Rugby club seeks donations for Fiji

Phillip Togotogorua, pictured with Jona Sawailau (left), is collecting donations for his village in Fiji which was badly damaged by Cyclone Winston. Photo / George Novak

The Tauranga Sports Rugby Club is collecting clothing and blankets for teammates whose families have lost everything in Fiji.

The club decided to help after finding out areas some of the players had come from in Fiji had been devastated by Cyclone Winston.

The club this week asked members and residents of Tauranga to donate clothing items to send over to Fiji.

Club captain for Tauranga Sports Rugby Club Ati Aaifou-Olive said the club wanted to support players whose families' possessions were "totally gone".

"The main thing for them is clothes," he said.

The club had a few Fijian players who had been living and playing rugby in Tauranga for between three and four years.

They've just got nothing.

Ati Aaifou-Olive, Club captain for Tauranga Sports Rugby Club

Mr Aaifou-Olive said the players from Fiji were driving in the clothing collection.

"We didn't find out until a week-and-a-half ago that it was their family," he said. "We thought we better do something."

They are looking to collect clothes, blankets and sheets, and any sort of shoes including sports shoes.

"They've just got nothing," Mr Aaifou-Olive said.

Phillip Togotogorua began playing rugby in New Zealand when he received a rugby scholarship at Rotorua Boys' High School.

Mr Togotogorua, now 22, said he had been sending clothing packages back to his family in Fiji since the cyclone hit.

"It was mostly on the western side of Fiji," he said.

"That's where I live. Everyone is okay but there is just lots of damage."

He said they would appreciate all donations.

"Just anything will do for now," Mr Togotogorua said.

To donate:

Tauranga Sports Rugby Club will open up their clubrooms at Tauranga Domain for clothing drop offs:

* Wednesday, March 23: 5.30pm to 7.30pm

* Saturday, March 26: 9am to 11am