When the youngster spotted the bright yellow pair he knew they were for him - and as he is happy to tell his mum "all the time" since he has been wearing them the team has not been beaten.
"Yep, he reckons it's all to do with the yellow boots," Mrs Lilo-Sefo said.
Like all the young people who had benefited from being given a set of playing boots, Joseph is proud of his, and Mrs Lilo-Sefo and husband Mapesone are proud of the way their boy has embraced rugby, overcome the long and sometimes frustrating hip recovery and begun to develop what she said was growing confidence and social skills.
"It's the rugby with the other children that has done it," she said.
"To be able to socialise is a hard skill for children to learn but he's doing it - it's all the boys there for rugby - it's a common ground for them all."
The moments of shyness were now replaced by lots of talk - rugby talk.
"Oh yes, he goes on and on about the games with his cousins - we hear all about it."
Joseph has a favourite saying - "we blitz them" he says proudly with a smile.
It is his first season of rugby and at the beginning his parents were a little reluctant given the hip replacement work.
He had fallen off a trampoline and damaged his hip, although it did not seem to be serious as he happily and stoically carried on for three months - until one morning he could not get out of bed.
Tests showed his femur had come away from its socket.
There was a long recuperation after the surgery and the initial plan, as he wanted to start playing sport, was to get him into the less challenging 'ripper' grade. But he was chosen to play prop for the 7th grade side, and never looked back, especially as he had the yellow boots of success on his feet.
Mrs Lilo-Sefo said his 3-year-old brother Mark was also likely to take up the game in years to come.
He practises at home with his little brother who happily holds a tackle bag and ends up on the floor at times.
"But then he has a turn - they love it."
