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DUBLIN – Mark Nawaqanitawase can hardly believe what is going on. Ten months ago, the 22-year-old was told he was the sixth best Waratahs winger and was loosely weighing up a potential switch of allegiance to join Fiji.
Loosely because within a matter of weeks Nawaqanitawase, having missed selection for the Tahs’ final trial game against Queensland that included 30 players, was back in the mix after earning an opportunity after injuries and form presented an opening.
Nawaqanitawase has not looked back.
On Sunday (7am AEDT), he will play his second straight Test after being one of the few to retain his place after the Italy disaster, where he will start on the wing against Ireland.
“I’m still to figure out what’s going on at the moment,” Nawaqanitawase said shortly after coming from the training paddock at the University College Dublin.
“It’s just crazy. It’s hard to think at the start of the year I wasn’t even getting picked; I just debuted on the weekend. You know what I mean? I’m still pretty lost with it all but hopefully I’ll come around and get a bit more comfortable with it.”
He will get a good reminder of what is going on this weekend, as the Wallabies take to the Aviva Stadium in front of a full house against the world No.1 side.
Nawaqanitawase was one of the few players to leave Florence with his stocks rising last weekend, where the Wallabies suffered a shock defeat to Italy.
The athletic winger, whose leaps resemble Israel Folau, has made a habit of shocking people.
In the years before entering high school, he was an exciting football player before showing huge promise as a basketball player.
While he made the XV at high school in year 10, the then crafty midfielder did not make any representative sides.
High school came and went and Nawaqanitawase missed selection for the Waratahs’ academy. A phone call from now-Australian sevens coach John Manenti to Tahs skills coach Shannon Fraser changed the trajectory for the rising outside back.
He was given a six-week training stint with New South Wales and halfway through Fraser knew Manenti was on the money with his tip.
Junior Wallabies selection followed. So too tries.
After several household stars left the Waratahs following the 2019 World Cup, Nawaqanitawase was given a crack against the Crusaders in their opening match of the Super Rugby season.
He scored a brace of tries and the world seemingly was at his feet. But physically Nawaqanitawase was far from ready for the rigours of professional rugby, as he was exposed physically and defensively.
After being in and out of the side for a year-and-a-half, Nawaqanitawase said he was “shocked” when new-Waratahs coach Darren Coleman told him where he was on the pecking order.
It left Nawaqanitawase with a decision to make: he could either leave, with the possibility of a route to the Fijian side, or work harder.
“I kind of was at the point where I was playing a few games and I was just getting happy with where I was,” he said.
“I just thought I’d stick at it.
“DC gave me the talk at the start of the year and I was doing quite well, I guess, trying to rebuild and I was kind of happy with the rebuild that I was doing.
“I didn’t feel like I was quitting, but in a good way just to see how far I could go with that kind of thing. Just personal, my personal growth, and I guess I kind of put it away and the decision to just keep chucking on over here and see if I can get a jersey here.”
Nawaqanitawase does, however, admit there was a temptation of pursuing a career with Fiji. “I obviously have that Fiji side to me,” he said. “It was definitely an option there.”
But it was only ever a flutter.
Having originally missed selection for the Australia A tour of Japan last month, Nawaqanitawase has pleasantly shocked Wallabies officials.
He now looms as a weapon on the wing for the Wallabies and, importantly, offers the national team a point of difference – size and potency in the air.
The sight of him soaring in the air at training was something to behold. He flies like an AFL player with his hands up to the sky.
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Before leaving Sydney last month, Nawaqanitawase said he idolised Folau and his aerial prowess, recalling when the dual-international leapt over two Scottish defenders to score from a Bernard Foley crossfield kick.
In Florence Nawaqanitawase thought his own Folau moment was presenting itself, as Waratahs teammate Ben Donaldson kicked for his towering figure on the sideline.
The ball sailed over his head, but Nawaqanitawase never doubted he would have scored had it been on a string.
“I was just thinking I was going to catch it and score it, but it didn’t work out eventually,” he said.
“It was on, and I’ve got a good connection with Donno. A bit of skill execution there, but I know next time he’ll hit it and I back myself to catch it.”
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.