Spy: Malakai Fekitoa’s momentous week, engaged, a new baby and back in the RWC

Malakai Fekitoa with fiancee Claudia Velazco and their daughter, Mara. Photo / Instagram

In the same week as welcoming his second child, former All Black Malakai Fekitoa has been called up by Tonga for the Rugby World Cup, one of five former ABs who will play in France for the Pacific team.

Fekitoa, 31, will play alongside former href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/all-blacks-squad-named-to-face-springboks-at-twickenham/5P3UEG6BUNEXFNIIGGWKJPU334/" target="_blank">All Blacks Charles Piutau, Augustine Pulu, Vaea Fifita and George Moala.

Once the pin-up boy of New Zealand rugby, Fekitoa has recently become engaged and he and his Spanish partner Claudia Velazco have welcomed their second child, a baby girl, Mira, this week. Their first daughter, Mara, was born in England last year.

Fekitoa, who played in the victorious All Blacks 2015 RWC campaign in England, last played for the team in 2017. That year he finished playing in New Zealand after leaving the Highlanders to play for Toulon in France.

All Blacks centre Malakai Fekitoa during Round 3 of the Rugby Championship 2016. Photo / Photosport

The UK beckoned within two years and Fekitoa has since played for the Wasps in England and Munster in Ireland.

Tongan-born-and-raised Fekitoa was selected in the Tongan squad for the 2022 Pacific Nations Cup in Fiji, having become eligible after World Rugby’s eligibility rules were amended to allow players to switch national allegiance after completing a stand-down period.

In May this year Fekitoa helped Munster claim its first United Rugby Championship with a win over the DHL Stormers in Cape Town.

Later that month Velazco and Mara were there to see him play his last game for Munster at Thomond Park in Limerick.

Fekitoa will next play for Benetton in Italy, meaning another exciting move for his young family, this time to Treviso. Last month there was more good news when Fekitoa and Velazco announced their engagement from Barcelona, Spain.

Later that month Fekitoa was back in Tonga and told his Instagram followers he was grateful to be back home and to play at Teufaiva Sport Stadium in Nuku’alofa after 16 years.

“An emotional day playing in front of my family, representing our people,” he posted.