Two significant Samoan members of Auckland's rugby fraternity are at the centre of a scheme which will help young players enjoy their sport more.
Blues captain Patrick Tuipulotu has donated 30 pairs of new rugby boots to the Papatoetoe Rugby Football Club for famillies in need.
Papatoetoe RFC junior players receive new boots for the rugby season. Photo: Supplied
Club Director Tino Junior Poluleuligaga said it couldn't have come at a better time, with the rugby season officially kicking off this weekend.
"We've got a lot of kids that miss out on playing rugby because they don't have boots or they're sharing boots," he said.
"Having 30 new pairs donated to the club is huge. These kids were wearing boots with holes, some were kept together by strapping tape and so we were really excited to present them with the boots and they were thrilled to recieve them."
Poluleuligaga said he thought it would help the children enjoy their rugby more.
"We didn't even think they would be able to play and now that the season officially starts this weekend...they'll be getting 11-12 weeks of rugby so we're real stoked that the kids are able to play in a competition this season with some real nice boots as well, so it's perfect timing."
The former Manu Samoa halfback entered a competition run by Tuipulotu alongside Puma New Zealand, wanting to support local rugby teams following the resumption of sport post Covid-19.
View this post on InstagramA post shared by Patrick Tuipulotu (@pattytuips) on
Poluleuligaga said the boots would support some famillies who struggled financially, particularly Māori and Pacific Islanders.
"I put a comment about kids in South Auckland and how they come from vulnerable famillies and financially they don't have much so it would be a massive help if they were donated to us. Patty [Tuipulotu] supported that and donated 30 boots to the rugby club."
"You can't play without boots especially when the grounds are so muddy, so you see a lot of the kids with plastic sprigs but they've been so worn out that they're almost flat and slipping over."
While 20 pairs of boots had been donated to junior players, 10 pairs were given to the seniors. Poluleuligaga put a call out to team managers to keep an eye out for anyone who might be in need of a new pair.
"With the senior players most of the boots went to the under 21 players. Some don't have boots or they're falling apart, and they can't afford any let alone the fees, so we gave them out to those that really needed them."
"They had no idea we had these boots for them. We had them ready for them when they came in for training at the club house and they were shocked and just really happy to be able to put on some brand new boots because their boots were either from someone else, borrowed, or they haven't been replaced for a few years."
Their old boots won't go to waste either. Instead, they'll be donated into the clubs communal boot bin for other members in need.
"Some will keep their boots for training and their new boots for their games, but none of them will go to waste."
"We've got a bin where parents can donate old boots from other kids as well and they go real quick and we prioritise the kids that need them. We're looking for boots every year and so we usually reach out to our local contacts, but the ones through Puma and Patty was just our luck really."
Photo: PHOTOSPORT