Warriors front-row Ofa Fainga’anuku is eyeing a spot in the Tonga squad ahead of the 2015 World Cup in England.
The giant prop picked up his third Test cap for Tonga earlier this summer after appearing off the bench against Fiji in Lautoka, despite having not featured for his country since June 2012.
But after impressing towards the end of last season for Warriors, he was rewarded with a call-up from his national side and the loosehead is hungry for more international action.
He said: “I felt very blessed to be called-up. I’d been missing out through selection and injury but I was delighted to get back in the squad.
“It was a new coach from the previous tours I was part of and I had to make an impression with him.
“To be in the picture was a step forward for me and hopefully now I can achieve my aim of getting into that World Cup squad in 2015.
“I want to be in the picture for Tonga but that means putting my best foot forward for Warriors because that will enable me to reach my international goals.”
With a tough pre-season currently in place for Fainga’anuku and his fellow Warriors, the Tongan believes he is in the best shape he has ever been in, thanks to the current regime.
He continued: “This pre-season is really tough. It’s probably the hardest one I’ve been through but I’m benefiting and I’m probably the fittest I’ve ever been.
“I think there’s still a lot more hard work to be done. The rugby is starting to integrate so we can start concentrating on those specifics of our different positions.
“My target this season is to play as many as games as I can and we want to get straight back to the Premiership where this club belongs.”
And with a fresh look to the backroom and playing staff at Sixways, the powerful prop insists it is down to the players to play their part.
He added: “There have been a lot of good changes from last year. Now it’s up to us players.
“We need to use all the facilities and resources around us to ensure we play well individually and to hopefully gel as a team.”