Throughout 2009, the PRFU were able to run monthly touch football juniors programs and this certainly would not have been possible without the help and support of one man and his company.

In 2008, Tony Butler and Activefun approached the PRFU to become the main Juniors Development Sponsor and this was the starting point of the Activefun Juniors Touch Football League. In the next two months, schools, clubs and foundations entered teams on a monthly basis in age categories U/8, U/10, U/12 and U/14.

It was particularly exciting to see new schools following the British School’s lead and by the end of the season the following teams had played in the junior’s league;

BSM, ISM, Brent, Tuloy, Bahay Bata, Euro campus and the Manila Hapons.

As everyone knows the future success of any Rugby Union program begins with junior’s development and ACTIVEFUN and Tony Butler provided an avenue for such a program here in the Philippines.

ACTIVEFUN agreed to supply each junior player with a T-shirt, cap and also free food and drinks at every monthly tournament. The league had up to180 junior players participate on a monthly basis and what a lot of supporters do not know, was that Tony himself would go to the supermarket and buy all the food and drinks that were given out to the children at each of these monthly tournaments.

Tony had a passion for the sport of Rugby Union and being a prop forward from Ireland, he certainly had the credentials and experience to support the game that he enjoyed. Tony was particularly supportive of the ACTIVEFUN Juniors Tournaments and his legacy will always be remembered.

The PRFU had already made plans to introduce the Activefun Junior’s tackle competition in the u12 and u14 categories in 2010.

This junior’s tackle tournament will be known as the “Tony Butler Memorial Cup”

Thanks must also be extended those schools and clubs who hosted the monthly juniors tournaments, these included British School Manila, Nomads and the International School of Manila.

The PRFU and all the ACTIVEFUN Juniors Players will certainly miss Tony’s presence at the tournaments and his legacy will remain as an integral part of junior Rugby development here in the Philippines.

The ACTIVEFUN Juniors tournaments will resume on Sat February 13^th 2010 and we look forward to introducing tackle rugby in the 12 and 14 years and will continue touch football with 8 and 10 years.

The PRFU would finally like to thanks ACTIVEFUN, TONY AND GENA BUTLER and know that the juniors programs that Tony supported will continue to grow and expand here in the Philippines

Have a safe and Happy Christmas and New Year.

Matt Cullen