An exclusive interview with Ale Lopeti
Q: You’ve been playing rugby for 7 years, and 4 of those were spent at NOLA Gold. What’s been the biggest change for you over the years regarding your game or mindset?
Ale Lopeti: In the four years I’ve been with NOLA, it’s changed how I look at rugby. The years before, I was playing rugby just to play. It was for fun. So, getting to New Orleans, learning small details of the game, and trying to execute everything is very different from when I started out. Overall, it has opened my eyes to the game even more and increased my knowledge of it.
Q: Ale, you sealed the win with that late try and pushed the final score to 33-19. How did it feel to be the one to break through after such a tense back-and-forth?
Ale Lopeti: Getting that last score meant a lot to me. It made me feel excited, especially coming off of 5 losses before. Just for us to secure that win brought my confidence up a lot. Going into some of the other games, my confidence levels weren’t as high, but after getting that try, it boosted me to keep going. I got that last-minute try, so I know I just have to keep pushing and stay on top of it. It made me excited also because, in the hooker position, you have the opportunity to get tries, but it was more rewarding that I had to work hard for that one. It was even better because we needed that try for our bonus point, so with the score, we went from 8th to 4th in our conference.
Q: You said you looked forward to being “stuck in the mud with the boys.” How do you feel the team’s momentum has shifted after coming out with a win? Are you getting out of the mud?
Ale Lopeti: I think we’re still getting out of the mud right now. We’re still building ourselves within each other, getting that A1 chemistry with every player, and trying to ball out as a team. However, Coach Danny has us in a good position to get us out of the mud, so we’re on the right track.
Q: Scrums can get intense, with much pressure on you to provide stability. How do you maintain focus and composure during a scrum, especially when the game is on the line?
Ale Lopeti: I would say to be focused, I just look at my props. Whoever it is, if it’s Harmon on my left or Salmon on my right. My two props are those who calm me down. I must admit I’m hotheaded, so if I’m going into a scrum and the opposition is looking at me funny, I can get off track. That was more in past years, though, so now, when I look at my teammates, they help ground me and keep me cool, allowing me to just go through with the process. My props and I say this short mantra: our height, our hit, our scrum, and then we can go. My focus is there, and I can maintain all 8 of my guys to keep building that pressure and win that hit so we can get that ball back for us and just play on.
Q: What is the team most focused on preparation-wise against Old Glory DC?
Ale Lopeti: I would say everybody is just focused on nailing their individual roles. Everyone has to nail down their job and worry about executing it so we can all be in sync, come together for the bigger picture, and hopefully win.
Q: You’re from Hayward, California. Was rugby a big part of your childhood growing up there? What drew you to the sport?
Ale Lopeti: Rugby was really big where I’m from, in the Bay area, in general, it’s a big deal. What drew me to the sport, though, was my Dad. Growing up, my dad was trying to get us into football, a typical American family, trying to ball out on football. But then my dad saw me and my brother and how we weren’t only football players, so he said, let’s try rugby. He played rugby, and he taught us the game growing up. When I was a little kid, we’d have to wake up or stay up til 3:00 in the morning to watch the New Zealand and South African games, so my dad brought us to the sport, and the rest is history.
Q: What do you think makes you a great teammate?
Ale Lopeti: If I’m being honest, I would just say it’s my energy and my personality. I’m a people person, so I like to make everybody’s day better if I can and make somebody smile by just being me.
Q: Going from being a prop to a hooker, how has the transition been? Which position do you think better suits you?
Ale Lopeti: It’s a big transition. I think being a hooker suits me better because, growing up, I’ve always known I’m fast and agile. I could do everything on the field. When I was a prop, as a big boy, you can’t do as much. I was just taking up the ball and putting my body on the line. As a hooker, you get to be free, get the ball, make plays, dish out passes, and you have more space on the field to run as a hooker than if you were a prop where if you have the ball, you’re getting immediately hit. So agility-wise, the positions are very different, and how I contribute to the team feels different, too.
Q: Walk me through your routine on matchday.
Ale Lopeti: On a matchday, I try to treat it like a regular day. I don’t want to hype myself up too much early on. I start my day by making breakfast and having coffee in my backyard to chill and see how the weather is. After that, I usually chill in my living room and watch rugby if it’s on. When it’s an hour or two before I need to go into the stadium, I take an hour nap, and then I head in. Right before I go into the stadium, I usually grab a coffee, too. Matchdays are just a regular day for me.
Q: How do you plan to celebrate your 25th birthday on Saturday?
Ale Lopeti: I’m not a huge birthday person. I take the day as getting told “Happy Birthday” from people, and that’s it. This year, it’s different for me. Finding out that we have a game on my birthday and then I’m on the roster, it excites me. I’m ready to ball out and take this W away from Old Glory. Once we get that win, it’ll be an even better night out with the boys. Winning really would be the best birthday gift.
Rapid fire questions
What fashion trend do you hate?
I would say baggy clothes.
What is your go-to hype song?
Skrilla by Kodak Black. Everything I hear from back home gets me hyped up, but it’s a little crazier.
If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?
I would say time-traveling if that would be considered a superpower.
What is your favorite childhood movie?
That’s tough. I would say either Spy Kids or The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl.
Would you rather explore space but never return to Earth or explore the deep sea but never return to land?
I’d like to explore the deep sea.
Stay tuned for more exclusive Gold Talk interviews as we follow NOLA GOLD’s journey through the season! Plus, don’t miss out on the action—get your tickets now and cheer on NOLA GOLD at their next home match!
