Tahs debutant Simone says sacrifice worth it after leaving league

"Dad was telling me to go back home to New Zealand after I left Souths," Simone said. "I said: 'Give me one more year'. That's when I made the switch to rugby union. My dad said: 'OK, you go, but if it doesn't work out, come home'."

Simone's father dreamed of playing professional rugby but never made it. An abrasive back-rower for Counties Manukau, Laauli once came up against Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson in the National Provincial Championship - now known as the Mitre 10 Cup - but never made it to the next level.

Simone, like his father, had boyhood ambitions of becoming an All Black, but watched more rugby league and showed great flair as a youngster growing up in Auckland. Shortly after his 18th birthday, Simone made the tough decision to pack his bags and move to Sydney to take up a contract with South Sydney. Despite racking up 19 tries in 36 games for the Rabbitohs under-20s side, a disillusioned Simone walked away from league 12 months ago, admitting he suffered from depression during that period. It is a sensitive topic, especially given the events of the last week, but one Simone wants to speak about now he is in a better headspace.

"Going through that stage it made me a better person and it made me realise that there's more to life," Simone said. "I take that stuff really seriously. Having seen a lot of guys take their life ... it tears me a bit. I just get sad every time I hear it. It's something so powerful and it needs to stop.

"It's easy to put on a mask in front of someone else and just come outside of the doors and be a normal person but we can't see what's happening behind closed doors. That's the dangerous thing." After some dark days, Simone was thrown a lifeline by Northern Suburbs in the Shute Shield.

From there, Simone became an instrumental figure in the Norths side that broke a 41-year premiership drought before becoming NRC Player of the Year which led to a Waratahs contract, all in the space of a few months.

So how did his father react?

"He actually cried," Simone said. "He had no words, he couldn't speak. It made me tear up as well. I'm not just doing it for myself, I'm doing it for my whole family.

"There was something so special about that for me. He didn't get to Super Rugby but for me to follow in his footsteps as well is an amazing feeling. I've done my dad proud and I'm glad he's still alive to see me going on. He's one of the guys I'm doing this for."

You can only imagine Simone's father's reaction when he learned his son would start at inside-centre for the Waratahs in their season-opener against the Western Force on Saturday.

The No.12 jersey was there for the taking in pre-season given Kurtley Beale is now out of the picture, plying his trade in Britain.

Simone said he was quietly confident when Gibson began reading out the starting team this week but wasn't prepared for the sense of accomplishment that overcame him when his hopes were confirmed.

"I had a lot of things going through my mind when he said it, thinking about the tough times that got me to where I am at the moment," Simone said. "It brought back a lot of memories where I could have been this time last year. It's a dream come true. I have a lot of things to be grateful for. From moving here by myself, leaving my family, little things and to say I've made it ... my journey is about to start."

The 21-year-old said he would do everything in his power to cement a spot in the NSW backline as the middleman between five-eighth Bernard Foley, once he returns from concussion, and outside-centre Israel Folau.

"It's a huge privilege to be selected in the No.12 jersey and follow in the footsteps of Kurtley Beale," Simone said. "It is big shoes I have to fill but I'm willing to take the challenge ... I'll do whatever it takes. It boosts my confidence up that I get to play with some of the greatest players in the world."