Len Ikitau reveals baby joy, crippling doubts and freezing mornings in Canberra job sites in tough rugby journey

Straight out of school in 2016, Len Ikitau landed in Canberra with one dream in mind - but it seemed impossibly distant as he wrestled with his thoughts on cold winter mornings.

The Canberra chill bites deep.

Before the roar of the stadium, before international rugby, Brumbies and Wallabies centre Len Ikitau knew a different battle.

He wielded a shovel, a labourer fighting for an impossibly distant dream.

Straight out of school in 2016, Ikitau landed in the nation’s capital. His goal: a professional contract with the Brumbies. But the path was anything but smooth.

“I was fighting for a contract,” Ikitau said, “doing pre-season after pre-season. I wasn’t getting anything”.

The disappointment hit hard.

“I really wanted to go back home. I was getting homesick,” he said.

His partner, Sam, was still living in Brisbane. Doubts crept in.

“I was living long distance with Sam, so it was all these little things that were kind of creeping on my mind, saying like, ‘You should go back home’,” he said.

Len Ikitau celebrates after scoring a try against the Crusaders. Picture: Getty

But Ikitau had an anchor, his best mate, Darcy Swain.

“He encouraged me to stay. I had to mentally be tough and kind of back myself,‘ he said.

To survive, he took on work as a labourer.

“I was out here on job sites labouring, everything, just everything that a labourer does,” Ikitau said.

The hours, and the freezing conditions, were brutal. “6.30, 6am, it was terrible,” he said.

For two long years – 2017 and 2018 – this was his reality.

Setbacks mounted. “I didn’t make the 20s squad in 2017, in 2018 I made the 20s squad, then got injured and didn’t play a game, so I was like ‘where do I go to now?” Ikitau said.

“I had to get a job, I wasn’t going uni, labouring was the next option.”

From tough beginnings, Ikitau has become a superstar at the Brumbies. Picture: Getty

Finally, there was a breakthrough. After playing for Vikings and in the NRC, Ikitau was signed for 2019.

“It reminds me of how much adversity and how much struggle you have to go through to get where you want to be,” Ikitau said.

“You cherish it a bit more when you’re away from home.

Now a father to son Lennox, Ikitau and Sammy will welcome a baby girl in November.

She will be born in England, with Ikitau leaving Australian rugby after The Rugby Championship to take up a contract with Exeter, before returning in 2027 to make a bid for the home World Cup.

Len Ikitau with partner Sammy and son Lennox, revealing they are expecting a baby girl.

“Sammy will go before me, find us a place to stay and sort it all out, I just have to rock up,” Ikitau said.

“Our girl will be born in November in England, which is cool, she’ll have a UK passport.

“I am proud of where I am now, I’m proud that I’m a dad. That’s been the best thing for me. It’s all been a crazy, crazy ride. But I wouldn’t change for anything, to be honest.”

Not even the devastating blow in 2023, when he was left out of Eddie Jones’ World Cup squad.

“Not making it obviously sucked,” Ikitau said.

“But it encouraged me to train harder and play harder. I just had to be confident in my abilities.

“Being back in the Wallabies system last year was awesome, the spring tour was one of the best tours I’ve been a part of since being in the Wallabies.

“There’s a World Cup on the way.

“I get to travel and play a different type of footy in England, experience a new country, and then I get to come back to Canberra. It’s such a win-win for me.

Ikitau is all smiles as he runs in to score a try against Wales. Picture: Getty

“Sam was all for it, she wanted to go over to Europe. It was more me that didn’t want to step out of my comfort zone. If I didn’t have Sam, I’d still be in Canberra, playing till I retire.”

Saturday’s qualifying final against the Hurricanes at GIO Stadium looms as Ikitau’s final game in Canberra until 2027, enhancing his desire to finally lift the trophy with the Brumbies.

“A Super Rugby title would be nice, it would be the best,” Ikitau said,

“It’s another tough week against the Hurricanes,, they’ve got great ball carriers, hard to tackle.

“We have to nullify and stop their strengths and make the most of the opportunities. We need to step up and assert our dominance.”

The Brumbies have been eliminated in the semi-finals in the previous three seasons.

“We’ve come close a few times, then just fallen short,” Ikitau said.

“Every year we’re motivated to win. I’m sick of just making it to the semis and not pushing to that extra game.

“But there is a pretty good feeling among the group. There are little errors or little times where we just switch off and then we get hurt, but we’ve also been playing some good footy.”

When things heat up in this finals series, Ikitau knows all about staying cool.

Originally published as Len Ikitau reveals baby joy, crippling doubts and freezing mornings in Canberra job sites in tough rugby journey