MALAKAI FEKITOA [NEW ZEALAND]

Malakai Fekitoa is the eighth of 15 children. Born in Tonga he paints a picture of his early life being almost idyllic in the sense that he and his siblings would get up and explore as they saw fit.

They would play all day, forage for food and enjoy everything such an untouched and unspoilt part of the Pacific has to o er.

As he grew older, he grew fonder of sport, in particular rugby. He was good. His unstructured life had helped him build his fitness and at just 16, he was picked to play sevens for Tonga. And it was playing in a tournament in Auckland where he was noticed.

Wesley College, the school that the great Jonah Lomu had attended, o ered Fekitoa a scholarship to complete his education in New Zealand.

From there, he won a place at the Auckland Rugby academy, going on to play first for the Blues, then the Highlanders in 2014.

Still only 21, he starred for the Highlanders in his first year. His explosive defence was a major feature and his ability to beat players for pace and power became critical.

Knowing that Conrad Smith would be leaving after the 2015 World Cup, the All Blacks selectors saw Fekitoa as his successor. He won his first cap against England in 2014, played at the World Cup and is now the first choice No 13 for the All Blacks.

Ahead of the All Blacks World Cup match with Tonga, he said to Fairfax: “It’s interesting playing Tonga this weekend. I’ve been in that environment. I’ve been with a lot of those players that are playing now.

“I feel grateful to be here because I can tell the di erence in the things we have, what hotels we stay in and everything we get as a team. Tonga is nowhere near what we have so that was a massive change for me.”