Having achieved his dream of playing Super Rugby at the age of 32, NSW prop Apolosi Ranawai has revealed how the friendship and guidance of former Wallaby cult hero Matt Dunning helped him recover from a period of personal tragedy just two years ago, when he stopped playing and ballooned to almost 170kg.
Ranawai, who debuted for the Waratahs two weeks ago, has endured a long road in his pursuit of becoming a professional rugby player, which started in his home country of Fiji, and took him to Malaysia, New Zealand and lower grade rugby sides – and league – in Sydney and regional NSW.
But after finally making his name for Norths in the Shute Shield in 2022-23, Ranawai had to take a season off when multiple family tragedies struck in 2024 in Fiji, including the loss of a son.
His weight climbed to 168kg by the time Ranawai began his comeback and he said meeting Dunning – who is a scrum coach at Norths – was a timely blessing.
“I used to watch him on TV. I couldn’t recognise him because he lost weight. He’s been like a big brother and a father figure to me lately,” Ranawai said.
“He calls me every day. We chat every day. We just talk about food and scrummaging.
“I was grateful to meet my mentor. He really helped me, especially in my scrummaging. I think it’s great advice for young people out there. He said it’s like wine: you get mature when you get old.”
Ranawai lauded the mentorship of Dunning after sharing his extraordinary life story, which saw him make his professional rugby debut as an injury call-up for the Waratahs two weeks ago after “quite a long journey”.
“For me, a village boy back in Fiji, just growing up and watching the telly, playing footy one day, that was one of my dreams. Two weeks ago, I achieved that dream,” Ranawai said.
“The journey to get to that point, maybe for me, I think I lost my GPS to get to that point. But that long journey maybe built me up to get to this point here. And looking back, man, I really enjoyed all the moments leading up to it.”
Having grown up in Fiji and attended the same spartan boarding school in Suva as former Wallaby Marika Koroibete, Ranawai was a front-rower in the Fijian schoolboys and under-20s teams.
He graduated from university with a diploma in agricultural science, and worked for the government advising traditional local farmers on how to modernise their methods “to increase production and things like that”. While juggling work, Ranawai began playing rugby overseas, for a province in Malaysia.
“We lost in the grand final. They wanted to sign me for 10 years and go to uni there and study oil rigging and stuff like that,” he said.
Ranawai went to New Zealand, instead, where he played club rugby in Hawkes Bay. All Black lock Brodie Retallick bought him his boots when he arrived, but after two years there he returned home to be with his sick mum.
He began playing rugby league in Fiji, and despite more rugby offers in New Zealand, Ranawai took up an offer to move to Sydney and play league in 2018 for the South-Eastern Seagulls, in the South Sydney A grade competition.
Ranawai switched back to rugby after a year and joined the Warringah Rats, where he played in third and second grade, with occasional cameos in first grade. But after leaving the Rats, and playing for the Wollongong Tech Waratahs, Ranawai was offered a shot by Norths coach Zak Beer in 2022.
“He said, if you want to make Super, you’ve got to be playing first grade and not off the bench,” he said.
Though still living and working as a disability helper in Shellharbour, Ranawai commuted to Sydney and began to make a name for himself during two impressive seasons for Norths in the Shute Shield. They were narrowly beaten in the 2023 grand final.
Professional interest re-emerged, and he did a training block with the Western Force, but Ranawai’s life was turned upside down in 2024 when several family members, including his son from a previous relationship in Fiji, fell sick.
He returned to Fiji but his son, along with his sister and a nephew, all passed away in a short period of time. “2024 was a big low [point in] life for me,” Ranawai said.
While also applying for permanent residency in Australia, Ranawai wasn’t playing but when he watched Norths lose another grand final in 2024, he messaged Beer, in tears, saying he wanted to return.
“He messaged me and said, ‘can you stand on the scale?‘,” Ranawai said.
“I was 168 kilos. I was nearly 170. After that, I thank him so much because he really helped me to dig myself out of the grave. He got our trainer to do a special plan for me. I started the next day.”
Cutting back on carbs and training daily – under the guidance of Beer and Dunning – Ranawai trimmed down to under 150kg and another strong season for Norths followed. When the Waratahs offered a train-and-trial stint last year, Ranawai gambled by stopping work and taking on the deal.
At 135kg, Ranawai debuted for NSW in the Super Rugby AUS competition late last year and was offered a modest contract. He debuted in Super Rugby two weeks ago against the Force and has impressed in two bench stints. He scored a try at the weekend in Dunedin.
He has done enough to keep his spot for the Tahs’ return to Fiji this weekend, to play the Drua, and is a chance to start.
“I think I need to have maybe more than 100 tickets,” Ranawai said. “I’ve got the whole village around me. I come from a very big family. I’ve got … 15 siblings. I come from a very big family and a big village. I haven’t played a game in the home since I left home in 2018, so it’s 8 years now. To go and play back in the homeland. It would be a full circle for me.”
Ranawai said he believes his story is a good example of patience and persistence, and said it wouldn’t have been possible without his partner Doreen, who supported him to chase his dream emotionally and, crucially, financially.
“They’re the ‘why’ of why I do this,” he said. “Sometimes I get up in the morning and sometimes you wake up. Is this worth it? Chasing your dream, you ask yourself.
“I see my partner had to support me. Especially financially. Those are challenging times. It’s my dream job but I can’t achieve this alone. Especially when you’re 32 and you’ve got a family.
“I think if you think about getting to this point. There’s no recipe, or any shortcut to get to this point. I think it’s sacrifice. Tears. Blood and sweat and tears. Hard work.
“There’s no shortcut. I had to find it. There’s no maps to shows you.
“You’ve got to go through the rocks. You’ve got to go through a wall to get to this point.”
Incoming Wallabies coach faces scrutiny as Reds lodge ref complaint
The Queensland Reds have lodged a formal complaint with Super Rugby Pacific over the standard of refereeing in their controversial loss to the Chiefs on Friday, which ended with the match officials being booed off Suncorp Stadium.
But in what could add salt to their wounds, the Reds also face a possible sanction from Super Rugby Pacific bosses for breaching tournament regulations after the game, with coach Les Kiss preventing players from doing media interviews in a bid to protect them from getting fined.
The Reds lost 31-21 to the Chiefs in a defeat that all but ended Queensland’s hopes of finishing in the top three and hosting a qualifying final.
Kiwi referee Marcus Playle and his assistants were booed off Suncorp Stadium, with fans fuming following a series of dubious calls that went against the Reds in a 12-5 penalty count.
The most controversial decision was a hasty no-try ruling for Queensland second-rower Seru Uru on the stroke of halftime. Reds players were confident Uru had scored with a goal-line charge to give the home team as much as a 14-10 lead, but, with an obstructed view, Playle ruled it was held up before seeking a TMO review.
Just 26 seconds later – and having used only one angle – TMO Glenn Newman said there was no clear evidence to overturn the decision, and half-time was blown.
Reds players pointed to the stadium screen as subsequent replays appeared to show Uru grounding the ball.
Former Wallabies star Tim Horan said on Stan Sport: “How could there be nothing clear there? They needed to have a bit more a look at it. The TMO has had one look and said halftime. That’s a poor decision.”
Kiss and Reds captain Fraser McReight were diplomatic about the refereeing in post-match media duties, but the Queensland Rugby Union was sufficiently aggrieved that they later submitted a complaint to Super Rugby Pacific.
“The QRU have raised their concerns on match officiating direct with Super Rugby Pacific and will respect the process and won’t be making any further comment on the matter,” QRU chief executive David Hanham said on Sunday.
Informed sources said the QRU’s concerns were not centred on individual decisions, but more raising the question of why the competition had appointed an inexperienced referee for a crucial fixture between two sides in the top six, with home finals on the line. The match was Playle’s eighth Super game.
A Super Rugby Pacific spokesperson said referee bosses will scrutinise the performances of Playle and Newman during a standard review on Monday. A similarly hasty no-try ruling for the Waratahs’ Triston Reilly against the Reds in March was subsequently declared wrong by Super Rugby Pacific.
Super Rugby Pacific officials will also look at the post-match actions of Queensland.
Unhappy with decisions throughout the game – particularly in the last quarter – Queensland were not happy post-game, and after the coach and captain did interviews, Kiss shut down any other player interviews with broadcaster Stan Sport. Stan Sport is owned by Nine, the owner of this masthead.
Kiss’s move was an attempt to protect his players from getting in trouble when asked about refereeing, but pulling down the shutters was also a breach of Super Rugby Pacific tournament regulations, which stipulate the coach, captain, and at least two further players must be available for interview with the host broadcaster post-game.
Kiss told Stan Sport he had even pondered pulling McReight from his post-match duties, saying: “I feel for ‘Frase’ tonight. I was reluctant to let him go in front of the media to tell you the truth, just to protect him.”
Informed sources say broadcaster Stan Sport was not pleased and made it known to Super Rugby Pacific.
The Reds could this week cop a fine from head office for the breach, as per tournament guidelines. But it is more likely the sanction would be a letter of warning from Super Rugby Pacific boss Jack Mesley, according to informed sources with knowledge of the situation.
The Reds sit in sixth place with three games remaining: away clashes against the Force and Moana, and a home game against the Fiji Drua. Sitting six points behind the Reds, however, the Waratahs’ faint finals hopes rest on their northern neighbours falling apart in the run home.
But the Waratahs have to pick up wins, too, and that only got tougher ahead of a tough road trip to Fiji this week given the multiple injury concerns arising from their 31-26 defeat to the Highlanders in Dunedin.
The Tahs may have to call up a hooker from club rugby with Ethan Dobbins (foot) and Folau Fainga’a (knee) both in doubt, along with lock Angus Blyth (ankle), back-rower Peter Samu (knee) and winger Andrew Kellaway (concussion).
Watch every match of Super Rugby Pacific live and exclusive on Stan Sport.
Iain Payten is a senior sports reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.
