Jarome Luai says he could not “turn down” the opportunity to captain Samoa for their two-Test series in England despite pressure to recuperate at the end of a punishing season.
Luai, who helped Penrith Panthers seal a historic fourth consecutive NRL Premiership title earlier in October, will join West Tigers on a lucrative deal for next term.
His decision to lead Ben Gardiner’s side for the first time, in place of the injured Junior Paulo, means the Tigers will be without their star recruit when they start preparing for the new Australian domestic campaign.
“I was contemplating whether I should or shouldn’t at the end of our season,” Luai, 27, told BBC Sport.
“It’s been a long year and everybody wants to look after their body at the end of the day – but if my body was right, why would I turn something like this down? I am really excited and happy about getting the opportunity to lead these boys. It’s something I’ve not done before.
“Ben told me I would be captain straight after we played the Grand Final. Right then and there, I said: ‘Yeah man, let’s get it done and do a great job for our country.'”
Samoa’s first Test series in England is also their first visit since a dramatic 27-26 golden-point victory over the hosts in the semi-finals of the World Cup in November 2022.
Organisers expect a crowd of around 15,000 for the first Test at Wigan’s Brick Community Stadium – formerly DW Stadium – on Sunday, 27 October, with the second at AMT Headingley in Leeds on Saturday, 2 November (both 14:30 GMT).
The Tests are part of an autumn series featuring England’s men’s, women’s and wheelchair teams, with extensive live coverage across the BBC.