Rising star Salesi Foketi will never complain if he receives a poor pass from dummy-half after the boom back-rower was thrust into the unfamiliar role for the first time in his career in Tonga’s statement win over England at the World Cup.
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The 20-year-old played a starring role for the Roosters on the left edge in their run to the premiership, but he might not spend a second of this World Cup in that position after playing 80 minutes at hooker on the weekend.
Foketi was originally named on the bench but was thrust into the starting side that would have allowed coach Kristian Woolf to bring on dynamic dummy-half Soni Luke when the sting was out of the contest.
But an injury to five-eighth Latu Fainu threw the bench rotation out of whack and meant Foketi had to spend 80 minutes in the middle passing to his halves and big forwards.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson was stunned when he saw him in the middle, but Foketi says the seed was planted last year when he was part of Tonga’s wider squad for the Pacific Championships.
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“Wolfie (Woolf) mentioned it briefly last year and I came in for a week and didn’t actually train at hooker,” he said.
“I was training a bit of lock but a few of the guys were carrying small injuries last year in the Pac Champs.
“And then he called me at the start of this year and was like ‘how does hooker sound?’ and I was like ‘wherever you need me to play, I’ll play there’.
Foketi made 31 tackles and only missed one, while he still managed to make an impact with nine runs from dummy-half.
It was the first time he’d played there in any grade, and he has a newfound respect for Roosters teammates Reece Robson and Benaiah Ioelu who have to bend town countless times every week to pick up the ball and pass.
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Foketi was still able to unleash his powerful running game against England. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
“I played six right up until I was 17 and moved over to the Roosters, so I’d never played hooker,” he said.
“That was the first time my quads have ever cramped in a game and I think it was all of the squats to pick up and pass the ball. But honestly, it was fun.
“You see it from a different kind of perspective, obviously playing on the edge and then moving into that hooker role. If Reece Robson or Benaiah ever throw a bad pass, I will never, ever say anything to them at all.”
Foketi was so impressive that he’s been named to start at hooker for Tonga’s next match against Lebanon on Friday, with the team blessed with so many star edge forwards in Haumole Olakau’atu, Siua Wong, Kulikefu Finefeuiaki and Leka Halasima.
It was an emotional international debut for the rising Roosters star. Picture: Paul Kane/Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images
It’s been a meteoric rise for the premiership star who was overcome by emotions in his first game representing his country.
“It hit me at the national anthem,” he said.
“That’s a huge opportunity to go out there, sing that, and then obviously into the Sipi Tau as well. It gives you goosebumps just thinking about it.
“As a kid you grow up and you want to play for your country and represent your nation, and it couldn’t have started any better.
“And the boys make it so comfortable and made my job super easy and kept it really simple for me.”