When England Rugby announced in May that Northampton hooker Samson Ma’asi had been withdrawn from the Red Rose U20s squad preparing for the Junior World Championships in Argentina due to a ‘medical condition’, little did anyone expect what followed.
What at first appeared to be a toe problem turned out to be something far more serious – a life-changing kidney issue that led to his father, former Tonga, Cornish Pirates, Leeds, London Welsh and Ampthill hooker Vili, donating an organ to transform his son’s life.
Six months on, Samson, 19, and Vili are happily on the road to full recovery, so much so that Samson hopes to resume his career at Saints, to whom Vili says he will be eternally grateful for the support his family has received during a period of substantial hardship.
This story is from the December 8 2019 edition of The Rugby Paper.
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This story is from the December 8 2019 edition of The Rugby Paper.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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