Mate Maâa Tonga player David Fusituâaâs father said he was happy that about half of Tongaâs National Rugby League team were players from the Tongan-based New Zealand HakulÄ League club.
Speaking exclusively to Kaniva news in South Auckland recently, Edwin said they did not expect the effort and support they gave for the HakulÄ club would one day end in having a key role in Tongaâs international rugby league competitions.
He described the move as a seed they sowed that became fruitful.
Edwin Fusituâa said the players mostly grew up in New Zealand and it was a matter of pride for them to wear the Mate Maâa Tonga red jerseys.
He said Tongan parents wanted their children to join HakulÄ with the intention of them having a chance to play for the Kiwi Rugby League.
Edwin said his son played for HakulÄ in 2011 as an under 11 year old player while Tuâimoala Lolohea was under 10.
Other HakulÄ players at the time included Mafoaâaeata Hingano, who was under nine and Siliva Havili and Jason TaumÄlolo, who were under 12.
Siua Taukeiâaho and Ben Murdoch MÄsila were also at HakulÄ.
He said there was no intention for these players at HakulÄ to represent Tonga.
âI mean thatâs how we normally do it here in New Zealand,â Edwin said.
âIf you have the talent to play rugby union your goal is that one day you play for the  All Blacks.
âIt was the same idea when it came to HakulÄ.â
Most of the players at HakulÄ played for Kiwi.
âSomewhere along the line the seed that we sowed at HakulÄ changed and our children chose to play for Tonga,â he said.
Edwin said he and other parents were happy that HakulÄ had become a useful tool for Mate Maâa Tonga.
Before the 2017 Rugby World Cup TaumÄlolo dropped a selection bombshell only three weeks from the start of the tournament by choosing to play for Tonga instead of New Zealand.
Three other players who joined TaumÄlolo were David Fusituâa, Siosiua Taukeiaho and Manu Ma’u.
These players began their rugby league career at HakulÄ.
TaumÄloloâs  move caused a heated debate in the rugby league world, especially among Kiwi supporters.
At the time TaumÄlolo released a statement saying it was out of a desire to help the development of Tongan rugby league.
“I really enjoyed my time within the Tongan World Cup squad last time and have had a long time association with Tongan Coach Kristian Woolf,” TaumÄlolo said.
The main points
- Mate Maâa Tonga player David Fusituâaâs father said he was happy that about half of Tongaâs National Rugby League team were players from the Tongan-based New Zealand HakulÄ League club.
- He described the move as a seed they sowed that became fruitful.
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