MY LIFE IN RUGBY
SOANE TONGA’UIHA

THE FORMER TONGA, BEDFORD, NORTHAMPTON, RACING 92, OYONNAX, BRISTOL AND AMPTHILL PROP AND CURRENT PLAYER-COACH AT CHINNOR RFC
IT took a while for myself to let go of Northampton’s Heineken Cup final defeat to Leinster in 2011. The way they came back from 16 points down to beat us was heartbreaking and I continued to dwell on it and think about the ‘what ifs’. It was only really when Tonga defied the odds to beat France at the World Cup later that year that I properly put it to bed and started to look forward not back.
The...