help and give them some hints and tips and insights about what it is like to do this for a living. Something I’m sure a lot of the boys will want to do so hopefully we can help in any way.”

Mark Patterson, director of sport at the college, said: “They were an absolute credit to themselves, Harlequins and the game of rugby, particularly given the current poor press relating to England’s World Cup campaign.

“All the pupils at the college had a wonderful day meeting them and the boys (and parents) who took part in the coaching sessions had a day they will never forget.”

The visit came about after a parent at the college won the special training session at a charity auction.