Sitaleki Timani played 18 Tests and left plenty of bruises during a three-year international career with the Wallabies, but his biggest influence could be a simple phone call made in 2008.
That's when his younger brother, a then 18-year-old Lopeti, was sitting on an offer from New Zealand's Super Rugby powerhouses the Crusaders.
Seeking the counsel of his older brother, who'd enjoyed a season with the Western Force and had signed with the Brumbies for 2009, Lopeti picked up the phone.
He explained that he'd been spotted at a Tongan tournament being played in New Zealand and the most-powerful Super Rugby franchise of them all was desperate for his signature.
"I think you'd better come to Australia and play with me," he told Lopeti, quickly setting him on a path to the green and gold rather than the All Blacks.
The youngest of three rugby-playing brothers, Lopeti Timani on Saturday (Sunday AEDT) will make his run-on debut for the Wallabies in the Rugby Championship against Argentina at Twickenham.
"That's the reason I moved to Australia," smiled Lopeti when remembering that important phone call.
"I think it's a good decision, yeah."
At 26, he made his Test debut against the Pumas last month and has won over the Wallabies' coaching staff with his physical approach and undeniable size.
In the crowd on Saturday will be mum Letiola and younger sisters Vika, 23, and Kailata, 19, while Sitaleki and another brother Sione both have important games in France and can't make it.
Incredibly, it will be the first time the family, who live in Tonga but have been travelling in France, will have watched Lopeti play live.
"They haven't watched me, like, live - just on TV and stuff back in Tonga," he said.
"This will be the first time, so it's a very exciting moment for me."
When asked what would be expected of Timani, coach Michael Cheika laid out a game plan which suited the heavy-hitting young star.
"I'd like him to do what he's good at - which is run hard, tackle hard. The rest is a bonus," he said.
