Sione Kalamafoni: The journey of Tonga forward from missionary work to Scarlets star

Sione Kalamafoni played for Nottingham, Leicester and Gloucester before arriving at Parc y Scarlets

Scarlets supporters recognise Tongan number eight Sione Kalamafoni as the driving, powerful, physical force on the field.

His impact at the region has certainly been stark. He is starting his second full season with Scarlets and was voted players' player of the year in the 2020-21 campaign.

His credentials are undoubted, with 37 caps for Tonga in three World Cups and eight seasons in the English Premiership with Leicester and Gloucester.

Off the field, the 33-year-old has a very different persona after arriving in Wales in 2020. His journey to Llanelli has taken in trips to the United States of America and England but started in his native Tonga.

"I grew up with nine kids and my parents, I'm the second youngest of that nine," he explained, ahead of Scarlets' home United Rugby Championship game against Munster on Sunday.

"The oldest and the youngest sadly passed away a long time ago. One is in Tonga, I'm over here in the UK and the rest are in America.

"Growing up was fun. Not only were there nine, we had five cousins that lived with us.

"I don't remember a time in the house where there were less than 10 kids living with us.

"My parents were taking in whoever wanted to come and live with us, either to help them out or to lighten the burden for their parents.

"Or just because they wanted to stay with us, because I've got four older brothers and I think people just wanted to come and hang around with them.

"It was a lot of fun but it was tough sometimes. I don't know how my parents did it, though!"

His rugby career started properly after a missionary spell in Chicago.

"I belong to a church called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, it's a Christian church," he added.

"Back then, when you were 19 you volunteered to go anywhere in the world - you'd pay for it yourself.

"We have leaders, prophets who assign you to somewhere and I was assigned to go to Chicago, the north side.

"We covered a huge area of Illinois. We moved around there, it was a lot of fun and I spent a whole year in the city.

"You see a lot of good things, a lot of bad things, things that will help a teenager grow.

"I wouldn't change it for anything. Those two years helped me become a little bit more mature.

"Mainly we went around teaching about God and Christ. We helped out in the community.

"In one area we partnered up with some nuns at food banks. Every Tuesday we'd wake up and go to help out with the food banks, whether it was delivering food or packing food."

Kalamafoni has not met up with his full family for about four years, but has been given UK citizenship with his wife.

"First of all we were just looking at the future of our kids," he added.

"Tonga is good, but a lot of people try to come overseas - UK, New Zealand, Australia or the US - for a better life, for better opportunities for the kids. We're pretty happy that we got that."

On the field, Kalamafoni has again started the season in typical physical fashion as the prime Scarlets ball-carrier.

"You're in there trying to win a game and come out on top," he added.

"I take every game as the same. We've picked up a few knocks here and there but carrying is one of the things that I pride myself on.

"I get my hands on the ball more than a few of the other boys. I wouldn't say I enjoy being hit, but I enjoy winning!"

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