If the ground announcer can get the pronunciation down pat, expect the name Nawaqanitawase to echo around the ground in the Junior Wallabies’ Oceania U20 clash against Fiji on Tuesday night.
Mark Nawaqanitawase will turn out for Australia against the country of his father’s birth, pulling on the gold jersey for just the second time in his career after bolting into calculations for the world U20 championships.
The winger scored two tries on debut against Japan on Friday night, sealing a rapid rise for the speedster that started his footy journey in rugby league before switching codes in high school.
“Dad actually played league back in the day and wanted his son to play, so I played a bit of league until 14 maybe but my school was heavily union, so that’s why I made the switch,” Nawaqanitawase said.
Having not made a national team at schoolboys and U18 level, Nawaqanitawase was not automatically on selectors’ radar and almost headed to New Zealand to attempt to force his way into a Super Rugby program until the Waratahs came calling through their Generation Blue program.
Junior Wallabies coach Jason Gilmore hailed Nawaqanitawase's identification.
"I think people confuse what the pathway is. People probably think it's the young fella that comes in at 15 and goes all the way to the Wallabies," Gilmore said."To me, that's not pathway. Pathway is creating an environment where players can be identified and picked up at any stage throughout the different teams.
"As long as we've got that ability to talent identify them, then recruit them and get them into a program to develop them (that's great).
"Mark didn't play any high level schoolboy rugby last year but he was identified by the Waratahs and he's been in our academy.
"He's a great example of the guy that's come from nowhere and he's done a really good job for us."
Handed a two-month trial late last year, the 18-year-old has made every post a winner since and forced his way into the Junior Wallabies team with outstanding performances at squad camps ahead of the Oceania championships.
“From November, I was actually on a two-month trial, so for me, it was all rugby, rugby, rugby," Nawaqanitawase said.
“I even missed Schoolies for it.
“All my friends were out but I was just making sure that I showed up every day and did what I had to do and it’s all turned out really well.”
Nawaqanitawase is on the Gold Coast now though, for what he cheekily calls “Schoolies 2.0”.
And if Friday’s brace against Japan is any indication, team officials will have no issue if he continues his celebrations.
On Tuesday night, Nawaqanitawase gets to celebrate his present and his past playing against Fiji in front of family including Brisbane-based father Sevuloni, the former rugby league flyer who started his son on his footballing journey.
But the proud dad will be cheering for his son rather than the country of his birth on Tuesday night.
That pride flows through Nawaqanitawase as well, who has not been able to wipe the smile from his face since being selected.
“I have no words,” he said of the thought of pulling on the gold jersey ahead of his debut last week.
“It’s come out of nowhere - a lot of work actually.
“But (to be able to do it) in front of my family, they’re so proud of me.
“To be able to get out there and represent something so big is amazing.
“It is the payoff.”
