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As a world-class rugby player at the top of his game, Nathan Sharpe would be welcome in any rugby-playing country in the world.
But a love of Perth’s beaches, fishing and friendly community will see the Western Force captain and his family settle in WA permanently at the end of his playing career.
Kicking a ball barefoot with his son Cooper this week, Sharpe’s imposing 200cm frame and shaved head barely attracted a second glance from other visitors to City Beach.
The relaxed setting is a far cry from the hectic travel schedule that sees the Wallaby veteran spend almost six months away from home.
“Coming from Brisbane, I just love being near the water, on it or under it, and particularly with our family, we love doing this outdoors so WA is really good for us,” Sharpe said. “Once you get used to it, it is pretty nice that people here slow down and you don’t have to be flat-chat 24/7.”
Sharpe and his wife Jessica married shortly before he signed with the Force and moved to Perth after their honeymoon. They initially planned to move on after his first three-year contract expired but fell in love with life on the west coast. Their desire to put down roots was cemented by the birth of their sons, Cooper, now two, and Franklin, nine months.
When Sharpe’s contract came up for renewal, they decided the lure of family holidays on Rottnest, fishing trips and life near the beach was too good to resist.
The 31-year-old announced last year he would stay with the Force until the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand but his current contract would be the last of his career.
He said the itinerant life of a player in the most travelled team in the Super 14s had been hard on his young family. Though he did not have any firm plans for life after hanging up the boots, he hoped to continue his involvement with the Force.
TIFFANY FOX
http://www.thewest.com.au/default.as...ntentID=144950
interesting to see that he was only going to stay for the length of his first contract.....
It's a lovely picture and a great story. Good on ya Sharpie![]()
Western Force 2012
Head Coach......?
Forwards Coach......N.Sharpe
"The main difference between playing League and Union is that now I get my hangovers on Monday instead of Sunday - Tom David
Western Force 2025
Lock: Cooper Sharpe?![]()
Success is not final, failure is not fatal:
it is the courage to continue that counts.
- Winston Churchill
The Shapries are adorable. That's such a cute photo. It's wonderful that some positive stuff about the force exists and that it's not just a quick buck for some of our wonderful players like Sharpie... Lovely. I'm glad he likes Perth. Perth likes him too!
The littlest Sharpie has jeans about 2 sizes too long - I think they're expecting him to turn into a bit of a lock. So cute!
A kick in this game is like a rather nasty alcoholic shooter, only as good as it's chaser...
Courtesy of quality South African commentry
Unnamed Sauces have told me Sharpie has the two kids on the rack every night stretching them out so they'll hit 220cm. Tough love.
Smoke me a kipper, I'll be back for breakfast.
Have a look at that photo - Cooper's only two? (Could be nearly three.) Certainly got his dad's genes and may not need the rack to hit 2m.
The West maybe a wonderful place but this is last years news...
If it was last years news there would only be one kid in the pic.
if rugby was purely about lifestyle choices then the Brumbies would be rubbish, there is no confusion over the fact Canberra is a shit city to live in
He did indeed, but the understanding was that he'd probably then head overseas. If he has now clarified that this is his last professional contract, after which he wants to stay in Perth and continue his involvement with the Force, then that is news. I am tolerably certain that if George Smith were to say the same thing about Canberra and the Brumbies, you'd be the first on here trumpeting it...