Rugby club pays visit to Tongan college

Three members of the Woy Woy Rugby Club have visited a college in Tonga.

Mr Kevin Glew, Mr Peter Fenton and Mr Sione Ofahengaue have visited the Tupou College to renew the club's relationship with the college and to foster a new one with its ex-students' rugby team, the Toloa Old Boys.

In the past decade, the Woy Woy club has welcomed several players into its ranks from the College, with Mr Glew saying their acquisition was a core factor in Woy Woy's meteoric rise in the Central Coast Rugby Competition.

"Woy Woy benefited greatly from acquiring Tupou College players over the past six seasons," Mr Glew said.

"Feleti Atiola, Chris Paseka, Tevita Tanginoa, Fokolulu Taumalolo and Sione Toki all played five or six seasons with Woy Woy and helped lift us from the bottom of the ladder to become one of the strongest teams in the competition.

"Tonga is rich in culture, but poor financially.

"Nevertheless, the people are essentially happy and typical of Pacific Island countries.

"The trip to the college was a real eye opener.

"Rugby plays an extremely important part in their lives," Mr Glew said.

Tupou College was opened in 1860 by Australian missionary Mr John Moulton whose grandson, also named John, was the Eastwood club doctor and Wallaby's doctor during the 1990s.

The College has produced many international players including, George Atiola and Fakahau Valu who captained Tonga in the first World Cup in 1987 as well as famous Wallaby Viliame Ofahengaue.

Mr Glew said Woy Woy Rugby Club has resolved to assist the College in several areas while benefiting from the talents of its rugby players into the future.

SOURCE:

Media release, 3 Dec 2019

Peter Fenton, Woy Woy Rugby Club