Junior Laloifi scored five tries in nine games for the Manawatū Turbos last year. Photo / Getty Images
Junior Laloifi scored five tries in nine games for the Manawatū Turbos last year. Photo / Getty Images
Horowhenua-Kāpiti loan player Junior Laloifi still harbours a desire to one day play Super Rugby again and wear the green and gold of Australia once more.
The speedy outside back has pledged his allegiance to a country he had played for internationally and had given him so many opportunities in rugby.
"I'm loyal to the soil," he said.
The 24-year-old, who joined the Horowhenua-Kāpiti team for the first time this week, realised he might get some good-natured ribbing from his new teammates once they picked up on his accent.
Laloifi realised that once he nailed his colours to the mast he might be in for some banter, but wouldn't expect otherwise.
"That was a magnificent win in the weekend, too [by Australia over the All Blacks]. We've already won [the World Cup]. We're just playing mind games with the All Blacks now."
Laloifi joined the Horowhenua-Kāpiti team before their match against a Wellington Centurion XV tomorrow, in what will be their final hit-out before the Heartland campaign starts the following week against Mid-Canterbury in Ashburton.
The 24-year-old Laloifi was born in Hastings and raised in Flaxmere as a youngster, attending Hastings Boys' High School, where he played for the top school side as a Year 9 student.
He was virtually plucked from class by Australian rugby scouts after two seasons with the HBHS 1st XV at 15.
Despite his youth, he made the brave decision to fly to Australia where he played schoolboy rugby in Melbourne. His family - father Peti, mother Sisaga, sisters Pini, Mua and Mikayla, and brother Sola - all followed soon after.
They settled in the suburb of Lalor, where he said initially the hardest thing was adapting to the heat. But he found a liking for the firm tracks and soon made his mark, gaining selection for Victoria and then the Australia A schools team in 2012.
While still at school he was contracted into the wider Australian sevens rugby squad where he cracked that side later that year, playing in tournaments all over the world.
He joined the Sunnybank Rugby Club, a team that made the Queensland Premier club final that year and the following season was picked for Brisbane City, scoring try in a grand final win against Perth.
He was the competition's leading try scorer with 14 for the season. That meant he gained the attention of the Queensland Reds.
Laloifi was offered a Super Rugby contract in 2016. He played six Super Rugby matches for the Queensland Reds although was unwanted the following year, so a decision was made to join the Feilding Old Boys club in New Zealand.
FOB won the competition that season and Laloifi was picked for Manawatū, where he scored five tries in nine games.
Unwanted by Manawatū this year, Laloifi was keen to get his career back on track with a good season for Horowhenua-Kāpiti.
Junior Laloifi won't rule out playing for Australia again if he gets the chance.
Laloifi said he was excited at the chance to represent Horowhenua-Kāpiti this season and "play some footy". He already knew some of the team, including his Feilding Old Boys teammate Nardis Erasmus.
While still a young man Laloifi had one eye on the future and hoped he might get the chance to represent Australia again, having played many seasons of sevens in green and gold.
The Laloifi family continue to live in Australia, including his 3-year-old daughter Skyla, and he would return there at the end of the Heartland season.
Meanwhile, kick-off for the match against Wellington Centurions is at 2.30pm at Courtesy Ford Levin Domain. Entry is free.
