'Rather rugby boots than gumboots' - Moli's fresh start at Leicester

Samiuela Moli is particular about the boots he wears.There is nothing necessarily special about the pair that the Leicester Tigers hooker puts on when he plays, but they are a constant reminder of the path it took, through vineyards and building sites, to establish a professional rugby career.Just months ago, the Tonga international did not even know where he would be lacing up next when Super Rugby team Moana Pasifika went out of business., externalSo it was rather fitting that 27-year-old Moli was still clutching his white and yellow boots after training at Mattioli Woods Welford Road when he sat in the stands to talk about what his new start - more than 11,400 miles (18,300km) away from the club that collapsed - means to him.This is a player whose early career was one of hard graft, early morning starts and long days of manual labour which he had to fit around his commitments as a semi-professional player on the books at the Crusaders' academy in New Zealand."I wouldn't say my journey is perfect, but it's got me where I am today and I'm forever grateful and I give thanks to God," Moli told BBC Sport.And it's the footwear - be them Wellies, steel caps or studded rugby boots - that puts that journey into context."I grew up on a farm back in Blenheim [New Zealand] and Dad worked in the vineyards and, as a labourer, you know where hard work comes from. On any school holiday or break you would be working from a young age," he said."So every time you are training, you are always reminding yourself that if you are not going to work hard here then you are going to end up back slaving away at grapes."So that becomes your mindset going into training - you'd rather wear rugby boots than gumboots."When I got my first opportunity with Tonga I knew I didn't want to look back. "I was a builder at the time, but I've always reminded myself when I cross that line that I want to do this forever, or for however long I can do it for, and I know I never want to wear gumboots, that's for sure."The phone call he received from Toutai Kefu, Tonga's head coach in 2021, was instrumental in Moli evolving from being a tradesman and rugby part-timer into the player he is today."Toutai just rang me on one of my 'smoko' breaks and asked how I would like to play for Tonga and I was like 'oh man, yes'. I didn't think twice and was on the next flight out from Nelson, where I was at the time," Moli said.Travel restrictions on European-based players during the Covid-19 pandemic meant that he was one of 13 debutants in squad that was hammed 102-0 in Auckland.There is little wonder Moli says he will "never forget that game", but it was not just because of the scoreline.Within months he had signed his first profession deal, becoming part of the inaugural Moana Pasifika side - which was set up to give players from Tonga, Samoa and other Pacific Islands opportunities in Super Rugby.He went on to featured 48 times for the club, where his three brothers, Monu, Sekope and Atu - a prop who played internationally for New Zealand before switching allegiances to play for Tonga - were all involved.Moli says the years he spent as a tradie straight out of school taught him to seize whatever opportunities he got in rugby."When you're in an academy you're so young and you're just so keen for any opportunity," he said."You are up at 5am, and you have to go full-time work and then you need to back it up with evening training at the academy. "Everyone is wanting a little sniff of an opportunity, so as soon as mine came that is why I said yes Toutai Kefu when he called me."While Moli's circumstances - as a front rower who was recently made redundant - were much different when Tigers head coach Geoff Parling would make his phone call five years later, his reaction would be no different.Even though the hard-running hooker admits he never previously considered moving to the Prem, with "ambitions always" being to have a stint in France, he adds that he is "truly grateful" to have been picked up by Leicester."It was perfect timing from Geoff. When this phone call arrived, I wasn't hesitant," Moli said."I knew footy in England was going to make me a better rugby player as an individual. I knew I was going to grow and learn so much from the players here and the staff. "I knew I just wanted to be a sponge, take in all the learnings, grow my game and then obviously add my value to the team and just put my best foot forward each week."Within days of touching down in the East Midlands in August, Moli was thrust into action in their Prem Cup as he came off the bench in their opening defeat by Harlequins.He went on to start for Tigers in their first cup game at home, another defeat inflicted by Newcastle Red Bulls, and was part of the side the completed its preparations for the league campaign with a pre-season friendly victory against Munster in Cork last week.For Moli, the run of fixtures are the latest example of how he has learned to adapt in recent months - having first dealt with Moana Pasifika folding, before searching out new opportunities and and coming to grips with his new start on the other side of the world."It was emotional and it just shows you that it [livelihood] could be taken away at any moment," he said."Making sure you have a Plan B is what they teach you outside of rugby, so I was fortunate to have that all planned out, for if I was coming here or staying in New Zealand. I was always a step ahead."Asked if that ever meant keeping his gumboots close, Moli laughed when he replied: "That's Plan C".