Canberra Raiders star Joey Leilua says the "sad" demise of the City-Country fixture made it easy for him to put family heritage first for a chance to play for Samoa.
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The State of Origin hopeful will use Samoa's clash against England to press his claims for a NSW Blues jersey after opting to play for the island nation instead of earning his second City cap.
The City-Country match to be played in Mudgee on Saturday descended into a farce earlier this week when more than 50 players reportedly made themselves unavailable for the game.
It's a sad end to a game which was once regarded as a genuine State of Origin trial for NSW players.
Leilua still hopes his form will be good enough for him to win a Blues spot, but he said he was relishing the opportunity to join Samoa ahead of a World Cup campaign at the end of the year.
"It was always going to be Samoa for me this weekend," Leilua said.
"It's pretty sad how City-Country used to be a trial where both teams had to play well and then the standouts would get picked in the Origin side.
"But it seems like that has gone out the door these days and I'm happy to put my focus on Samoa because half of the [NSW] squad doesn't even play in the match.
"I remember growing up watching it and seeing the best players go at it. My plan is to play well for Samoa this week and then play well for the Raiders. Whatever comes after that, I'll take it."
Leilua and Junior Paulo will team up for Samoa to play against Raiders teammates Elliott Whitehead and Josh Hodgson in the battle against England.
Leilua has played eight games for Samoa after making his debut as a 22-year-old at the 2013 World Cup.
He was part of the Samoan side which beat England in 2014 and hopes the squad, which also boasts Anthony Milford, Sam Kasiano and Antonio Winterstein, can cause another upset.
"It's always a privilege to play for this jersey ... there's a lot of passion and a lot of boys get emotional when you hear that anthem," Leilua said.
"You're playing for your family and heritage, that's why it's so easy for us to lift when we pull the jersey on. My parents were born in Samoa, they taught me the culture and the heritage.
"That's how I was raised and that's why I love playing for this team. It's always good to be a part of a heritage that means so much to my family."
Leilua has scored six tries in nine games for the Raiders this year as part of a devastating combination with winger Jordan Rapana, but some still doubt Leilua's ability to step on to the representative stage.
"I thought he's been in fine form and it's a bit upsetting for him [not to be picked for Australia], but it's good for us I guess," said Rapana, who played for New Zealand on Friday night.
"I hope he really carves up. He was very unlucky to miss out on a spot in the Aussie team so hope he kills it."
Leilua is unfazed by the looming State of Origin series and the hype surround his NSW potential.
"I don't get caught up in that, I don't even think about it," Leilua said.
"I just want to play well for Samoa because I'm so excited about what this team can do. We can honestly be anything because the players are so willing to play for each other.
"We play for the love for Samoa. Love for the nation ... it's not about the coin, just enjoying each other's company."
PACIFIC TEST MATCH
Saturday: Samoa v England at Campbelltown Stadium, 7.40pm. TV time: Live on Fox Sports 2.
