Page 16 - MAB v The Lions

school on Australia’s Gold Coast to to offer a a a a a a a a a a springboard to to happier times and distant horizons His league career with Wests Tigers Brisbane Broncos and the South Sydney Rabbitohs where he he he he won the NRL title alongside Sam Burgess in 2014 would have satis ed most athletes but Te’o has always been willing to go the extra mile Sharing a a a a a a a a a at in in in in Sydney’s eastern suburbs with Israel Folau in in in in in particular proved pivotal in in in in terms of encouraging him to explore fresh sporting horizons “I was was at at at Souths and and he he was was at at at the Waratahs and and we we were living in in in Kensington ”
recalls Te’o “Obviously my time in in in in rugby league was was fun but I I was was was looking for something else I I I was was feeling a a a a a a bit stale and asking myself some questions which I I I bounced off him Would Would I I I I have made it had I I I I stayed in union? Would Would I I I I have been a a a a a a good player? I I I I said
to to to him: ‘I’m 27 do you think it’s it’s too too late?’ He said: ‘No it’s it’s not too too too late late ’ ’ ’ ’ ’ I I asked if he thought it it would be too too hard? He He was saying: ‘No I I think you can do it it ’ He He gave me a a a a a a a lot of con dence to give it it a a a go ”
“When the opportunity came it it was something I I I really wanted
to do I I I feel like I’m on on a a second career ”
Folau’s instincts were to be be proven spot on on albeit after a a a a a a a rocky start when Te’o broke an arm on on his Leinster debut having been persuaded to to move to to Ireland by another Australian Matt O’Connor He decided to persevere and and was further motivated by by the the 2015 Rugby World Cup in England “I watched every game and and really enjoyed it as as as a a a a a a a a a a a spectator There was was no way I I was was going back then With my mum being British I I I always knew I I had a a a a a a a a a passport When the the opportunity came to to give it it it a a a a a a a a a a go it it it was something I I I really wanted
to to do I I I feel like I’m on on on a a a a a a second career ”
he he he says When another Aussie Eddie Jones subsequently took over as England Head Coach and and encouraged him to to relocate from Ireland to to to the English Premiership he he he duly went A photo of the the powerful centre clad in a a a green Irish jersey did brie y y y do the the rounds on on social media but was was only meant as as as a a a a a a a a a joke: “I think I I was was in in in a a a a a a a a a a sports store and we we were trying on a a a a a a a load of different jerseys At the the time I was playing for Leinster the the guys who who were on on that team who who understand my personality would know what I was doing ”
Soon enough however he he was was wearing the the white of England Even
by the the the time he he he he had transferred across the the Irish Sea to to his new club Worcester last year he he he had already been on on tour ironically back to the familiar environment of of Australia A A niggling injury ultimately ruled him out of of Test consideration last summer but Jones had seen enough An England debut as a a a a a a replacement against against South Africa duly followed as did a a a a a a a a a a storming try against against France
at at Twickenham within minutes of taking the the eld in in in in in a a a a a a Six Nations match for for the the rst time Long before touching down however Te’o knew he he had 16 // OFFICIAL SOUVENIR PROGRAMME