LEAGUE greats Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler have expressed their pride after the hotel porter they recruited from Fiji five years ago, Eto Nabuli, was named to make his Wallabies debut this Saturday.

Nabuli will start on the wing against Scotland at Allianz Stadium, capping a meteoric rise from his job at the Intercontinental Hotel in Natadola Bay in 2012 when Fittler and Johns were holding a rugby league clinic for locals.

“He just had something about him, some people have just got a star quality about them and when he smiled I just felt like he had that,” Johns said.

Eto Nabuli has earned a Wallabies call up to take on Scotland. Source: Supplied

“And his build, I thought ‘what an amazing athlete he looks like’. We took him to the park and did some drills with him, had him catching high balls, his hand-eye coordination was unbelievable.

“I am really happy he has got his opportunity for the Wallabies, that is some sort of statement he’s made, that is so good.”

After Penrith Panthers Phil Gould boss signed Nabuli on Fittler and Johns’ recommendation, the winger went on to play for Windsor Wolves and Penrith’s NSW Cup-winning team, before moving to St George Illawarra Dragons where he played 13 NRL games, scoring seven tries.

In 2015, he was poached by Queensland Reds, and 18 months later he becomes a rugby union international.

LISTEN: Iain Payten and Jamie Pandaram review Australia’s win over Fiji and look ahead to the Scotland Test in Sydney

“There is no way in the world I thought this would happen when we first met Eto, and it would never have happened unless Phil Gould took a punt on Freddy’s word,” Johns said.

“It’s just funny how things happen. I hope this will inspire other Fijian kids.

“All the credit has got to go to Eto, I could never imagine how lonely he would have been when he first came over, he left all his family and friends behind.”

Fittler said Nabuli epitomised the notion of seizing opportunity.

“What an outstanding journey Eto has been on,” Fittler said. “There’s nothing like someone taking advantage of a bit of luck.

“Nothing puts a bigger smile on my face than watching Eto play.

“He doesn’t know how to let people down. It’s not in his nature.”

Cheika chose Nabuli to replace injured winger Henry Speight (hamstring) over fellow Fijian-born rivals Marika Koroibete and Sefanaia Naivalu.

“He has just has that little bit more edge during the two weeks we’ve been together,” Cheika said.

“He has really knuckled down with his knowledge and been very enthusiastic as well. He’s a big strong runner. He has merited the opportunity.”

Cheika is grateful to the two league greats who has uncovered his latest Test player.

Fijian hotel porter Eto Nabuli was signed by the Penrith Panthers on the recommendation of Brad Fittler back in 2013. Source: Supplied

“The guy seems to have made his own way, he had that opportunity and he took it in the 13-man game, and he made his own decision to come and play the 15-man game,” Cheika said.

“You could do worse than have those blokes (Johns and Fittler) out talent scouting for you, they’ve obviously got the nose for good talent.

“I would say that his improvement from this year to last year with the Reds has been outstanding. I just think he will have the ability to step up another level.”

It was Cheika’s only change to the starting side that defeated Fiji last weekend, with squad captain Stephen Moore remaining on the bench behind Tatafu Polota-Nau, leaving Michael Hooper to skipper the team again.