Rugby club on the end of big Tongan tackles

Exeter’s rugby team have played against the Tongan national side twice in the last fortnight.

The Pacific Islanders have been using Exeter University as their World Cup base and our rugby team as their opposition.

It’s been hard to miss them around campus with their brightly coloured stash and superhuman size – they are so big even the revolving doors in the forum pose little to no issue for them.

In fact, the high performance gym on campus didn’t have enough weights to keep them occupied.

They had to bring their own dumbbells, which are so big even Exeter’s most legendary tin shifters wouldn’t know what to do with them.

On two occasions last week the Tongan coaches requested members of EURFC come down to Fortress Topsham to run against them as opposition.

Although the thought of lining up against 135kg of Tongan prop Opeti Fonua would result in a few pairs of stained boxers, Exeter’s bravest turned out in force.

E.U.R.F.C vice-captain Sam Waltier eloquently said, after having visited Tonga in his gap year: “It was loose to get out on the paddock with my favourite cuzzies again.”

In a semi-contact game of 15 on 15, Exeter managed to score a few trys and overall held their own against the formidable Tongans, serving as good practise in the run up to their game against Namibia at Sandy Park.

Similarly, training against such accomplished opposition will surely set Exeter in good stead for the BUCS season starting next Wednesday, with a home game against Cardiff Met.