Family matters
Brothers united in success
St George Illawarra star Tyson Frizell has expressed pride the brother he was prevented from growing up alongside in Australia is now making a name for himself in professional sport.
Shannon Frizell is being touted as a potential All Black after scoring a try in his Super Rugby starting debut for the Highlanders last month and grabbing a hat-trick the following weekend but, like Tyson, a member of Australia’s World Cup-winning league team, he is also eligible for Wales and Tonga.
In a twist on the age-old nature versus nurture debate, the brothers were forced to grow up separately as Shannon, two years younger than Tyson, was not allowed to live with his adopted family in Australia.
However, they still built a close relationship, as Tyson would regularly visit Tonga with parents Andrew and Sophia and younger brother
Zion-Mateo to spend time with
Shannon.
“It is something that is pretty common in Tongan culture, to adopt a kid from another family, but he wasn’t able to come over and live with us,” Frizell said.
“My mum fought hard at that time to get him over but wasn’t allowed for some reason. The immigration laws stopped him coming over and that’s why we spent so much time over there, so we could be with him.
“We used to go back to Tonga twice a year to hang out with him and see the family over there.”
In Tonga, the brothers would play rugby together, while Shannon went to school with Warriors centre Solomone Kata and Titans star Konrad Hurrell.
Mother Sophia is from the same village, Navai-Folaha, as the mothers of Parramatta centre Michael Jennings and controversial Wallabies and Waratahs star Israel Folau.
However, 26-year-old Tyson said neither he nor Shannon, 24, considered they would play either rugby code at elite level.
“I used to go over there and play in village tournaments with Shannon when we were about 14 or 15,” the Dragons second rower said.
“I was a big, tubby thing and he was a tall, skinny thing but nothing like that was ever thought about and I don’t think we ever imagined being where we are today, or even thought it was possible.
“We both just grew up playing footy and we enjoyed footy. I don’t think we ever thought we could make a career of it. It wasn’t spoken about at all. It probably seemed like something that was too hard to reach.
“I’ve been very lucky to get to where I am now and I guess Shannon is just starting what will hopefully be a long and successful career. It’s good to see kids who come from a small island like Tonga make something of their lives through sport.” Frizell could also have played Super Rugby but turned down an offer to join the Waratahs academy after representing Australian Schoolboys in 2009 to sign with Cronulla. The potential loss for Rugby Australia is now twofold as Shannon does not qualify to play for the Wallabies but is eligible to play for Wales through Swansea-born dad Andrew.
“Dad was able to get him a British passport and he is able to do whatever he likes now,” Frizell said. “Wales is a massive rugby country and he could play for Wales, he could be an All Black, or he could play for Tonga.”
Tyson played league for Wales in 2011 and 2013, and the New South Wales Origin forward revealed he’d been in discussions to represent them again at last year’s World Cup if he wasn’t selected by Australia.
“I just felt at that stage that Wales were the ones who gave me the opportunity to play international footy when I was 19 and I had played in the last World Cup for them.
“Look at the impact Jason [Taumalolo] and Andrew [Fifita] had for Tonga [at the World Cup].”