Ratu Vakalutukali Interview: Armed Forces Day special for Taunton and National League Rugby
Vakalutukali is into his 12th season as a player at Taunton
©Taunton RFC
For Taunton RFC, Armed Forces Day is more than just a fixture in the calendar. It is a celebration of the enduring bond between the Titans and the military, which first began when the club opened in 1875.
The National Two West side has maintained strong ties with service personnel through their support for the Armed Forces Covenant, a connection that continues to shape both the character of the club and the community surrounding it.
“Armed Forces Day at Taunton Rugby Club has always been a big occasion for us,” says player-coach Ratu Vakalutukali, who has served in the Royal Marines for 15 years. "I am part of RM Norton Manor, and have Navy Rugby as a wider cohort.
“Navy Rugby used to hold their camp here [at Taunton] a few years ago, and that allowed the relationship between us and Navy Rugby to grow further.
“Now we have a few players who are in the Marines or the Navy like Jay Toogood (scrum-half), Freddy Elliott (Wing), and Alex O’Brien (Back-Row). We’ve also got Doddy [Ben Dodd], who is in the Army Under-23s, so there’s a good mix.
“We have also had people from the Army before who have donned the Taunton colours. The likes of Apo Satala, who played for the Army and was a Fiji international, shows that the link between Taunton and the military has always been a big one.”
Taunton hold an annual Armed Forces Day each season. Credit: Clayton Jane Photography
Last weekend, National League Rugby clubs paid tribute to the sacrifices made by the Armed Forces, and Taunton will do the same on Saturday when they welcome Camborne to Summerfield Stadium.
The day itself - led by team manager Steve Frost, who has served in the Army for more than two decades and has been a full-time reserve soldier for the past 17 years - continues to be a highlight in Taunton’s calendar.
The club gives free access to serving forces personnel and veterans, whilst also supporting the Cadet Forces Community engagement programme. The Titans also fundraise for the Royal British Legion.
Last season, when Taunton hosted Devonport Services, nearly 1,000 people attended the day.
“We are absolutely humbled and privileged to receive that kind of support year in, year out,” adds Vakalutukali. “It means a lot to the guys and reinforces the military connections the club has.
“The day is not just about rugby. It is an opportunity to honour those currently serving, veterans, and all who have sacrificed for the country.”
Vakalutukali, affectionately known as ‘Toots’ by those at Taunton, has spent the bulk of his career stationed in the South-West, primarily at Norton Manor. He has always been a part of Taunton and has also represented Navy Rugby.
“The Armed Forces are huge within sport, with the Army versus Navy games being the pinnacle within rugby,” he continues. “It has gone from strength to strength.
“If you look at that match alone, and you look at the names who have played, and some who are still playing like Semesa Rokoduguni [who is at Doncaster Knights and has five caps for England] who is still representing the Army and Josh McNally representing the RAF [now at Cardiff and formerly of current National Two East side Henley Hawks], it is special to be a part of.
“And then for us [the Navy], we are obviously very fortunate to have the likes of Sam Matavesi, who is now playing for Camborne.
“All the experiences that come with it are special. The mates you make along the way is a big part of it. You get to meet new people, try new cultures, all while being in a job like the military. You create those bonds and have that brotherhood.”
Vakalutukali represented Navy Rugby with former Premiership winner and ex-Fijian international Matavesi as recently as this summer, when they clinched the Inter Service Championship title following a pulsating 37-33 win over the Army at Allianz Stadium, Twickenham.
Alongside the Taunton forward in that triumphant team were fellow National League Rugby names Rhys Williams and Craig Duncan (Plymouth Albion), Ed Pascoe and Dan Rutter (Redruth), as well as Matavesi’s clubmate George Edson (Camborne).
“The Inter Service Championship is getting tougher every year, and the Navy side has been really competitive the last few years, which has been really positive,” Vakalutukali, who scored in the victory back in May, adds.
“It is really down to the amount of players playing National League Rugby and also at Championship level. With guys playing week in, week out, it has only made the competition better and it gives us spectacles like we had this year and last year.
“Last year, the Army managed to grab that game in the last minute [43-42], so it was really nice, and a better feeling this year to go and win it!”
After sharing summer success with Matavesi, Vakalutukali is now set to share the field with his Navy Rugby compatriot, but this time on opposing sides.
And before kick-off on Saturday, the pair will address those in attendance at the pre-match lunch to highlight the importance of Armed Forces Day at Taunton.
“It will be special for me to stand up there alongside Sam, especially with the amount of military personnel, veterans and family who have been involved in the military who we hope to see on Saturday,” Vakalutukali says.
“For them to come to Summerfield Stadium and see how National League Rugby is progressing with military involvement will be a huge thing.
“Sam, obviously an ex-international who used to play for Fiji, we have always looked up to him as a leader in a way, so it will be good to share the floor and then the pitch with him on Saturday.”
Whether Vakalutukali and Taunton can come out on the right side of the result remains to be seen, as Camborne will arrive in Somerset aiming to protect their 100 per cent record.
Last season’s runners-up have yet to drop a single point, while Taunton - who finished one place below the Cherry and Whites in 2024/25 - have struggled for consistency.
The Titans have been hit by a lengthy injury list, forcing head coach Tony Yapp to use around 40 players in the opening nine games of the season. That lack of cohesion in selection has contributed to Taunton sitting eighth in the standings, with just three wins to their name.
But Vakalutukali, who took on a coaching role following the departure of forwards coach Damian Welch to Harlequins Women over the summer, has focused on finding the positives in his side’s patchy form.
“With Damo moving on, no one sort of expected that to happen at that point,” Vakalutukali explains. "That was a big change within the club set-up.
“Following that, all of the injuries unfortunately haven’t been great for us but in saying that, all the players we have pulled up through the second team and the young lads, they have all stepped up and have done a job.
“We have gone over to the likes of Cinderford (9th) and managed to get five points up there which was huge. We’ve also managed to claw away at getting two bonus points here and there.
“Last week we got two at Loughborough (12th) [31-24 loss], two against Luctonians (2nd) here [29-24 loss] so the positives are we are clawing away at getting the points in the bag.
“This league is tough, but the young players are gaining experience, and we’re focused on building momentum for the season and beyond.”
In five of their six defeats this season, the Titans have lost by seven points or less, highlighting the fine margins which Taunton are aiming to turn in their favour.
Doing that against National Two West table-toppers Camborne is easier said than done, but Taunton were one of the few sides to deny the Cornish outfit a victory last term.
In this corresponding fixture back in January, Camborne rescued a 38-38 draw after trailing by 14 points with nine minutes remaining. While this is a new campaign, Vakalutukali says lessons can be taken from that performance.
“From that game in particular, we are really aware of Camborne’s threat,” he says. “They have a lot of players dotted around the pitch who you just can’t kick the ball to. Technically, we have started looking at that.
“They are a really good forwards side, so we want to match them in terms of our set-piece dominance and our forward play around the park but also, for us, it is about getting that mindset right in terms of wanting it more.
“This league is really hard, with good players and good teams around. Camborne are right up there, but our focus is to right some wrongs from Loughborough and really work on that tough mentality.”
Taunton will hope to replicate the performance and result they produced in their last home outing against Redruth in Round Eight, when they secured an impressive 44-15 victory.
Yet amid the tactical preparation and the challenges of this season, Armed Forces Day is once again a reminder of the deeper significance rugby has at the Summerfield Stadium.
For Vakalutukali and Taunton, it is not just about league points or results. It is about honouring the community, celebrating the military connections that run through the club, and standing together with those who serve.
On Saturday, that bond will take centre stage, underscoring why rugby and the military continue to go hand in hand at Taunton RFC.
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