Kiwi turned Jillaroo: former Emus rugby star a hit in league's green and gold

She never fathomed the idea of donning the green and gold of Australia after moving here five years ago, and definitely not if it meant playing rugby league.

Now she’s done it several times, and the trend doesn’t look like stopping.

After starring for Australia at the Auckland Nines last weekend, where the Jillaroos took on the New Zealand Ferns in a three-game series, and six months on from making her international debut in a one-off Test Match against New Zealand last year, Foliaki’s focus has turned to maintaining her place in the Australian side.

“It was always a dream to play for New Zealand, but since I moved here I got my opportunity and I want to keep playing for Australia,” she said.

“Right now the goal is just to go back to training and hopefully get picked for the Anzac Test in Brisbane later this year.”

Incredibly, 2014 was Foliaki’s first year of rugby league.

A former Orange Emus, Central West and NSW Country rugby union representative, and former Orange Hawks and Group 10 women’s league tag star, Foliaki moved to Sydney last year to play rugby union with the Parramatta Two Blues.

“I only really started playing rugby league for a bit of extra fitness,” she said, reflecting on her link with Canley Heights Dragons Rugby League Club.

“From there I got picked for NSW [in the 2014 Women’s Interstate Challenge] then for the Test match, and then for the Nines. It worked out pretty well.”

Last weekend was the first time the Nines hosted a women’s event, with the  New Zealand Ferns beating the Jillaroos 2-1.

“I was born in Auckland, so to be able to do that in my home town was amazing,” Foliaki said.

“My parents were there too, and it was the first time they had seen me play. [The whole competition] was just amazing.”

“I thought I played pretty well, apart from getting absolutely smashed that time.”

Foliaki was on the receiving end of what was labelled “the hit of the Nines” when she was blindsided by gigantic kiwi Laura Mariu.

“I think I got a bit of a hospital ball,” she said, tongue firmly in cheek. “I got back up, it didn’t even hurt at the time. I felt it on the plane the next day though.

“I’d grown up playing rugby with a lot of the New Zealand girls, so I knew they all wanted to smash me.”

Despite her meteoric rise in the 13-player code, Foliaki won’t give up on her rugby union dream.

“I’m leaning towards league now, it does seem like there is a future there,” she explained.

“But I’ll still play rugby this season. I played both last year and will again. The [National Women’s XVs] championships are this year, so hopefully I can get picked for the Sydney side to compete in that.”