Folau Fakatava: All Blacks call up the ultimate goal for Tongan born scrum-half

Stan Wilson

Highlanders scrum-half Folau Fakatava has his sights set on playing for the All Blacks in the near future.

To win the number nine jersey he must beat out his club teammate and the most capped New Zealand half-back of all time, Aaron Smith.

This will be no easy feat for Fakatava as Smith is one of the all time All Black greats and remains under contract until 2023.

“Obviously, the All Blacks are the best in the world for me,” Fakatava told Stuff.

“It would be good to have a crack at it.

“I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing, and learn from the best [Smith], and if the opportunities come I’ll take it. If not, then I’ll have to play for Tonga.”

There is currently eligibility red-tape prohibiting Fakatava from being called up to play for his preferred nation and ultimately it will come down to a review from World Rugby, otherwise he may have to opt to play for the country of his birth.

Club success remains the focus

“I’ve been talking to my agent and getting messages from other people,” Fakatava said. “I’ll just focus on right now, and the team, and performance.

“I don’t really worry about what’s going to happen with eligibility. If it happens, it happens.”

Fakatava’s up-tempo style of rugby and ability as a ball carrier helped him move quickly up the ranks from Tongan age group national teams, to New Zealand school rugby, to Hawke’s Bay in the National Provincial Championship and finally to Super Rugby’s Highlanders.

Mark Ozich of Hawke’s Bay had this to say about Fakatava: “At schoolboy level he dominated with his ability to run from the base or a scrum or a lineout so picking his moments . . . [has] been a part of his game he’s had to manage.

“One of his biggest strengths is to go to the line and put people into holes, or dummy and go himself.

“Lots of halfbacks can run and die with the ball, but Folau will run and offload in contact, he will put a short ball into somebody running an angle and he sees that space really well for a young halfback.”

READ MORE: Waratahs and Rugby Australia confirm Kurtley Beale’s return