Vaivai nearly gave up on rugby league but his famous cousin intervened and now he is preparing for another World Cup
By Gavin Willacy for No Helmets Required
Rugby league breaks new ground this weekend as the inaugural
World Cup Nines takes place in Sydney. The tournament brings together 16 teams – 12 men’s sides and four women’s sides – and all 28 games will be broadcast live in the UK. NRL and Super League players such as Josh Addo-Carr, Daley Cherry-Evans, Sam Tomkins, George Williams and Shaun Johnson will be playing. And so will the much-travelled Taioalo “Junior” Vaivai.
How excited are you to be playing for the
USA on a such a big stage?“I’m just looking forward to playing against some of the best players in the world. Being in the same pool as Australia,
New Zealand and Papua New Guinea is going to be really tough. But it’s also good for the team. It gives us an idea of where we’re at with our game, individually and as a nation. I’m looking forward to seeing our athletic boys showcase their talent when there’s a lot of space.”