World Cup winner Jason ‘Funbus’ Leonard says willingness of rugby legends to take to pitch to tackle cancer ‘is beauty of the sport’
- A host of famous rugby players, young and old, play touch rugby at the Hong Kong 10s
- England’s most capped player says the beauty of rugby is the bonds you build with teammates and oppositions
A group of the most decorated rugby players of all time banded together for a game of touch to raise money for the Cancer Fund on Thursday.
Jason Leonard, England’s most capped (114) player, believes the willingness of former professionals to get involved in charity matches is indicative of what makes the game great.
“Rugby is the kind of sport where you give back,” said the 2003 World Cup winner. He had many fierce battles with other legends on the pitch – Leonard first played against Terry Wright, the former All Black, at the 1991 World Cup, and Australia’s David Campese the same year.
“You don’t see them much, but that is the beauty of rugby. When you see your mates again it could be two years, five years, 10 years and you just pick up where you left off,” he said. “That’s the beauty, that friendship and camaraderie.”
The legends on display included Scotland lock Jim Hamilton, Samoan bulldozer Alesana Tuilagi and his brother Henry, Australian international Justin Harrison, Fijian Olympic gold medallists Samisoni Viriviri, New Zealand sevens hero DJ Forbes, Waikato Chief’s flanker Scott Waldrom, Fiji sevens superstar Waisale Serevi, Samoan international Bella Milo, USA flanker Todd Clever, and Hong Kong lock Adam Butterfield.