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The builder who became a test-capped Super Rugby rookie in under a year

Photo: Andrew Skinner / www.photosport.nz

It was difficult to pick out many positive storylines when the All Blacks trounced Tonga 102-0 in their season-opening thrashing at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland last July.

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Against a vastly understrength ‘Ikale Tahi outfit, who were bereft of many of their professional players due to Covid-enforced travel restrictions and European club rugby commitments, the Kiwis ran in 17 tries in a mismatch of the highest degree.

The rout instigated discussions about World Rugby’s eligibility laws, which were changed later that year, and underlined the numerous difficulties Pacific Island nations face while trying to remain competitive on the international rugby scene.

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Nevertheless, in spite of the hiding they endured in trying circumstances, the pride the Tongan players had for representing their nation – 13 of whom were doing so for the first time – was one of the few positives to come out of the fixture.

Among those who donned the ‘Ikale Tahi jersey for the first time that night was hooker Sam Moli, who credits his time in the Tongan national squad as the spark that ignited his professional rugby career.

Prior to his international call-up, Moli was working as a builder and playing club rugby at grassroots level as he awaited the NPC season to kick-off with Tasman.

Since his NPC debut in 2017, the 23-year-old had played a bit-part role for the Mako, making just seven appearances over a span of four seasons.

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At that point in time, his playing career was limited to semi-professionalism as he held down his role as a tradesman over the provincial off-season.

That changed last year, though, when a fateful phone call from Tonga head coach and former Wallabies No 8 Toutai Kefu during a work shift kickstarted Moli’s rise from a tradie to a full-time Super Rugby player.

“That experience, it came out of the blue,” Moli, the younger brother of All Blacks prop Atu, told RugbyPass of his shock call-up to the ‘Ikale Tahi, which was unlikely to have happened had Tonga not been forced to dig so deep into their scarce pool of players.

“I was just on the tools, playing club rugby, waiting for the NPC to start, then this Australian number called me, and I was like, ‘Who’s this?’

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“He was like, ‘It’s Kefu’, and I said, ‘Eh?’ It was the coach for Tonga, so I said, ‘Jeepers’, but it was quite funny how it all happened.”

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As things transpired, Moli made his test debut for Tonga in their thumping at the hands of a full-strength All Blacks side in what was a harsh introduction to international rugby.

Of the nine debutants in Tonga’s starting lineup, Moli was one of the six newbies in the forward pack that featured players who had gone years without playing first-class playing rugby in New Zealand.

Loosehead prop Duke Nginingini, for instance, played the last of his four NPC matches for Waikato in 2017 when he was named to start against the All Blacks.

Likewise, lock Don Lolo’s only experience in first-class rugby came in the Heartland Championship, the amateur second-tier of New Zealand provincial rugby that he played three seasons of between 2014 and 2017.

Against an All Blacks side filled with stars from Super Rugby and Japanese club rugby, it’s little wonder that Tonga struggled to stop the floodgates from opening.

However, Moli acquitted himself well enough to earn a further two starts against Samoa and the Cook Islands in Tonga’s World Cup qualifiers in the weeks following the All Blacks test.

While Tonga only managed one win from their four tests throughout last July, Moli told RugbyPass that he “loved every part” of the test window as he “got to meet new people and learned heaps and got a taste of what international rugby was all about”.

He also attributes his time in the ‘Ikale Tahi camp as a life-changing experience that gave him the exposure required to earn his first-ever Super Rugby Pacific contract with Moana Pasifika.

Moli isn’t the only member of last July’s Tonga squad who is part of the expansion franchise, as he is joined at Moana Pasifika by Lolo, loose forward Solomone Funaki, utility forward Sione Tuipulotu and midfielder Fine Inisi.

As a full-time professional rugby player, Moli is relishing his new lifestyle after having swapped the worksite for the footy field, where he gets to train and play for a living.

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“I think going through that pathway [with Tonga], I think that’s what opened doors to Moana, and I’m really grateful for that experience for Tonga, and I think that’s really helped me get me to where I am today,” he said.

“Personally, for me, I think you kind of wake up grateful. It’s not having to wake up at 5am, make a coffee and go to work.

“You’re actually grateful that you get to come to work and you get to do something you love, rather than just being in a high-vis in the sun.”

Now in the midst of his first pre-season with Moana Pasifika, Moli is hopeful that his new role in a fully professional environment helps propel him towards further honours for Tonga, possibly alongside his older brother.

“I’ll definitely train real hard in this period of Super Rugby. I do have a goal. I still do want keep playing tests for Tonga, and the main goal is to try and make the World Cup in 2023,” he said.

Before then, though, Moli is determined to continue his rapid progression by engrossing himself in the Moana Pasifika set-up throughout the course of the upcoming season, which kicks-off for his side against the Blues on February 18.

“Probably getting myself to my best, and being able to perform at training, on the field, when the opportunity comes,” he said of what a successful debut Super Rugby Pacific season looks like for him.

“Just to be better, better myself around my knowledge of the game and hope to take that through to the NPC and just shoot off from there. At the moment, just try to soak up all the experience and knowledge.”

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Nickers 29 minutes ago
Scott Robertson names his 35-man All Blacks squad for France series

As always with Razor slightly unorthodox with a few surprises. Last year Blackadder was rushed back into the starting 15 after a long injury lay off and no game time, this year on the back of a good body of work in which he was immense in the final he doesn’t even make the squad. But Finau, who possibly wouldn’t have even been starting for the Chiefs if Parker was fit is the only specialist 6 in the squad. Likewise Havili, great season and a great final, much better than last year by all measures but doesn’t make the cut.


6 mid fielders when 4 will do, but only 5 loosies when 7 would be useful -> Maybe Lakai and Parker come in? No 3rd choice at 10 meaning if one of BB or DMac sustain a mid to long term injury there is no one they are specifically trusting to come into the team and be able to close out matches - maybe they think Love is the 3rd best 10 in NZ?


Great to see Tavatavanawai straight in on the back of a huge season - he should 100% be in the 23. There have been players before like Stevenson or Sotutu who had the season of the their lives and didn’t get picked, so this is great and a little surprising to see.


Only 4 locks and no lock cover among the loosies named. This seems like an area we need to be developing more players rather than concentrating the talent pool down further. Maybe when Darry is fit he finds his way back in, but it would be good to see Lord or whoever the 6th best lock is around the squad too.


One thing I continue to find strange about ABs selection going back many years is that they are obsessed with backs being able to cover multiple positions, but they don’t take advantage of this in any way. The fact that we have 3 players who can play 12, and 3 that can play 13, doesn’t stop them from selecting ALB to cover 12 and 13 giving them 4 options at each position - what is the point of this? Likewise Love, I really like him, especially at 10, But they have Jordan, BB, Dmac who all play 15 at test level, as well as JB who is world class at 15 to cover, so why take up another spot in the squad with yet another 15? Why do we need four options for every position in the backs except 10, which is arguably the most important one where we have not been able to develop a new test player for 8 or 9 years.


And unless there is a big change this year they also don’t use all these utility backs to enable a 6-2 bench split, and will instead pick a specialist winger on the bench to come on and play the last 10 minutes.

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