Moana Pasifika and former Wallabies and Brumbies playmaker Christian Lealiifano is eyeing a spot in Samoa’s squad for the upcoming Rugby World Cup in France later this year.
The 35-year-old has revealed that he is in the process of finalising his paperwork to transfer his allegiance from Australia to Samoa.
It will then be up to Manu Samoa head coach Seilala Mapusua and the country’s selectors to pick Lealiifano for the global showpiece which takes place during September and October.
Close to transferring his allegiance
“I think I’m close. I think we’re just waiting on the form or the documents. I’m not too sure but I think it’s been signed off,” Lealiifano told AAP.
“You’ve still got to get picked but to have the opportunity or to be available is nice. To try to get in there will be good.
“I think it’s looking pretty positive.”
Lealiifano made his debut for Australia against the British and Irish Lions in 2013 but was set to feature for Samoa at the 2019 World Cup in Japan due to a loophole that allowed players to switch nationalities if they played in the sevens Olympic qualifying tournament.
However, he changed his mind after speaking to his coach at the Brumbies, former Australia fly-half Stephen Larkham.
He was duly included in then-Wallabies head coach Michael Cheika’s squad for their World Cup campaign in Japan.
The 26-Test Wallaby will turn 36 during this year’s global tournament but is determined to earn his place in Mapusua’s 33-man squad.
“I don’t want to just be a token selection because I’m available,” he said.
“I want to be playing some high-quality footy because it’s not an easy tournament, a World Cup and all those kind of things.
“So hopefully I could provide a bit of that, a bit of leadership and a bit of experience.”
Being in the position to possibly represent Samoa at a World Cup is a far cry from seven years ago when Lealiifano was diagnosed with and then beat leukaemia.
Counting his blessings
“Every day is a blessing so I’m just so thankful to be still running around,” he said.
“Ten years ago you could never think this, because you were playing for the Wallabies and all that, and you were aspiring to play there, and to have these laws and eligibility opportunities is pretty cool.
“It’s exciting for the next generation coming through too, that they can aspire to not only play for tier-one nations but tier-two as well and you can sort of jump over if you like.”
Lealiifano became eligible for selection for Samoa under recent World Rugby regulations which allow internationals to switch allegiance to another country after three years of inactivity at Test level.
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