Rugby: Malakai Fekitoa hoping to inspire a new generation of Pacific rugby players

Malakai Fekitoa is hoping young players follow him in switching their allegiances to Pacific Island nations. Photo / Photosport

Malakai Fekitoa is hoping to inspire a generation of under-30 players to switch their allegiance back to smaller rugby nations.

And he says current All Blacks are backing him all the way, after he used an existing World Rugby loophole to pull on the Tongan jersey again this year.

More players can now join Fekitoa in making a one-off switch of test countries, after the watershed rule change involving a stand down period and heritage requirements.

The 29-year-old midfielder, who played 24 All Black tests up until 2017, has opened up to the Rugby Journal magazine about support he has received from fellow players.

"The guys in the current (All Black) team are supporting my decision," Fekitoa said. "They wish me well and they are all happy for me. A lot of them are islanders as well.

"There are a lot of Tongans in the current team and Samoans and they know what it is like. They know it is all about the families and the culture. I don't gain anything from going back - we don't get paid a lot of money or anything.

"But I am going for the right reason, to give back, and I think those guys are happy for me."

Fekitoa said players who made the switch could have long, rejuvenated careers on the international stage.

"I wanted to come out and lead the way, so hopefully they follow that," he said. "I understand some guys are Kiwi at heart, or Australian born and raised, but if you haven't played 100 games, why don't you switch. Especially some very talented guys under 30.

"It's okay to play for tier two nations and it's okay to change. You can use your talent when you are still young.

"You are under 30, you have still got ten years left in the game and you can use that to inspire another generation."

Fekitoa played for Tonga in the Wellington Sevens at the age of 16, while he was attending Wesley College.

The so-called Olympics loophole allowed Fekitoa to play for Tonga at the Monaco sevens. His test comeback was delayed until next year because of injury.

Fekitoa said: "After all these years it felt the same. The whole place, how they treated us, the whole environment.

"It is still the Tonga boys. Island guys, laid back, some of them never on time. The feeling was the same but for myself, I feel a lot of responsibilities now."