Marlborough Rugby Cub’s new head coach, Elisi Vunipola received the new coach’s kit sponsored by Chilvester Financial Management on Friday (1 September) at the MRFC clubhouse on Frees Avenue during the Tongan National Day celebration being held there.
‘Tongan Games Day’ was the theme for the National Day celebration and many from the Tongan community, Marlborough Rugby Club members and beyond enjoyed playing Tongan games (lanitaa, tolopato, lova tangai, sikoti, mapu, etc.) whist feasting on traditional Tongan delicacies such as ’umu, puaka tunu with plenty of tongan side dishes.
Along with Elisi was nephew Mako Vunipola, a key member of the the Lions team successful in New Zealand against the All Blacks earlier this Summer who signed and donated his ‘number 1’ Lions shirt to the club. Whilst Elisi was a key member of the Tongan national rugby team in the nineties and early 2000’s, a fly half winning 52 caps and playing in two World Cups, Mako and brother Billy are now key members of the current England team and both would have represented Great Britain and Ireland as Lions had not Billy succumbed to injury at the close of last season.
Chilvester have commitetd to a five year sponsorship arrangement whereby new kit will be supplied to all of the thirty-five strong team of coaches who work with the nearly four hundred club members representing Marlborough Rugby in teams from Under-7s to First XV.
“Marlborough Rugby Club is an extremely important part of Marlborough’s community” said Andy Tottman, director of Chilvester’s Marlborough office in Angel House. ”We are proud to be supporting the coaches of the club, as they create the structure and guidance that enables the club players and teams to succeed” he added. ”We look to support and help the development of sport for youngsters in Marlborough”.