The 'lucky break' behind Shum-Cottrell's Fiji call-up

A broken arm suffered by twin brother Darcy has led to Anastacia Shum-Cottrell becoming the third member of her family to represent Fiji in rugby league under the coaching of Joe Dakuitoga.

Shum-Cottrell was a budding 12-year-old tennis star when Darcy broke his arm and their father drafted her into the team as his replacement.

“It was footy season, and my Fijian dad pushed me in and said to the coach, ‘she'll take his spot - she can play front row, she can play this position or that position'. I had no choice but to play,” Shum-Cottrell said.

“I was scared, I was nervous. I played with the boys and ever since then I haven’t looked back.

“I went to union for a bit after that, but I came back to league.

If it wasn't for my brother's broken arm I wouldn't be here.

The 23-year-old, who plays for the Rabbitohs in the NSWRL Women’s Harvey Norman Premiership, has been named on the bench for Saturday night’s World Cup qualifier against Cook Islands at HFC Stadium.

She joins brother Tevita Cottrell and brother-in-law Isaac Lumelume as a Fijian international.

Cottrell, who also played for the Rabbitohs, represented the Bati in 2016 while Lumulume played two Tests in 2019 and was a member of Fiji’s World Cup squad in 2022 under Dakuitoga.

“I have a few in my family who have represented the Fiji Bati but I’m the first girl,” Shum-Cottrell said. “It's an honour to represent Fiji Bulikula. I'm grateful for the opportunity.”

Shum-Cottrell was born and raised in Australia but will be representing Namosi village after an emotional reunion with family members she hadn’t seen for almost a decade.

“My family came to visit me yesterday. I haven't seen them for nine years, so it’s been a long time,” she said.

“They've really got so many new generations and all the little kids, and everyone … it was so good to see them. It was really good, very emotional.”

Amid the emotional home coming, Shum-Cottrell said playing in Suva was an exciting prospect and she is ready for the clash with the Moana.

“I'm very excited. It's more like blessed. I'm very blessed,” she said. “Hopefully we win, but win or lose, no matter what, I'm representing my country. We're playing in our country. I'm just proud.”

Shum-Cottrell will line up against her South Sydney Rabbitohs teammate Kiana Takairangi, who will captain the Cook Islands in her fifth Test for the Pacific nation.

“She's a really good player, she’s really good,” Shum-Cottrell said. “We've just got to always stick together. We've been practicing ‘hips in’ when we come into contact against her, whenever she takes a run, that's what we've always got to do.

“She's very light on her feet. She will step at anyone. We've got to come up together, and no one gets staggered. Just come up together, hit together, hips in. That's how we have to read her.”