NARRABEEN, Australia — New Warringah Rats recruit Joelin Rapana's refreshing attitude is

something to behold.

Rapana, who was scheduled to start in his first game with the Rats against Randwick

at Pittwater Park, has just finished his first

Super 14 season with the Western Force.

It's not where pundits were predicting he would end up by the age of 24

when he burst onto the scene with the rugby club Australian Schoolboys in 2004, but

Rapana's football career took a back seat when the devout Mormon took

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time out to complete his voluntary two-year missionary work.

And far from regretting the decision, Rapana credits it for his football

development and cites it as the reason he still has the ambition to be

a Wallaby before his career ends.

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