SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 26: Andrew Fifita poses during a Cronulla Sharks NRL media opportunity at Shark Park on February 26, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Cronulla Sharks prop Andrew Fifita revealed his regret over not changing codes to rugby.
Fifita had a lucrative deal to join Super Rugby franchise the Hurricanes at the end of 2013 when he was 23, but opted to remain in the NRL.
"I have massive regrets about not going to have a crack at rugby," Fifita told the Sydney Morning Herald on Wednesday.
"It is one of my childhood sports that I grew up playing. After 2013, I really wanted to go because I wanted to verse the All Blacks.
"You want to challenge yourself against the world's best and that was them.
"It was on the cards. I had a massive contract from overseas. It was in New Zealand and I had to play for the All Blacks.... It wasn't in my heart.
"The thing for me was I wanted to be a Wallaby against the world's best.
"There was a lot of teams [interested]. There were a lot of teams from overseas in England as well. England and France, they really came to play, especially after that [2013] World Cup.
"That is the toughest thing I had to deal with. The only reason I didn't leave was I hadn't won a premiership.
"After talking to Boyd Cordner on the World Cup tour, that was the main thing he said, 'We won the World Cup, but you have to win a premiership, there is nothing better.'"
Fifita has admired the way Valentine Holmes has challenged himself as he aspires to find a contract in the NFL.
"At a young age he has accomplished so much... he has won a World Cup, played for his country, won Origin, won a comp, he's pretty much done everything in the game possible," Fifita said on his former premiership Cronulla teammate.
"I can't believe how far he has gone and how successful he is going to be. Hopefully he makes the 53-man squad. I can't wait to see him blossom.
"How good would it be to see one of my brothers make it in the NFL?
"Even when [Jarryd Hayne] went over, I was that honoured and proud of him."