Isaako keen to impress in front of dying father
Kiwis winger Jamayne Isaako could be struggling to control his emotions next weekend when he returns to Christchurch to play a test in front of his terminally-ill father.
Isaako’s father Taai has been diagnosed with brain cancer and in June, Isaako chose to represent Samoa to honour him.
But on Saturday he will represent New Zealand again as the Kiwis make a rare visit to the city where he was born and grew up.
It could possibly be the last time Taai gets to see his son play. So it will be a proud and touching moment for Isaako to firstly perform a haka with the Kiwis, then take on the Great Britain Lions.
‘‘That’s going to be a real emotional one,’’ Isaako told Stuff.
‘‘Hopefully I’m able to make that squad and play in front of a lot of my family and friends who still live in Christchurch.
‘‘It’s a test I’m really looking to get up for and hope to get a starting spot
‘‘Speaking to my dad, who’s still living in Christchurch, he’s really excited for the game and I know a lot of my mates who still live in Christchurch are looking forward to the Kiwis playing there.’’
Taai was diagnosed with incurable brain cancer in May after collapsing at work.
He has undergone chemotherapy twice a week and Isaako said his dad was doing well with the treatment.
Because of this, he’ll be able to make it along to the test on Saturday at Orangetheory Stadium, where he will be surrounded by his family for what will be a special evening.
While the 23-year-old is excelling in league for both the Broncos and Kiwis, he admits that his first love was rugby union and he dreamed of becoming an All Black.
But selflessly, the young Isaako chose to put his family first and take up an offer to join the Sharks in Sydney when still a teenager, parking his All Blacks ambitions.
‘‘Growing up, I was always a rugby union kid and played it as my main sport,’’ he said.
‘‘But I went to a trial one day that Cronulla were having at Halswell Domain and I ended up getting picked up.
‘‘With my first opportunity to come over to Australia I took it with open hands, just because I grew up in a big family and we weren’t too well off.
‘‘I saw it as an opportunity for it to be one less mouth for mum and dad to feed.
‘‘So I tried to make the most of it and I lived in Sydney for a few years before I made the decision to go back home, because I got homesick. But then I got another opportunity to go to Brisbane and I’ve been there for four years now. I’m really enjoying playing my footy there and Brisbane has become a home away from home for me.
‘‘But I will always have a special place for Christchurch in my heart and to be able to go back and play where it all started for me will be something special.’’
Isaako may be one of the rising stars of the Broncos, after just two seasons in their NRL team, but he said there was still that ambition inside him to one day see if he could make it into the All Blacks.
‘‘It’s always in the back of my head,’’ he said.
‘‘If the opportunity comes one day down the track, I’d like to go back and have another crack at union.
‘‘But I’ve signed a four-year deal with the Broncos and my main focus is in rugby league and playing some good footy for the Broncos.’’