Wisbech RUFC’s charity day raises £2,000 for trust fund

A lot of hard work went into arranging a very successful event at Wisbech Rugby Club’s Chapel Road headquarters.

The day was arranged in support of Savenaca Koroibulileka Trust. A serving soldier, who was affectionally known as Tu or Koro, he collapsed and died playing rugby for Oakham in September and left a wife and four young children.

A trust fund has been set up to support the children until they each reach 18.

The committee sincerely thank all the sponsors who generously donated, all the volunteers who gave their time and the players who turned out to play in the games to help raise £2,000 on Wisbech RUFC’s charity day for the trust fund.

The day kicked off with an exhibition game of touch rugby.

This was followed by a game of football between Wisbech Wildcats and Jackie Gallagher’s Wisbech Town All Stars. The game was played in great spirit and with bags of fun. The Wildcats went ahead with goals from Ethan Garfoot and Jamie ‘Skippy’ Parson.

Jacky’s All Stars drew level with a goal from veteran Brendan Bird and a Paul Shafer penalty on full time. Jack Malkin was made Hereward Services man of match for the Wildcats and Craig Davis Fenland Catering man of the match for the All Stars. A big thank you to Jackie for his help in arranging the game.

A Wisbech Presidents XV then played Cambridgeshire County Select XV in an exhibition game of rugby.

Wisbech head coach Leonard Veenendaal brought together a squad made up of a number of ex-Wisbech players as he came head-to-head with ex-Wisbech player and now county coach Steve Drawbridge.

Ex-Wisbech players Jethro Rawling, Andy Hoyles and Del Le Ray Veenendaal pulled on a Wisbech shirt for the first time for a number years, with guest players Nico Steenkamp, Bash Mahood and Lawrence Rayner also joining regular first team players club captain Olly Mackett, first team captain Solly Prestidge, Ben Wicks, Jack Malkin, Sam Anderson, Dick Cavill, James Napier, James Patrick, Josh Anderson and Geoff Wilson

The Cambs squad was made up of players from local clubs. A special thanks must go to Jim Storey from Ely who travelled up from University in Plymouth to play.

Wisbech rattled in six tries: Veenendaal (3), Hoyles, Rawlings and Malkin; Rayner converted five and Wicks also added one as Wisbech ran out 42-8 winners.

Hoyles was made Wisbech Round Table man of the match. Jim Storey was the county Stormport man of the match.

Afterwards ex-Wisbech player and captain Simon Rodgers provided the entertainment, singing and playing a few popular songs.