New Brumbies five-eighth Noah Lolesio has a strong rugby pedigree
Moving away from home as a youngster to pursue his rugby dream appears to have paid off for new Brumbies five-eighth Noah Lolesio.
Rugby
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With an All Black cousin and a father who played in Auckland, Noah Lolesio admits rugby is in his genetics.
But having grown up playing football and league on the Gold Coast, his path could have taken a different turn.
“Then I was in the lounge at home, I was 10, watching a rugby game on TV and I just turned to dad and said, ‘I definitely want to do this’,” Lolesio said.
“My dad remembers that moment well.
“And from then I’ve just done everything I could to get here.”
That included the tough decision to move from the Gold Coast to Canberra two years ago, having finished high school.
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“That was probably the hardest time, I was the first to leave home, I moved out on my own, staying at a share house to play for the Vikings,” 20-year-old Lolesio said.
But his sacrifice was rewarded when he was picked as starting five-eighth for the Brumbies last week, making his Super Rugby debut and steering the team to victory against Queensland Reds.
Lolesio, born in Auckland, is cousin of Francis Saili, who played two Tests for New Zealand in 2013, a host of Super Rugby matches with the Blues and is now at English club Harlequins.
“Whenever he would come for New Zealand under-20s and stuff, he’d always come to visit us,” Lolesio said.
“Me being young, just seeing him living the dream I had, I looked up to him as having what I wanted.
“I always knew I wanted to do this.
“I’m blessed to come from a good family, they’ve been there for me through the highest of highs and lowest of lows.”
The high of last weekend will stay with Lolesio forever, guiding the defending Australian conference champions around the field.
“It was pretty scary at the start, thinking ‘I was watching you guys on TV a year ago’, but it was awesome, they all respect me and back my decisions,” he said.
“I need to show them what I’ve got to keep that trust.
“There is no hierarchy here at the Brumbies, everyone is treated as an equal, everyone is very welcoming from the staff to the players and it’s very family oriented.”
Lolesio is often found after training doing extra work on his game, being inspired by the work ethic of his idol Sonny Bill Williams.
“I was playing inside centre mostly growing up, and coming from league I looked at Sonny Bill, and Ma’a Nonu - too bad I’m half their size,” Lolesio said.
“I saw [Williams] as a guy that literally had everything; he can pass, run, defend, and can kick as well. He’s probably the ideal guy that has the full skillset.”
Lolesio will line up against Wallabies playmaker Matt To’omua on Friday night in Canberra, and expects a motivated Melbourne Rebels side after they were shocked in a first-round loss to the Sunwolves.
“Matt is obviously an awesome player, he is at the peak of his career right now and I have much respect for him,” Lolesio said.
“It’s always hard travelling to Japan and facing the Sunwolves in front of their own fans, I can only imagine Melbourne will be pumped up for this game.”
Brumbies coach Dan McKellar made one forced change to his starting side from last week, with veteran lock Cadeyrn Neville making his debut for the Canberra side after Darcy Swain suffered a shoulder injury.
Brumbies v Rebels
GIO Stadium, Canberra
Friday, 7.15pm
TV: Live on Fox Sports
Brumbies: Tom Banks, Solomone Kata, Tevita Kuridrani, Irae Simone, Tom Wright, Noah Lolesio, Joe Powell, Pete Samu, Tom Cusack, Rob Valetini, Cadeyrn Neville, Murray Douglas, Allan Alaalatoa, Folau Fainga'a, Scott Sio. Res: Connal McInerney, Harry Lloyd, James Slipper, Nick Frost, Will Miller, Ryan Lonergan, Bayley Kuenzle, Andy Muirhead
.
Rebels: Dane Haylett-Petty (capt), Marika Koroibete, Reece Hodge, Billy Meakes, Andrew Kellaway, Matt Toomua, Frank Lomani, Isi Naisarani, Michael Wells, Angus Cottrell, Matt Philip, Ross Haylett-Petty, Ruan Smith, Anaru Rangi, Matt Gibbon. Res: Steven Misa, Cameron Orr, Jermaine Ainsley, Gideon Koegelenberg, Robbie Leota, Richard Hardwick, Ryan Louwrens, Campbell Magnay.