Northern Edition

Select Edition

Northern Northern
Southern Southern
Global Global
New Zealand New Zealand
France France

Ex-Wallaby Carter Gordon granted early release to join NRL club Titans

Carter Gordon of Australia lines up a penalty during The Rugby Championship & Bledisloe Cup match between the New Zealand All Blacks and the Australia Wallabies at Forsyth Barr Stadium on August 05, 2023 in Dunedin, New Zealand. (Photo by Peter Meecham/Getty Images)

Former Wallabies flyhalf Carter Gordon has officially completed an early switch from rugby union to the NRL after linking up with the Gold Coast Titans for the remainder of the season.

ADVERTISEMENT

Gordon, 23, stunned Australian rugby fans and made international sporting headlines last month after putting pen to paper with the Queensland rugby league club for the next two years.

But coach Joe Schmidt threw another curveball by leaving Gordon and fellow NRL-bound Wallaby Mark Nawaqanitawase out of the Wallabies squad for the July internationals.

It was reported earlier this week that the duo would be granted an early release from their deals with Rugby Australia, and that has since proven to be the case. The Sydney Roosters confirmed that Nawaqanitawase would join the Tricolours after the Paris Olympics this month.

Gordon trained with the Titans on Wednesday and has begun “his integration” into the club before moving into the top 30 NRL squad from next season. For now, the playmaker is part of their extended squad.

“It’s exciting to be joining early and I’m really eager to come in with an open mind and learn from the squad who have been playing rugby league their whole lives,” Gordon told titans.com.au.

“This game is something I’ve always been interested in, so I’m excited to begin the transition and to get the chance to start training early is something I’m really grateful for.

ADVERTISEMENT

“He’s now started his integration and trained with us this morning as he begins his development and education… but we’re not going to rush him,” coach Des Hasler added on Wednesday.

“It’s certainly beneficial for him and the team in the long run.”

As it was mentioned above, Gordon isn’t the only Super Rugby and Wallabies star making the move to the rival code with Mark Nawaqanitawase penning a two-year deal with the Roosters.

Nawaqanitawase reportedly met with coach Trent Robinson after last year’s Rugby World Cup disaster and the Wallaby put pen to paper for 2025 and 2026 not long after in December.

But before making the move to rugby league, Nawaqaniatwase is focused on the Olympic Games after being unveiled as a surprise inclusion in Australia’s men’s squad on Wednesday. Nawaqaniatwase didn’t play a single event on the SVNS Series but has spent the last fortnight training with the sevens squad.

ADVERTISEMENT

“We’re delighted to announce the 2024 Paris Olympic squad – a squad that we’re confident will represent Australia with pride and performance,” coach John Manenti said.

“The group has over 330 World Series tournaments of experience, five previous Olympians and seven debutants.

“We welcome Corey Toole and Mark Nawaqaniatwase back to the squad, both of whom have had seamless transitions and add an x-factor to our well-established combinations.

“We had a really good two weeks in Fiji and Darwin recently and that along with our solid season has the team really well prepared for Paris.”

ADVERTISEMENT

LIVE

Singapore SVNS | Day 1

Boks Office | Episode 39 | The Investec Champions Cup is back

Argentina v France | HSBC SVNS Hong Kong 2025 | Men's Match Highlights

New Zealand v Australia | HSBC SVNS Hong Kong 2025 | Women's Match Highlights

Tokyo Sungoliath vs Shizuoka BlueRevs | Japan Rugby League One 2024/25 | Full Match Replay

Reds vs Force | Super Rugby W 2025 | Full Match Replay

The Rise of Kenya | The Report

New Zealand in Hong Kong | Brady Rush | Sevens Wonders | Episode 4

The Fixture: How This Rugby Rivalry Has Lasted 59 Years

Trending on RugbyPass

Comments

0 Comments
Be the first to comment...

Join free and tell us what you really think!

Sign up for free
ADVERTISEMENT

Latest Features

Comments on RugbyPass

f
fl 3 hours ago
Why Les Kiss and Stuart Lancaster can lead Australia to glory

“A succession of recent ex-players going straight back into the game as coaches in their early 40’s would prob be enough to kill it stone-dead. Innovation would die a death.”

Would it? I do think one of the major differences between rugby and most other sports - which we’ve been overlooking - is the degree to which players are expected to lead team meetings & analysis sessions and the like. Someone like Owen Farrell has basically been an assistant coach already for ten years - and he’s been so under a variety of different head coaches with different expectations and playing styles.


“The most interesting ppl I have met in the game have all coached well into their sixties and they value the time and opportunity they have had to reflect and therefore innovate in the game. That’s based on their ability to compare and contrast between multiple eras.”

I don’t doubt that that’s true. But having interesting insights doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be the best able to inspire a team, or the best at managing the backroom staff.


“Wayne Smith winning the WWC in his mid sixties three years ago prob means nothing to you but it meant a lot to him. It took him back to the roots of is own coaching journey.”

I don’t doubt that! But I don’t think coaches should be hired on the basis that it means a lot to them.


“The likes of Carlo Ancelotti and Wayne Bennett and Andy Reid all have a tale to tell. You should open your ears and listen to it!”

I agree! Never have I ever suggested otherwise!

176 Go to comments
TRENDING
TRENDING Israel Folau to make rugby return amid Lions snubbing Israel Folau to make rugby return despite mid-week Lions disappointmen
Search