A RUGBY club fell silent as a Suffolk side and a Japanese touring team paid a sombre tribute to those who lost their lives in last week’s earthquake and tsunami.
Bury St Edmunds RFC organised the respectful minute’s reflection when they hosted the Meiji University team from Tokyo.
The Japanese team were halfway through a five-match tour of England when the devastating natural disaster hit their country on Friday.
The minute’s silence was impeccably served by everyone at the Haberden on a day when rugby took second place.
Bury chairman Phil Torkington said: “They were appreciative of the fact that we had organised a minute’s silence for both our development side’s match against the university team and also our 2nds playing on an adjacent pitch.
“We wanted to do something after witnessing the shocking images. The Japanese players stayed for a while after the match and gifts from each team were handed out. It was a nice occasion and one I hope we can repeat in the future.”
In one sense, the match was secondary to everything that had gone on before. But that didn’t stop supporters being treated to an exciting encounter with Meiki University eventually winning through 26-17.
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