The Leicester Tigers squad hope to make a difference to young players in Fiji after donating boots and kit to the academy set up by Seremaia Bai.
Former Tigers centre Bai, who won 53 international caps with Fiji, this year launched the Rugby Academy Fiji to help boys and girls in his home country develop their skills.
Now they are set to receive a boost with the delivery of boots, trainers and rugby kit from Tigers players.
Peter Betham, a former Tigers teammate of Bai, will deliver the kit during the close-season. Betham said: “There are a fair few pairs of boots and trainers. There are some front row forwards boots, moulded boots, trainers. There is every size and make.
“A lot have come from Ben Youngs. He has put some trainers in there and some boots and some flip flops.
“The boys have been putting in bags, jackets, kit, whatever they can.
“I will take them over to Fiji in the break, I am going to see Seremaia Bai, and they will go a long way to helping their rugby academy. He has built his own Fiji rugby academy for the youth of Fiji – any boot or shoe helps.”
Ben Youngs said: “I am very fortunate to have a wonderful sponsor in Adidas and during the season you get through a fair amount of pairs of boots and trainers. You’re in them every day.
“At the end of the season it is nice to know they are going to go to somewhere they are going to be treasured.
“Seremaia is doing a terrific job back in his home of Fiji. We have had Seremaia, Niki Goneva, Seru Rabeni and other Fiji players come to the Tigers, and you realise just how special a pair of boots are.
“At the end of the season everyone gets involved and brings in a pair of boots. Everyone has been really generous. They will get boxed up now and Peter Betham will take them over.
“Hopefully someone will be able to get into a size 9. I am not sure if they can get into one of Logovi’i Mulipola’s size 15s but someone will get in there if they put enough socks on!
“It’s all for a good cause.”
Former Tigers centre Bai, who won 53 international caps with Fiji, this year launched the Rugby Academy Fiji to help boys and girls in his home country develop their skills.
Now they are set to receive a boost with the delivery of boots, trainers and rugby kit from Tigers players.
Peter Betham, a former Tigers teammate of Bai, will deliver the kit during the close-season. Betham said: “There are a fair few pairs of boots and trainers. There are some front row forwards boots, moulded boots, trainers. There is every size and make.
“A lot have come from Ben Youngs. He has put some trainers in there and some boots and some flip flops.
“The boys have been putting in bags, jackets, kit, whatever they can.
“I will take them over to Fiji in the break, I am going to see Seremaia Bai, and they will go a long way to helping their rugby academy. He has built his own Fiji rugby academy for the youth of Fiji – any boot or shoe helps.”
Ben Youngs said: “I am very fortunate to have a wonderful sponsor in Adidas and during the season you get through a fair amount of pairs of boots and trainers. You’re in them every day.
“At the end of the season it is nice to know they are going to go to somewhere they are going to be treasured.
“Seremaia is doing a terrific job back in his home of Fiji. We have had Seremaia, Niki Goneva, Seru Rabeni and other Fiji players come to the Tigers, and you realise just how special a pair of boots are.
“At the end of the season everyone gets involved and brings in a pair of boots. Everyone has been really generous. They will get boxed up now and Peter Betham will take them over.
“Hopefully someone will be able to get into a size 9. I am not sure if they can get into one of Logovi’i Mulipola’s size 15s but someone will get in there if they put enough socks on!
“It’s all for a good cause.”
