New Zealand Kiwis winger Ronaldo Mulitalo has revealed the online harassment he cops following his choice to represent New Zealand over Samoa.
Mulitalo, like many Kiwis, holds dual-eligibility, meaning he could play for multiple nations in the international rugby league space.
The Kiwis star has grown tired of the vitriolic online acts of "certain individuals" who choose to send him messages about not representing Samoa on the international stage.
Mulitalo played one Test for Samoa in 2019 before getting the call-up to play for the country he was born in, New Zealand.
Since then, the fiery winger has made nine appearances in the black and white and scored seven tries for his country.
He has since remained a consistent starter for the Kiwis on the world stage, but admits his frustration with fans when it comes time to play Samoa.
“That's probably the hardest thing,” Mulitalo said on Triple M.
“I love Samoa, don't get me wrong ... it's hard when you get messages saying ‘you're not a Samoan'. Every time I come to that game where it's us against Samoa, I just turn my phone off man. There's no point, it's just abuse from everywhere.
“All of us Samoan boys cop it, there's Moses [Leota] and Jamayne [Isaako].
“Every year it's the same thing, it just gets tiring after a while. You're getting abuse for playing for the country you were born and raised in.
“You never disrespect Samoa or where you come from, but it is disappointing that certain individuals choose to get online and abuse the hell out of us.”
Mulitalo is set to feature heavily in the Kiwis squad for the upcoming World Cup, as he looks to brush the noise and deliver a world champs title to New Zealand.
Plenty of the game's best talent stem from the Pacific, which has seen an increase of players choose to represent their heritage and strengthen the rugby league presence in the smaller islands out in the Pacific.
It started in 2017 when Jason Taumalolo defected from New Zealand to choose to represent Tonga in the World Cup that year.
Then began a revolution, with many other high-profile players following his lead, resulting in Tonga becoming strong enough to defeat Australia for the first time in 2019, despite still holding Tier 2 status.
Similar has happened with Samoa, who now possess some of the best talent in the game, including Payne Haas, Josh Papali'i, Jeremiah Nanai, and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, who have all played for Australia and later for Samoa.
Some young guns, including Francis Manuleleua and Leka Halasima, are in the same position Mulitalo was faced with, with the Knights' rising star holding Samoan and Kiwi heritage, while the latter can represent both Tonga and New Zealand.
The Kiwis will kick off the World Cup when they face New Zealand in Sydney on October 15.
