Proudly a man of action
JASON Taumalolo will do his talking on the field.
The NRL star has refused to bite back at criticism of his World Cup defection from New Zealand to Tonga.
Kiwis captain Adam Blair and former captain Benji Marshall have taken swipes at the North Queensland Cowboys lock since his decision to play for Mate Ma’a last week, saying he’d betrayed the blackand-white jumper.
He gave coach David Kidwell barely 48 hours notice of his choice.
Born in Auckland to Tongan parents, the 2016 Dally M Medal winner said he chose Tonga to help develop the game in the Polynesian nation.
And having arrived in Nuku’alofa on Thursday for a pre-Cup visit, he gave short shrift to the likes of Blair and Marshall.
“Obviously I’ve caused a bit of media stir and all that but, at the end of the day, I’m here to play for my country and I’m looking forward to doing that,” Taumalolo told TVNZ.
“Everyone’s entitled to say what they want, but at the end of the day it doesn’t bother me – I tend to leave all the talking on the field.”
Other players – including Manu Ma’u, David Fusitu’a and Sio Siua Taukeiaho – have also elected to represent Tonga rather than the Kiwis, making them credible World Cup contenders.
Tonga’s World Cup opener is against Scotland in Cairns on October 29.