Cardiff Rugby star and Wales international Willis Halaholo has paid a moving, tearful tribute to team-mate Rey Lee-Lo.
Lee-Lo makes his 150th appearance for Cardiff against Ulster tonight and has firmly established himself as a club legend since joining in 2015. In recent years he has formed a remarkably close bond with Halaholo, with the friends becoming more like family.
In a video tribute to Lee-Lo, Halaholo became visibly choked up and tearful as he spoke about the man behind the player and what Lee-Lo and his family have been through in recent times.
One of Lee-Lo's daughters is severely disabled, while it's understood his son was born prematurely in the autumn of 2022 with significant health complications that have put strain on the family. Throughout it all, he has continued to turn up for Cardiff training and matches amid caring for his daughters as well as the many hospital visits and overnight stays for him and his wife.
It's been a difficult time and Halaholo has helped him through it, as Lee-Lo has helped him so often through his personal injury difficulties, which again took a desperate turn this week and potentially ended his Cardiff career with his contract up at the end of the season.
There were emotional scenes at Cardiff's training HQ on Friday when Lee-Lo was presented with his 150th jersey by Halaholo and another close friend, former Cardiff player Nick Williams, who suffered a cardiac arrest last year.
In the video tribute, Halaholo said: "I don't think many people know what Rey has been through in his life with his kids and off-field. But to be able to turn up to training and games and still be at an elite level is nothing but inspiring. I can't speak highly enough of him."
He continued by saying: "Our relationship has grown a lot over the last few years..." before having to pause with tears filling his eyes as he tried to find the words to describe his closest team-mate.
Composing himself, he said: "No-one has seen the grind he has put in off the field in terms of things going on with his family and kids, especially over the last six months. It has been hard. I have tried my best to be there for him. It is hard for us having no family here.
"He is a very private man. Apart form his wife I think I am the only one he gets to open up to. To see that side of him is hard. He is a strong man and even though he goes through those thing he hardly talks about, he makes sure the team comes first.
"We have shared lots of deep moments in terms of family life. There have been tears that people don't know about, but with mental health these days it has been healthy for us to share those type of things."
Lee-Lo named his son RJ Isiah Ulisi Wyn Lee-Lo, with one of those names in honour of Halaholo, whose birth name is Uilisi.
Lee-Lo previously said: “His name is RJ (Rey Junior) after me, Isiah, which is my nephew back home who passed away a few months ago, then Ulisi after Willis and my daughter gave him a third Welsh middle-name, Wyn. So it’s quite a long name!
“Being with Willis from back home and then here, it was a no brainer for me. He’s a close friend, pretty much a brother to me and his family are family to me.”
Speaking about the name gesture, Halaholo added: "For his son to share our name together, he has given me such an honour. It is a big moment for us.
"He will go down as one of the best centres to grace the Arms Park, I think. To reach 150 shows the commitment and resilience of the man. He has been the heart and soul of this team."
It is unclear what the future holds for the duo amid Welsh rugby's deep financial cuts and contract uncertainty.
Halaholo added: "It's very special. Cardiff will always live in our hearts. Rey and I will always find Cardiff home, especially having kids born here. It will always be a special place. With everything going on, the club will always be special to us because of the brotherhood in this squad and the supporters."
Read more:
Young Wales international now working on a building site after rugby's turmoil leaves him unemployed
Today's rugby news as Wales duo wanted by same club and Warburton makes Italy favourites
Rugby's 'quickest try of all time' scored from kick-off as commentators stunned
Shocking abuse of referees by Welsh rugby coaches, players and spectators revealed
