Big love, Payno! – What Luai said on Samoa defection
Joanna Guelas |
It’s the homecoming for Samoa that Jarome Luai will happily take credit for.
When he captains Samoa against New Zealand in a Pacific Championships clash in October, Wests Tigers star Luai is set to be joined for the first time by NRL heavyweight Payne Haas.
Brisbane prop Haas, after playing four Tests for Australia, announced earlier this week he had switched international allegiances in large part due to the love for his mother’s country.
The 25-year-old has mixed heritage, which also includes Filipino and Swiss bloodlines, but his mother Joan Taufua is Samoan.
Still, Luai reckons he had a big hand in the matter.
“Yeah, I did. Put it down to me. Big love ‘Payno’, brah,” Luai joked.
“It was good to see the photo and him kitted out in the ula (Samoan necklace). It really suits him.
“I’m glad he’s, not come back, but he’s felt the passion and I’m really excited.”
Haas’s talent is a massive boost for a trophy-chasing Samoa outfit ahead of the 2026 World Cup to be hosted by Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Already established in the Samoa team are NRL talents Brian To’o and Stephen Crichton, with Australian duo Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow also considering the switch.
“He’s (Haas) a world-class player,” Luai said on Wednesday.
“We’ve obviously got a big job to do for our clubs but hopefully, God willing, all fit and healthy at the back end of the year and we can put on that jersey together (at the Pacific Championships).”
The “big job” for Luai in the Wests Tigers jersey comes in the form of attempting to pull off a slim finals spot hunt.
Benji Marshall’s side are mathematically still in the race for a top-eight berth ahead of Sunday’s clash against North Queensland at Leichhardt Oval.
Not only do the 11th-placed Tigers (9-12) need to win their final three matches, but other results also need to fall their way.
Those already slim hopes will be hanging by a thread if the eighth-placed Sydney Roosters beat Parramatta on Saturday night.
Luai has already been busy using the ladder predictor.
“I like seeing what things have to go our way to make the eight, but that’s just me as a competitor,” Luai said.
“I’ve played finals for the last five years, so I always want to be there at the back end of the year.
“It’s still there mathematically.”
AAP
