Viliami Ma’asi Retires from Playing
It is with great sadness that we announce the retirement on medical grounds of our Club Captain, 41 year old Vili Ma’asi.
Vili played for Tonga 36 times including participation in the 2003 World Cup, his career included playing 195 games in the English National Leagues playing for Yorkshire Carnegie, Cornish Pirates, London Welsh and, for the past five seasons, Ampthill. Most recently he pulled on the East Midlands County colours at twickenham last May for their first ever County Championship trophy.
He has been an integral part of the Club for more than five years leading the 2012/13 National 3 Midlands Championship side and making a substantial and important contribution to our National 2 campaign that ultimately led to promotion to National 1 via the 2014/15 season ending promotion playoff against Bishops Stortford at Dillingham Park.
Vili and his family moved to Marston Mortaine in the summer of 2012 and his offpring Suva, Sonny and Rikess have all played for our Mini & Youth throughout the time that the family have been in the area. Vili was often at the club on a Sunday offering both skilled coaching with his boots on and encouragment from the sidelines.
It is Vili and Helen’s intention to stay in the local area and any assistance in finding work for Vili would be greatly appreciated. Any interested parties, please contact DOR Mark Lavery (07814 936644) for further information.
DOR Mark Lavery said “when Vili arrived he had an immediate impact on all aspects of the senior Club bringing a new level of professionalism and application to the senior set-up. I sometimes liken it to the impact Eric Cantona had at Manchester United, so profound was Vili’s impact on everybody with whom he worked”.