Jojo Fifita had three nations to choose from, but just days into Tonga’s World Cup camp, the Gold Coast Titans star is already seeing the importance of his decision.
Eligible to represent New Zealand, Australia or Tonga, Fifita faced a difficult call over his international future, with family ultimately helping him choose the red jersey.
His father, a proud Tongan who represented the nation in rugby union, played a key role in the decision.
Now, as Fifita prepares to make his international debut at the IRL Rugby League World Cup, he is embracing the opportunity to learn more about his heritage and share that connection with his family.
“A lot of it has been about learning where my dad is from,” Fifita said.
“I didn’t grow up learning about it, and I think this is the most Tongan stuff I have learnt in the last 23 years of my life in not even a week. It’s been a great learning experience.
“Having the opportunity to run out for Tonga, I grew up watching Tonga. My dad played for Tonga in the Rugby Union World Cup and being able to do that with the league team is something that drives me to play for Tonga.”
Fifita will line up on the wing in a star-studded backline as Tonga open their campaign against England at HBF Park in Perth on Saturday night.
The 23-year-old's decision comes at the end of a remarkable season for the youngster, who has emerged as one of the competition’s standout wingers at the Titans.
Fifita earned his Queensland State of Origin debut and went on to score two tries for the Maroons, before being rewarded with a place in Tonga’s World Cup squad.
It is a rise he could not have predicted when the season kicked off, but one he hopes is just the beginning.
Jojo Fifita Try
“It’s been a long year, but I’m grateful for every part of it and hopefully for many more years to come it will be the same,” he said.
“It gives me a lot of opportunities to learn and reflect on myself, and playing with other experienced players helps me grow and get better.”
While the prospect of representing three nations made for a tough decision, Fifita’s family helped.
He had received a call from Tongan and Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf early in the process, giving him time to consider his options before making the call.
Jojo Fifita gets a double
“It was a tough decision. I got a call pretty early on from the coach and he gave me a bit of time to think,” Fifita said.
“I spoke to my partner and my family, just tried to come up with the best option.
“I was in the Tongan squad last year but didn’t make the cut, and I remember seeing how much it made my family proud. They were really happy that I was even just considered in the squad.”
That experience made his selection this year a lot more special, with Fifita set to follow in his father’s footsteps on the international stage.
Kiwis v Tonga - Round 3, 2017
His sister has also represented Tonga in rugby league, and her growing connection to their heritage has inspired him to learn more about his own.
“He’s the Tongan in the family. He hasn’t taught us much about the Tongan side, so learning about the culture, my sister’s in the girls’ Tongan side and she was in the same boat as me,” he said.
“But she comes back and she’s singing Tongan songs at home.”
After getting a taste of the international environment during last year’s Pacific Championships, Fifita is now preparing to make his World Cup debut against England.
Given the structure of the tournament, Tonga cannot afford a slow start and require a win to keep their semi-final quest on track.
“Playing with the boys who have had the experience of playing with the Tongan team, there’s only three of us that it’s our first time in camp,” he said.
“Everyone is pretty experienced this year, so there’s a lot of knowledge to get around.”
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