What Jason Taumalolo’s sacrifice could do for the growth of the international game is immeasurable

FOR years players have talked the talk. Now the man rated the best forward in world rugby league is actually walking the walk for the future of the game.

JASON Taumalolo deserves a round of applause.

For years players have talked the talk.

Now the man rated the best forward in world rugby league is actually walking the walk.

Make no mistake, Taumalolo’s decision to choose Tonga over New Zealand for the upcoming World Cup has the potential to be the single biggest step forward in the development of the international game.

Pacific Nations have always had to stand back and watch the Kiwis and the Kangaroos get first and last crack at the best players, knowing they didn’t have a hope of winning the selection battle because of the huge disparity in wages between tier one and tier two nations.

Jason Taumalolo draped in a New Zealand flag with the Rugby League World Cup. Picture: Katrina Bridgeford.

Even this year Tonga picked Andrew Fifita when it looked like the Cronulla prop would be overlooked for Australia in the mid-year Test.

But at the last minute Fifita was pulled back into the Australian squad at the expense of Tonga because of injuries to the Kangaroos.

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For his backflip Fifita earned a huge match fee, believed to be $20,000.

Yet on this occasion Taumalolo has forgone between $30,000 and $50,000 in potential tournament earnings so he can “give back” to his family and “inspire young Tongan players to chase their NRL goals”.

All up, Taumalolo now stands to earn a few thousand dollars through sponsorship on top of a $30-a-day allowance.

But what his sacrifice could ultimately do for the growth of the international game long-term is immeasurable.

Can you imagine what young NRL players with Tongan heritage are thinking today, and indeed those from other countries across the Pacific?

“Plenty of players in the past have said they wanted to do it and thought about it,” Tongan coach Kristian Woolf said.

“But Jason is the first really high profile guy at his best to say ‘I’m going to do it’.

It was speculated Taumalolo made his decision in protest to Kiwi coach David Kidwell sacking Jesse Bromwich and Kevin Proctor for disciplinary reasons stemming from the midyear Test.

But Woolf, who has been a friend and mentor to Taumalolo for several years, was adamant that was not the case.

Taumalolo is the most damaging forward in the game.

“He has not mentioned that once in any of the discussions I have had with him,” Woolf said.

“And knowing Jason well, and the kind of person he is, I would be very surprised.

“The reasons he has given to me have all been around representing his family and wanting to represent Tonga when he is at his best.

“He is also extremely keen to make an impact on kids not only back in Tonga, but kids like himself who are of Tongan heritage growing up in New Zealand and Australia.”

In this age when contracts mean nothing and the almighty dollar is almost always the master, Taumalolo’s stance is historic.

You can only hope the day will come when players don’t have to make the sacrifice Taumalolo has in respect of taking a pay cut to play for their country of choice.

This is the first giant step towards that potentially becoming a reality - where international rugby league is about more than New Zealand, Australia and England.

Originally published as What Jason Taumalolo’s sacrifice could do for the growth of the international game is immeasurable