Shepparton lawyer Anthony Coote wasn’t looking to sponsor a community rugby team when he visited Fiji in May.
But that’s exactly what has transpired.
“I was chatting to man called Solo and he told me he was involved in a rugby club,” he said.
“They try to engage unemployed kids so they don’t get involved with the wrong side of the law.”
As a criminal lawyer and one of the directors of Camerons Lawyers, Mr Coote said he thought it was a great idea.
So he co-ordinated for the firm to sponsor them, supplying the team with a set of 25 uniforms.
“That part of Fiji is pretty poor, they don’t have running water,” Mr Coote said.
“It’s a fairly poor part of the world.”
Solo Bogi, the man who Mr Coote met during his visit to Fiji, said it was the first time the team had been sponsored.
The Uluisuvani Rugby Club (also known as the Mount Suvani Rugby Club) was formed in the 1970s and competes in the Ra Rugby Union Competition.
Based in the rural district of Navolau, players come from four surrounding villages and is based out of Rakiraki.
All money for the club comes from the players and community, Mr Bogi said.
“They’re pretty rapt,” Mr Coote said.
“Rugby is almost a religion over there and (sponsorship) is something the teams aren’t used to.”
Now, in their new kit, the players just need footy boots to complete the look.
“They’re fairly limited on footy boots,” Mr Coote said.
“Some of them train in gumboots.”
Mr Coote said he was hoping to collect old or spare footy boots from the Shepparton community and ship them over to the team.
“Hopefully when I go back I’ll be able to watch them play a game in their new gear,” he said.
Anyone with a spare pair of boots is welcome to drop them into the Camerons Lawyers office at 128 Maude St, Shepparton, between 8.30am and 5pm.