How World Cup inspired Pelite to make Samoa switch

Even as she celebrated with Jillaroos team-mates at Old Trafford after winning the 2022 World Cup, Evania Pelite was thinking about the possibility of playing for Fetū Samoa in the next tournament.

Pelite, who scored the final try in Australia’s 54-4 defeat of the Kiwi Ferns, will fulfil a long-held ambition to represent her Samoan heritage in Saturday’s RLWC2026 qualifier against Tonga at Suva’s HFC Stadium.

The dual international and two-time Olympian, whose feats include winning a gold medal with the Rugby 7s team at the 2016 Rio Games, was raised in the traditional Fa’a Samoa way by her grandparents.

However, it was watching Toa Samoa play in the final of the men’s World Cup against the Kangaroos that confirmed to Pelite that representing her heritage was something she needed to do.

“It is something that I have thought about for a couple of seasons,” Pelite told NRL.com.

“Just being over in England when the World Cup happened last time and watching all the support that the Samoans rallied around the world was huge.

“I still think back to that moment and think how cool it was that I was there to be able to witness them do that.

“Obviously playing for Australia is a huge honour, and something I haven’t taken lightly, but growing up with Samoan grandparents and being so heavily involved with that part of my heritage is something I have missed.”

Samoa coach Jamie Soward and injured captain Niall Williams-Guthrie tried unsuccessfully to convince Pelite to play last year against Fiji, but with a spot in the 2026 World Cup now on the line she decided to put her hand up.

I grew up the Fa’a Samoa way and I'm so grateful to my grandparents for raising me that way.

Evania Pelite

If Samoa beat Tonga they will meet the winner of next week's Fiji-Cook Islands match in Auckland on November 3 for a spot at RLWC2026, being hosted by the Australian Rugby League Commission.

The 29-year-old, who this week re-signed with the Titans for three more seasons, was named vice-captain of the Samoa team, which includes Gold Coast team-mates Laikha Clarke, Sienna Lofipo and Sarina Masaga.

Broncos forward Anetta Nu’uausala will captain the team in the absence of Williams-Guthrie, who has joined Soward's staff for this year's campaign. 

“I thought this was the perfect opportunity to make the switch,” Pelite said.

“They are vying for a World Cup qualification, and it is basically their last chance so I would love to create a little bit of history with them and get Samoa through to the World Cup.

“I had the same conversation with Sowie last year, he said to ‘come and make history with us’ but I wasn't quite ready to do that, and then this year I knew that I was.

“I wanted to represent Australia, but then I also wanted to represent Samoa before hanging up the boots.”

The star fullback’s decision was re-affirmed at her first training session with the Samoa team at Albert Park, opposite their hotel in Suva.

“I literally just a moment during training where I sat back and was like, ‘oh, I'm having a bit of déjà vu’, and that, to me, kind of cemented that this is the place that I needed to be,” she said.

“It was just really cool having that moment, just running out with the girls.”

Pelite said her grandparents were overjoyed that she was representing Samoa, where they were born and grew up before moving to New Zealand and raising their own family.

“They surprised me the night before I flew out, they came over home and dropped me off some flowers and an Ula, which was really nice,” Pelite said.

“They're really excited. I don't think they expected me to make that transition. I don't think my mum expected that either, so it's been really nice to see how happy it's made them.

“My mum had me really young and my grandparents raised me. I grew up the Fa’a Samoa way and I'm so grateful to my grandparents for raising me that way.

“When I went to a school in Australia, I lost touch with that, but my partner’s Samoan and he's been teaching me a lot about my culture as well, so having him, my grandparents and all of my family supporting this journey is really special.”