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Video - From Helmand Province to coaching the Estonian National team - a 130kg prop's tale
Corporal Chris Budgen has served in the New Zealand Army and the British Army, he’s also played top level rugby for Northampton Saints and Exeter Chiefs.
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The New Zealand-born prop did a three-month tour of Iraq in 2004 and was in the Helmand province in Afghanistan in 2007.
His job with 1st Battalion The Royal Welsh has now taken him to Tapa, Estonia, around 80 miles from the Russian border. In his spare time he’s also helping to coach the Estonian national rugby team.
The 45-year-old played 95 times for Exeter Chiefs between 2008 and 2013 and became the English Premiership’s oldest try scorer in November 2012 when at 39 years and 287 days he rumbled over against Worcester.
Now he’s enjoying his coaching experience in Estonia. “It is quite easy to coach because they are so enthusiastic, they just want to learn.”
“I think it’s a bit of a challenge for myself – getting right back to the grassroots, it is purely amateur out here – but they are so keen.”
The Estonian Rugby Union was established just ten years ago, but Budgen believes there is huge potential in the country.
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“I reckon if they get the funding and the backing, they can go a long way”, he said.
Ragnar Toompere, the president of the Estonian Rugby Union, highlighted some of the struggles the game faces there.
“Rugby has never been a sport in our country, so we have started from roughly zero and it has been a bit of a ride”.
“Our season is from April until November if we are lucky, so (it’s) hard to keep consistency in getting people involved”.
