It’s hard playing for Fiji. Alongside the obvious talent that you need to make it with one of the world’s best international sides, you have to be able to take part in a multi-harmony choir before the game even starts.
Sunia Turuva aced his audition for the Bati on the field, picking up the man of the match award in defeat in their midseason Pacific Test with Papua New Guinea, but when it came to the important stuff, he was found lacking.
“That was my first camp!” he joked to The Roar‘s Rugby League World Cup podcast. “I went in, we had this guy leading the hymns and the whole squad already knew it. I was only one of a few that didn’t know the hymns so they gave out papers!”
“My parents took me over when I was younger – I couldn’t speak English but now it’s the opposite! I’m just trying to spend more time around my people, getting to know the culture again.”
His singing might need some work, but his performance on the park at Campbelltown hit all the right notes. Turuva dominated, scoring twice and running for 254m from fullback.
Tito, as he is known at Penrith, was the breakout star of Rep Round, but it was no surprise for anyone who had seen him ripping it up in the NSW Cup for the Panthers. He made his NRL debut soon after before dropping back down to secure the State Championship on Grand Final day last weekend.
Turuva tried to keep things consistent for his first international call-up, but such was his showing on the field, events overtook him.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
“I didn’t want to change much from Cup preparation-wise and what I do during the day,” he said. “Obviously, it turned out how it did and there was a lot of media going on after that game, people messaging me and it all went quick. Crazy times.
“It was a bit tough. At the start of the week, I thought it was going to be tough. I’d been playing fullback the whole Cup season but the other boys were normally outside backs. Even though we didn’t come away with the win, we’re still happy.
“It was a good experience. Even just getting picked was an honour to represent my country and my people.”
The experience was made easier by having friendly faces in the camp. His Panthers teammate, Viliame Kikau, played mid-season, while Api Koroisau – who was in the NSW Blues team but will now turn out for Fiji – is Turuva’s cousin.
“When we went into Test camp, it was heaps easy to get along with Kiks because I’m here every day with him at Penrith. It made it that much easier,” he said.
“Having Api too, I grew up him. Me and Api grew up since we were both in nappies. Obviously, there’s a bit of an age difference there but we grew up together. His mum and my dad are brother and sister, so we’re pretty close.”
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Fiji went down to England 50-0 in their warm-up game in Salford, but were without Kikau, Koroisau and Turuva from the Panthers set-up, as well as Waqa Blake and Maika Sivo from Parramatta, all of whom had dispensation to travel later due to NRL Grand Final commitments.
With Australia first up, Turuva was under no illusions of the challenge that would face Fiji Bati on the opening day of the tournament.
“Against a big squad like Australia, we’re going to have to have everyone on their A game, because if someone is lacking then Australia can exploit that.”
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Since the Super League War, Rugby League has failed to cement an international calendar. The historical tours disappeared – in part due to the war but also since the English game transferred to a summer season.
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