North Queensland winger Murray Taulagi says he gave lengthy consideration to playing for Samoa before accepting a call-up from Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga.
Taulagi was selected in Meninga's Australian Rugby League World Cup squad on Monday, bucking the trend of players switching their allegiance to their respective Pacific nations.
Junior Paulo, Brian To'o and Joseph Suaalii all knocked back approaches from Meninga and have chosen to play for Matt Parish's Samoa side.
It has given hope that Samoa might cause a seismic upset at the showpiece tournament in England.
Taulagi, who scored 17 tries in 25 games for his club this season, said he nearly joined them, having intimated to Parish last month that he was open to declaring for the Pacific nation.
But when Meninga came calling not long after, Taulagi said the offer was too good to turn down.
"You get a bit nervous, him being Big Mal is just a bit nerve-wracking," Taulagi told AAP.
"He (Parish) had called me earlier on and I said I'd be keen.
"Australia obviously came knocking and I said that's where my preference would be, Matt understood that as well.
"I didn't think the opportunity to play for Australia would come around again, so I wanted to give back because this country has done a lot for me."
The winger said the speculation over his international selection created "head noise" in the build-up to the Cowboys' preliminary final loss to Parramatta.
He also consulted his Samoan parents and older brother JJ - a Samoan rugby union international - over his decision.
Taulagi has been joined in Meninga's squad by club teammate and fellow Samoa-eligible back-rower Jeremiah Nanai.
Fellow Cowboys Reuben Cotter and Valentine Holmes are also part of the Kangaroos set-up who will leave Sydney this week in preparation for their World Cup opener against Fiji in Leeds on Saturday, October 15 (Sunday AEDT).
"It's just board shorts and singlets in Townsville so I'll have to do a bit of online shopping before I get over," he said.
"We've got a good crew going over there.
"We're all very close together at the Cows and I'm very excited to be alongside them."
