FORGING a career as a professional sportsman is often all about personal scarifice and self-discipline.

To the vast majority of athletes who are fortunate to have a successful career, dedication to the game revolves around hours in the gym and shunning going out for the regular Friday night pints and curry with their mates.

However, Warriors’ Fijian flanker Netani Talei is a different case altogether as, in order to achieve his dream of playing top-class rugby, he has to spend months on end away from his wife and young family, who remain at home in Fiji.

The powerful loose forward, who scored the key try in Worcester’s 17-9 victory at Sale, has sacrificed more than most in pursuit of his dream.

“I haven’t seen my daughter for months now, but I am so happy to have her and have a baby girl,” the 25-year-old explained. “I also have a three-and-a-half year old boy Jayden.

“I do miss my family — you miss them more every single day. But it means I can focus on my rugby and push harder towards my goal, thinking of them supporting me.

“My family is back in Fiji so I call them several times during the week, I look forward to seeing them again and being a family once more.

“Last season it was really cold so they stayed indoors in Worcester during the winter. Back home they can spend time in Fiji and Australia because it is much better for the new baby with the warmer climate.”

While in Worcester, 6’ 2”, 17-stone Talei likes to spend his free time relaxing with his team-mates and the club’s strong southern hemisphere contingent help to ease the pangs of homesickness.

The 12-cap international, who played for Fiji at the 2007 Rugby World Cup, explained: “In my spare time I like to do lots of sleeping as that helps with my recovery.

“My friends from the team also invite me to their houses for dinner — I often go to visit Shaun Ruwers, Matt Mullan, Sam Tuitupou and the other Pacific Islanders.

“When we have spare time, us guys from the southern hemisphere like to sit aound and chat and reminice about the island lifestyle back home.

“I am really happy that I have the Pacific Island boys and when I do miss home they are around me to help.”

On the field, however, there is no sign of this mild-mannered, softly-spoken persona as Talei forms a formidable back row partnership with club captain Pat Sanderson and former England Saxon Kai Horstmann.

“From my point of view, the youngsters in the back row have been playing really well this season, but the likes of Pat Sanderson and Kai Horstmann can bring more to the team with their experience,” Talei said.

“It is really good for the young guys to be able to learn from Pat, Kai and, to some extent, myself.

“I am really happy with my game and the try I scored at Sale was just a bonus. I am trying to focus on working as part of the team. I’ve had some injuries but I am at the peak of my fitness at the moment.

“It is definitely going to be a massive game for us against Newcastle tonight. They have a big forward pack and it is going to be a real battle up front.”

He added: “Last season was frustrating for me. I had been playing non-stop for 15 or 16 months without a break. I came here trying to impress but it was really hard because my body was tired after playing so much rugby.”

Now his batteries are fully re-charged, Talei can be a huge asset to the Warriors.