There's not many 23-year-old Rugby players with 24 years of Rugby experience but Alysia Lefau-Fakaosilea was bred to be a star in this sport.
Lefau-Fakaosilea's journey in Rugby has been a rapid rise that has seen her become a decorated star in Sevens and 15s.
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However, her journey started before she was born in New Zealand, with her mother continuing to play representative rugby for Auckland and the Otahuhu club after falling pregnant with the hard-hitting Lefau-Fakaosilea.
“I think she was about three months (pregnant) but she was playing with me,” she revealed.
“Back then, my grandparents didn’t even know she was playing Rugby so she always blamed me that I was the reason why she stopped playing Rugby.
“I guess I’m living her dream so it’s awesome for her.
“I was born to play Rugby.”
As the Australia Sevens was celebrating their Rio gold, Lefau-Fakaosilea was settling into Queensland after making the move across the ditch.
She starred for the Reds in Super W and eventually made her Wallaroos debut in 2019.
Lefau-Fakaosilea would’ve likely been picked the year earlier, however, had to wait for her residence to settle before getting the call-up against Japan in July.
“It was really exciting to get that call (from Wallaroos coach Dwayne Nestor) because it was always a dream of mine. Last year I was really gutted that I couldn’t play or be selected to play in that wider squad," she said at the time.
Lefau-Fakaosilea's success was recognised, named Rookie of the Year at the end of the season alongside fellow teenage sensation Jordan Petaia before making the move to Sevens.
She was selected as the 13th player for the Tokyo Olympics, added to the squad following a change in IOC policy in early July surrounding squad regulations
“It’s been a dream of mine so when I got named, it was the shock of it. I have no words to explain what I’m feeling right now," Lefau-Fakaosilea said after her selection.
The Sevens program transformed following their quarter-final exit, Lefau-Fakaosilea took on a bigger role as the side took out the Triple Crown (Sevens World Series, Rugby Sevens World Cup and Commonwealth Games) in 2022.
Doing this alongside close friends Sariah Paki, Madison Ashby and Faith Nathan amongst the growing 'sisterhood' of the Sevens program has powered the team to higher heights.
“It’s really special and I think it shows on the field as well," Lefau-Fakaosilea said on the bond the team shares.
“I think that’s something that we built throughout the year from Tokyo to where we are right now and it shows through on the field and how we play.”
This was shown when Lefau-Fakaosilea was red carded in their semi-final clash against France in Dubai, watching from the sidelines as the Australians hung on.
“I was pretty gutted. I couldn’t even watch, all I heard was Maddi Levi’s name and that’s the name (you want to hear),” she said.
“It was pretty heartbreaking for me to know they only had six players on the field but it was good to know the girls could do it without me.
“We have each other’s backs so our girls work hard for each other on the field and it just showed. Six players on the field, it showed the hard work for each other and the sisterhood we have.”
Lefau-Fakaosilea spent the off-season watching her uncle Will Skelton lead the Wallabies in France, the first player of Pacific Islander background to do so for Australia at a World Cup.
Skelton was been a key influence on the Commonwealth Games gold medalist to take up the sport, with Lefau-Fakaosilea proud of his sudden rise to captaincy.
“It was amazing to see him captain Australia," she said on Skelton
'“It was awesome to see him in that position because Will’s not the type of person to be out there. He’s really humble.
“It was good to see him represent our family.”
Having seen Skelton star at a World Cup, the upcoming 2025 women's World Cup in England appealed to the former Wallaroo to return to where it all began.
“Yeah it’d be awesome to have a go with 15s at the World Cup," she admits.
“We’ll see how Sevens goes first but I’d be open to play 15s at the World Cup.
“I’m hoping to play because when I debuted for Wallaroos they were awesome so it’s been good going from both Sevens and 15s."
Before that, Olympic gold remains firmly on the radar, with the Sevens side set to take the field for the first time in 2024 in Perth on January 26-28
