Daily Mirror

WE’VE BEEN TAUT A HARSH LESSON

Visit to women’s refuge spurred Taulima & Wigan pals to take action

- BY GARETH WALKER Rugby Lge Correspond­ent @garethwalk­er

TAULIMA TAUTAI can deal with most things on a rugby pitch – but was floored by a visit to a women’s refuge earlier this year.

The giant Wigan forward was there as part of the club’s extensive community work and what he saw moved his whole family.

It lead to Tautai’s wife Anjuli playing a key role in Wigan launching a ‘Respect Her’ campaign that aims to tackle one of the highest rates of domestic violence in the country.

Australian Tautai, 30, said: “To see women living in genuine fear having to take their kids somewhere that nobody knows about – I guess I was a bit naive about things like that. I didn’t even know there was a refuge for women – I didn’t know a lot of things until I got there.

“We don’t realise how fortunate we are, especially me in such an influentia­l position playing for Wigan.

“It’s almost like I live in a little bubble where I don’t really see what’s happening on the outside. When we looked into figures, it showed that the day the most domestic abuse happens is game day.

“For me, that’s quite a big thing because people come to watch me on game day and from that, domestic abuse happens.

“I’m not saying I feel responsibl­e, but I feel like surely there has to be something we can do.

“I came home and told Anj and she was really passionate about it for personal reasons.”

Warriors and England captain Sean O’Loughlin is among a host of Wigan players involved in the scheme, which aims to raise awareness of violence against women and girls.

Anjuli (below) said: “The partner that I used to work with represente­d two of the girls in the Rochdale gang case, so I had a lot of experience in crime and abuse work. “This was a way to not just represent them in a legal way, but to get in and see how we could make their lives just a little bit better. “The big thing is this isn’t like a pitchfork thing against men – it’s about everybody coming together to try to change situations.” Back on the field, Taulima heads into tonight’s clash at Huddersfie­ld having recently returned from six weeks out through suspension as Wigan look to mount a Grand Final push. He added: “It’s been very frustratin­g, but it’s made me hungrier – one hundred per cent.”

 ??  ?? BACKING THE CAUSE Tommy Leuluai, Sean O’Loughlin and Willie Isa Wigan forward Tautai wants to make a difference off the pitch as well as on it
BACKING THE CAUSE Tommy Leuluai, Sean O’Loughlin and Willie Isa Wigan forward Tautai wants to make a difference off the pitch as well as on it

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