Tonga prop Sio Siua Taukeiaho admits a previous knee injury is flaring up at just the wrong time, but hopes to push through the pain barrier for Saturday's Rugby League World Cup semi-final against England.
Taukeiaho ruptured the cruciate ligament in his right knee in an NRL match for the Roosters last year, sidelining him for eight months.
He returned with a bang for the Eastern Suburbs-based club in 2017, playing 17 matches and doing enough to earn a Kiwis World Cup berth - only to turn it down in favour of representing the country of his heritage.
The 25-year-old has since played three pool matches for Mate Ma'a, but sat out last week's 24-22 quarter-final victory over a gallant Lebanon.
Taukeiaho, with ice strapped to his knee, told reporters post-training on Tuesday that his knee was feeling better but still far from 100 per cent.
He hoped to be fine for Saturday's semi-final in Auckland.
"A lot of boys pulling (up) with injuries and that, but I think they're just trying to forget about the injuries and pull that jersey on, to get out there and get us as far as we can," the Auckland-born powerhouse said.
"It's a great privilege and opportunity to give England a good match."
Backed by raucous crowds up and down New Zealand, Taukeiaho's tier-two Tonga have become tournament darlings at this year's World Cup and created history by toppling the tier-one Kiwis 28-22 a fortnight ago.
They were the first ever tier-two side to defeat a tier-one side, with Fiji's 4-2 quarter-final win over New Zealand following a week later.
Taukeiaho admitted he was a little surprised by the Kiwis' capitulation in Wellington, but felt the Bati were chronically underrated.
Both they and Mate Ma'a would ruffle the feathers of Australia and England respectively, with the winners to play in next weekend's Cup final.
"We've never made it to a quarter-final and we did that last week, now we get another opportunity to play in the semis against England - if we do win and make it to the final, I'd just be lost for words," Taukeiaho said.
"I dreamed about that last week, making it to the finals and then winning.
"If we win the World Cup, it's going to be one of the best feelings ever."
