Fa’asuamaleaui won’t make early call on rep future

Glenn Moore and Scott Bailey | October 25, 2025

Tino Fa’asuamaleaui has refused to rule out joining Payne Haas in an all-star Samoa front row at next year’s World Cup, insistent his only focus is on playing in the Ashes for Australia.

Fa’asuamaleaui will earn his eighth cap for the Kangaroos at Wembley on Saturday, but has not pledged his allegiance to any team yet for the 2026 World Cup.

The Gold Coast prop has been one of several players caught in an international tug-of-war this season, as nations try to bolster their squad for next year’s tournament.

The 25-year-old was born in Orange, NSW, but began his international career with Samoa in 2019.

In that, he followed his father Fereti Fa’asuamaleaui, who played for Samoa at rugby union.

Fa’asuamaleaui subsequently declared for Australia and figured in the World Cup success of 2022, coming off the bench for the victory over Samoa in the final.

He also played for Australia in the 2023 Pacific Cup, and this year declared he had “unfinished” business after losing the final of that tournament to New Zealand.

But there is also a clear lure to playing for Samoa, with Fa’asuamaleaui admitting his daughters want him to represent his nation of heritage in internationals.

Back with the Kangaroos preparing in London for the Wembley opener to the three-Test series the Titans lock told AAP: “I’m very excited to be on this camp.

“There’s a lot of high calibre players within this camp. I’ve been learning a lot, and that’s also a reason why I picked this team to be back with a lot of boys I’ve played with. I can’t wait to actually put the green-and-gold jersey on.”

Pressed as to whether this was testing the vibe with a view to which team he would play for at the World Cup, Fa’asuamaleaui was cagey.

“I haven’t looked too far ahead,” he said. 

“I actually spoke to (Nathan) Cleary about this at dinner and said the same thing, not looking too far ahead.

“I’m just really excited to be on this camp and put all my energy towards the 2025 Ashes and the Kangaroos. 

“So that’s all my focus is, and I’m not looking too far ahead.”

Fa’asuamaleaui’s decision to prioritise Australia comes after Tongan duo Keaon Koloamatangi and Kotoni Staggs did likewise for the Ashes.

But the rush of players going the other way shows no signs of letting up.

Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow has confirmed in the past week that he would represent Samoa at next year’s World Cup after playing for Australia last year and being injured this season.

Haas has been the highest-profile player to move to representing Samoa this week, as part of a team that boasts six current State of Origin stars.

Tonga, their opponents this week, initially started the Pacific’s rugby league revolution when Andrew Fifita and Jason Taumalolo opted to play for them in the 2017 World Cup.