Sitaleki Akauola delivers fruit and veg during coronavirus pandemic

The couple, who married in Sydney last October, have selflessly volunteered their time during the coronavirus enforced UK lockdown delivering fruit and vegetables to people who have not been able to leave their homes.

They have linked up with Rob Leicester’s market store Warrington Fruit and Veg, an official supplier to Warrington Wolves too.

Sitaleki and Reanne after they announced their engagement

“Reanne had mentioned she’d seen on the internet that Rob was doing a specific amount of deliveries per day and thought that he would need help delivering them,” said Sita, a former Penrith Panthers prop who is in his third season with The Wire and has also revealed this week his secret love for all things Disney!

“I said straightaway give Rob a message that we’d help out in any way.

“We’ve been delivering on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and then Friday at the hospital to drop off some fruit and veg there.

Sitaleki Akauola with Rob Leicester

“It’s pretty much load the vehicle and deliver around Warrington – just knocking on the door, leaving the fruit and veg at the door and then giving them a wave from the road to make sure they’ve got it.

“I think everyone’s got a part to play in all of this, as a town and as a community. This is a great time for us to come together and help each other.

“We’re trying to do our bit, rather than just staying within our four walls. It’s nice to be able to share some love among the community.

“We’re all human, we all live the same life, and sometimes you’ve just got to put it aside and unite with people who are doing it tougher than we are.

“It makes my day when I see the people we deliver to smile. There’s a few Warrington fans who’s doors I’ve knocked on, and it’s absolutely class seeing their smiles in all of this going on.

“One of my highlight deliveries was when I rang a door bell the tone was from The Little Mermaid. That was pretty cool because I’m a Disney fan.”

He is not the only Warrington Wolves player helping out in the community, of course, and he said he is proud of all of his teammates’ efforts, as well as those of key workers.

His link to Rob’s fruit and veg store goes back to when he first arrived in the country from Australia.

Sitaleki Akauola representing Penrith Panthers before joining The Wire. Picture: Naparazzi Sports

“We did a promo at his fruit and veg shop. Afterwards, as he was closing down, he told me to pack some fruit and veg to take home,” said the New Zealand-born 28-year-old.

“And as a joke I was packing heaps of bags of different kinds of fruit and veg that I didn’t know of. I was only joking around, but Rob being the guy he is he told me to take it home. It just goes to show how much of a nice guy he is.

“He says this is the busiest time he’s ever had. He wasn’t doing deliveries before this. This is a whole new challenge for him but it’s a challenge he loves just being able to help people. It’s a good thing for him, and it’s a good thing what he’s doing for the community to continue to try and get them their fresh veggies and fruits.

“At this time, you’ve got people who are too scared to leave home and for him to be among it all is good.

“It’s been good for me and Reanne too so that we can just get out of the house and go for a drive.

“It’s good that there are other companies out there too who are trying to make life easier for everyone in Warrington and around the world.”

Sita said he had downloaded an app to help with directions around town to deliver the fruit and veg.

He is grateful for modern technology for other reasons too.

“Technology’s so helpful for keeping in touch with family and the amount of time we can spend ‘together’," he said.

"It’s almost like they’re in the next room, or right next to me, and that’s really helpful. Thank God for technology.

“It was my dad’s 70th birthday last week and we had a family Zoom session.

"I come from a big family that’s all over the place. People were Zooming in from New Zealand, Australia and England and we sung happy birthday to him and blew cake candles out for him.

“We had plans for him to go back to Tonga for his 70th birthday, but I think he enjoyed this present better because he got to see everyone."

He said spending extra time with his wife and catching up with family was a positive among everything that's going on in the world right now including not having rugby league matches to focus on since the suspension in mid-March.

And he said the uncertainty of not knowing when the season will resume has played on his mind a little at times.

“The first two weeks without the rugby were the toughest," he said.

"My feet were just itching to get out there and play footy. It was just weird not being smashed by someone for three weeks in a row.

“But come to think of it, the best thing we can do in this time now as rugby players is to sit down and reflect on our lives and think about what we’re going to do after footy.

“Like things that we can improve on. Just think about all that stuff while the body’s recovering. That’s the good thing about the quarantine now is for our bodies to recover, but I really can’t wait to get back out on the field.

“I’ve been thinking about how important it is as players to just sit back and spend time with family because it's something we possibly took for granted a little.

"We used to be too tired after training and not having much time after training. I think that’s one big thing for us as players, that we've had time to spend with each other and catching up with family back home. That’s been amazing."

When he's not been training at home, or delivering fruit and veg, Sita has devoted some time to his creative artistry – making amusing TikTok videos (check him out, search his name on the phone app) and also playing music.

“Another thing I’ve been doing is practicing on the keyboard and guitar," he revealed.

“I learned the guitar growing up, whereas the keyboard is something I’ve always wanted to play.

"The keyboard was one of the first things I got when I came over but I haven’t played it in a while so this isolation period has got me on the piano and learning songs.

“The next challenge for me is to sing while playing the piano, though I'm not saying I'm a singer!

“I like worship music. It’s just really nice when you play and sing.

“Other than worship music, I like Alicia Keys, Calum Scott and a few Disney songs. I’m coming out clean, I love my Disney!”