The decision to represent her country of birth has provided New Zealand forward Shannon Mato a rare opportunity of achieving a rugby league first: winning consecutive Rugby League World Cup titles with different nations.
The Kiwi Ferns prop on Sunday will line up against Australia in the women’s World Cup final, four years after winning the tournament with the Jillaroos in their 54-4 thrashing of New Zealand at Old Trafford.
Kiwis centre Dane Gagai, who won the 2017 World Cup with Australia, is gunning for the same double later that night at Suncorp Stadium.
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Soccer player Louis Monti narrowly missed the feat when he lost and won successive World Cups, with Argentina and Italy, almost 100 years ago.
Mato, if successful, will be the first to do it in consecutive tournaments in any sport’s pinnacle event.
Mato, who moved to Australia from New Zealand in her teenage years, was at pains to express her gratitude towards the relaxed eligibility criteria for tier-one nations.
“It’s a privilege to be here. I’m proud and honoured to put on the black and white jersey. I have been crying my heart out during the anthems, and it means more than just a game to me,” Mato told AAP.
“I am so grateful for the opportunity Australia has given myself and my family throughout my life. It was awesome winning the World Cup with them last time.
“I can’t take anything away from my experience playing for Australia. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be here playing now. But at the same time, I’m so hungry to get back to the top.”
The 28-year-old is confident her team can get the job done.
“There’s a connection that people don’t see behind the scenes … there’s so much love here,” she said.
Mato credits becoming a mother for the first time as her turning point, with the eligibility rules changing five months after the birth of son, Charnze-Pati.
“When you live in Australia, because you’re not surrounded by your language and people, it’s been somewhat of an identity crisis for me,” Mato said.
“I’ve been a different person since my son was born. I want my son to grow up knowing another tongue and it only made sense for me to come home.
“That’s why I was willing to take this next step. It’s for our people. It’s for my son. It’s for myself. For my family, and it’s even more special now we’re in the final.”
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Jillaroos star eyes last frontier
On her own football “island”, Australian fullback Tamika Upton won’t get sucked into a one-on-one battle with New Zealand opposite Apii Nichols in the World Cup final.
Just as Reece Walsh and Kalyn Ponga prepare for their showdown in the men’s final, the pair will be key pieces in Sunday’s Suncorp Stadium decider that looms as a missing piece in a bulging Upton trophy cabinet.
But while she acknowledges the stakes of the match-up, Brisbane ace Upton won’t be giving it too much thought.
“I’m on my own little island back there at fullback sometimes,” she said when asked about the battle with the Warriors gun.
“She’s in really good form, but to be honest she always is, so you know what you’re going to get with her.
“It’s all about momentum, keeping them in their end, kicking the ball in a nice spot. Our halves are all over it, and I’m sure they’ll be doing the exact same thing to me too.”
Five-time NRLW champion Upton missed Australia’s victorious 2022 campaign, opting out after battling through the late stages of that season with a calf issue.
“Injuries suck, but they’re a part of the game and in the year after my body was fresh, I knew it was the right decision,” she said.
“But you do get a bit of FOMO (fear of missing out) and you watch them go over there and kill it.
“Obviously it sucked, but it was probably the best thing for me.”
— with Murray Wenzel and Joel Gould, AAP
