How a Tongan revolution has transformed a small English club into promotion contenders
Four Tongan internationals headed by ex-Northampton prop Soane Tonga’uhia are powering a small Bedfordshire club towards the second division of English rugby – one step away from the Gallagher Premiership.
Ampthill RFC are one point clear in National Division One going into tomorrow’s clash with Cambridge and if they can maintain their form, promotion to the English championship will see the club join famous names such as Richmond, London Scottish and nearest rivals Bedford.
If they do complete the journey into the second rung of the English game it will be a tribute to influence of their experienced Tonga internationals, Tonga’uhia, former Cardiff back rower Maama Molitka, ex-Chiefs and Gloucester hooker Aleki Lutui and Paino Hehea, who played lock for Calvisano.
So, how did four Tonga internationals end up at Ampthill? The answer is 36-times capped Viliami Ma’asi who started the Tongan influence when he arrived at Ampthill in 2011/12 becoming the club’s popular captain but had to retire in December 2016. Ma’asi’s rugby legacy is even more impressive with one of his sons, Samson, at Northampton and part of the England U20 squad, Suva Ma’asi is at Peterborough Lions and Ricky is in the Wasps academy.
Ampthill have a famous head coach in Paul Turner, the ex-Wales outside half and a former coach of Sale, Saracens, Gloucester, Harlequins and Newport Gwent Dragons. Turner told RugbyPass the chance of getting into the Championship is an exciting challenge and the influence of Tonga’uhia is vital as he offers vast experience and technical insight as forwards coach and first team player.
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For Turner, the opportunity to coach Aleki Lutui was something he tried to achieve while at the Dragons having seen the hooker cause the British and Irish Lions problems in Bay of Plenty colours in the opening match of the 2005 tour when Lawrence Dallaglio broke his ankle. Turner’s attempt to sign Lutui failed because the hooker could not get a work permit although he eventually made it to the UK, signing for Worcester and would also play for Gloucester.
While all but Tonga’uhia (37) are in their 40’s, Turner confirms all of his Islanders are still making a major impact, most notably Molitka who is bossing opposition back rowers at the age of 44. To add to the international mix, Canada’s James Pritchard is the club’s backs coach.
Turner said: “This is my seventh season with Ampthill which is a small community club with a big junior section. I brought Vili Ma’asi from London Welsh and he started it all off and has been the most influential Tongan at the club. I knew Maama from his time at Cardiff Blues, Paino arrived from Racing and then Lutui came. I really wanted to sign him for the Dragons and it took 10 years before I finally got him! Soane, who is playing and coaching the forwards, came in this season and the Tongan guys have been brilliant and instrumental in everything we have achieved.
“Guys like Lutui are made of iron and Maama has been the form No.8 in our league for the last four years. We have a link with Saracens and two seasons ago we had Nick Isiekwe and Ben Earl with us and also guys from Northampton get experience with us. If promotion happens I would like to come this season and it probably won’t be decided until April in a league that has 30 games.”
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Comments on RugbyPass
The shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
1 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to commentsExcept for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to comments