Te'o also believes the lure of playing a truly international game will entice more rugby league players to transfer to rugby after joining Sam Burgess and Krisnan Inu in testing new waters in Europe.

Te'o has started his stint at Leinster and has been given the task of replacing the most capped player in international rugby history – Brian O'Driscoll – as the club's outside-centre.

He has put his hopes of playing at the World Cup next year on the back burner after his first game lasted just 19 minutes before he broke his arm and faces another month on the sideline.

Just six weeks ago Te'o was celebrating the grand final glory of South Sydney's historic premiership win.

But the Queensland State of Origin and Rabbitohs star has swapped Sydney's summer for Dublin's winter to become a "rugby rookie".

"I grew up playing rugby, it was my first love," Te'o said in Dublin.

"I moved to rugby league and fell in love with it, but I always thought to myself, 'I wonder if I could be a good rugby player'.

"I'm not afraid to try it. Maybe I was starting to feel a bit stale in rugby league, maybe I thought it was a bit structured and I wasn't enjoying it as much.

"A few [Australian Super Rugby clubs] didn't think I was serious about playing rugby, but here I am on the other side of the world. It was time to give rugby a go."

Te'o spoke with new Wallabies coach Michael Cheika about joining the NSW Waratahs and the 27-year-old says his preference was to play Super Rugby in Australia.

But when clubs doubted his commitment to the sport, it only fuelled his desire to make the move a success and Cheika put him in contact with Leinster.

Te'o will be in the crowd when the Wallabies play Ireland at Lansdowne Road, watching two of his former housemates – Israel Folau and Rob Kearney – go head to head as fullbacks.

It's a world away from the bright lights of the NRL, but Te'o said his time in Dublin had opened his eyes to a new international game where "no one knows who Johnathan Thurston is".

"I'm back at the bottom of the ladder here, I'm just trying to train well and earn my spot. I'm still learning the game, I'm a rookie again," Te'o said.

"That's fine with me, it's all part of the experience. It's weird, no one knows who Johnathan Thurston is, or Cooper Cronk. It's pretty crazy for me to hear that.

"[NRL players] are always going to get curious, Jarryd Hayne is trying it, guys went to the AFL and rugby is a bit of an easier transition."

Te'o says it's only a coincidence that he and South Sydney teammate Sam Burgess ended up making the move to rugby union at the same time.

European rugby clubs can offer rich contracts and the chance to travel to multiple countries compared with the grind of the NRL.

Former Parramatta, Warriors and Bulldogs centre Krisnan Inu also made the switch this year while Jarryd Hayne is testing the NFL market in the United States and Folau and Karmichael Hunt have played AFL.

"I can probably see it happening more, it's not until you leave league that you see what rugby is worldwide. This game is big and there are a lot of opportunities.

"It's a bid deal in the northern hemisphere, I didn't realise that until I got here."

Te'o qualifies as eligible to play international rugby for Australia, England and New Zealand.

Te'o holds a British passport because his mother was born and raised in London, and he hasn't given up hope of winning a spot in the England squad next year.

But his immediate focus is on learning the intricacies of rugby after injury halted his rapid progress.

Te'o tried to play on with a broken arm in his Leinster debut earlier this month and the club views him as the perfect man to replace O'Driscoll, who retired last season after 141 Tests and 180 caps for Leinster.

"I don't see any comparisons between [myself and O'Driscoll], he's on his own level as a legend of this game," Te'o said.

"I'm coming from another code with a total different skill set, we couldn't be any more different. So I don't feel pressure because I'm coming to learn and excel, but not fill anyone's shoes.

"Legends always retire, but the guy who steps into the position next doesn't necessarily fill those shoes. I'm just a guy coming in to add what I can.

"I probably wonder myself sometimes, am I going to be successful? There will probably be a bit of doubt in my own mind until I string some games together and feel like I belong.

"To talk about a World Cup is pretty far-fetched for me. But to play in one would be amazing. It's more of a reason to play hard and train hard, and maybe one day make it."