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Tongan team's pub lunch feast amazes
Stuff.co.nz | Wednesday, 5 September 2007
http://www.stuff.co.nz/4191163a10295.html
The Tongan rugby world cup squad are devouring more than the opposition before the tournament starts this Saturday (NZ time).
The squad, which has been staying in Bournemouth, England, has stunned locals with their ability to carve their way through food.
The Daily Mail website today reported the team had chomped their way through 30 roast chickens, 27.2 kilograms of roast lamb, 27.2 kilograms of roast beef, 13.6kg of pasta and 13.6kg of potato salad while washing it all down with 40 litres of orange juice when they dropped into the Fusion Inn for an English pub lunch this week.
In all, more than a quarter of a million calories and nearly 10,000g of fat were consumed by the squad.
While most kitchens would have cracked under the strain, the website reported that the team's host was Isi Tuivai, their former captain, and the pub had called in two extra chefs and three extra waiters to deal with the scrum.
Tuivai invited the team - which had been training in Bournemouth - to stop at his pub in Lymington, Hampshire, before they set off for the tournament in France which starts on Friday.
"They are big, big boys so there was a lot of food and a lot of eating going on. The food was all ordered in specially and we had to bring in two extra chefs to cook it," pub manager Shannon Van Dreven said.
"The food was just full of protein. They had huge plates of steak, chicken, lamb and potato salad piled high. And we still had the pub open as normal so we had the regulars to look after as well.
"I think customers thought it was pretty fantastic.
"They were thrilled to see some of the guys and see how big they are. The pub is quite tight and has lots of low beams and the players had real difficulty ducking and weaving their way around.
"When they stood up and walked past a window they actually blocked out all the light.
The Tongans are said to average 114.3 kilograms a man and have been labelled the 'wrecking balls of the tournament". Their heaviest player is 29-year-old prop forward Mosese Moala who weighs in at 133.3kg.
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Originally Posted by travelling_gerry
look slimming!
