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‘I just want to win’: Wallaby Mark Nawaqanitawase discusses NRL move
Wallabies wing Mark Nawaqanitawase has opened up about the “tough decision” to leave Australian rugby behind after signing a two-year deal with NRL heavyweights the Sydney Roosters from 2025.
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Nawaqanitawase, 23, was a shining light for the Wallabies during an otherwise dark and gloomy 18-month period under two different coaches.
After being handed a Test debut by Dave Rennie in 2022, Nawaqanitawase continued to shine in Wallaby gold under former coach Eddie Jones. The wing scored two tries at last year’s World Cup, too, which offered fans a glimmer of hope for the future.
Mark Nawaqanitawase hopes his decision to sign with the Roosters won’t cost him his Wallabies jersey.
The Waratahs winger is still determined to make his mark in the 15-man code, before joining the NRL’s glamour club. @ZacBailey14 #9News pic.twitter.com/JYQg5Js6pE
— 9News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) January 22, 2024
But towards the backend of a disastrous year for the Wallabies, Australian rugby was dealt another tough blow as Nawaqanitawase made the decision to leave the sport behind.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson and chairman Nick Politis met with the Wallaby in Sydney after the World Cup disaster. That meeting clearly impressed both parties with Nawaqanitawase inking a deal with the Tricolours from next year.
“I’ve been here at the Tahs and around Rugby Australia for the past five years so it’s been everything,” Nawaqanitawase told Nine News. “It’s going to be sad walking away.
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“It was a tough decision to make but at the time I had to do what was right for me.”
Nawaqanitawase’s first Test match was Australia’s shocking loss to Italy in Florence. It didn’t get much better for the Wallabies from there, either.
While Australia showed plenty of fight in the loss to Ireland a week later, they needed a Nawaqanitawase masterclass to avoid a defeat to Wales in Cardiff. The wing scored a quick double as the visitors mounted a memorable comeback at Principality Stadium.
Dave Rennie was replaced by Eddie Jones the following January, and while that appointment seemed like a step in the right direction, the Wallabies only won two of nine Tests in 2023.
Nawaqanitawase has only won three of 11 Tests in Wallaby gold.
“I just want to win,” Nawaqanitawase said. “I just want to win some games and I’d love to win a World Cup if I get the chance.”
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Rugby Australia have secured the services of their third Wallabies head coach in as many years with former Ireland boss Joe Schmidt stepping into the role.
Schmidt was unveiled as the Wallabies’ newest rugby guru at a press conference at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium last Friday which sets up an exciting 18 months before the British and Irish Lions Tour.
While Nawaqanitawase has penned a deal with the Roosters from the 2025 season, the speedster is hopeful that the decision won’t impact his chances of making the Wallabies this year.
“That’s a decision for (the coaches) to make.
“I hope they still pick me which I think they will if it all works out.
“No bad blood. Obviously, I still have to perform to the level to be there.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Amazing. The losing team’s ratings are higher than the winning team’s. Mallia definitely didn’t deserve a y. What game were you watching? Should have got a w or an x. ADP hardly featured in that second half. At one point I wondered when he’d been subbed. Seems to me as if he gets an automatic 9 just for getting onto the team sheet.
1 Go to commentsI’m sorry. That second half was far from enthralling. It was painful to watch.
1 Go to commentsVery generous! If you’d missed the game, reading this you’d conclude that it was the Quins front row that cost them the game. Marler getting a blanket 6 for his demented contribution to the game. Puzzling.
1 Go to commentsCan’t see Toulouse beating Leinster at this rate.
7 Go to commentsADP was having a very average game until winning that penalty for Toulouse, sticking his big head in the way. “The head of God”?
7 Go to commentsHarlequins doing their best to do as little damage as possible with all the possession. Looks like they skipped catch and pass drills this week.
7 Go to commentsSeeing pictures of Jacques high-fiving it with Irish players breaks my heart. Too soon. I need more time.
1 Go to commentsquins is all over the place. The minute they get the ball they panic. Quins can still win tho just need to win all rucks otherwise just don't bother.
7 Go to commentsGreat wins for the male & female kiwi sides. Ireland not far away..
1 Go to commentsWhy is this dude getting so much coverage? Usually knobs like this get cancelled.
2 Go to commentsWow. What was that? A 3 million word meandering article about what exactly?
2 Go to commentsNice piece of writing. And yes the Sharks pulled a rabbit from the hat and were a little lucky with that penalty try that wasn’t given… however the Sharks (with their resources) should be way more consistent and should be putting teams like Claremont away for breakfast. I expect more from them and hope they kick on now.
8 Go to commentsJust what the Sharks needed to get things going in the right direction Defence on the outside really creates havoc for the whole team and needs to be addressed.
8 Go to commentsWell done guys both teams will be ready to play knockout rugby.
1 Go to commentsSurprised that Ramos isn't starting at 15. But what a squad of galacticos!
2 Go to commentsWhy is it a snub? What journalistic garbage is that? Sure the guy is a great player, but there are plenty of loose forwards and not all of them can be Springboks. Also, I know of no-one who doubts Rassie’s judgment. South Africa has a conveyor belt of loose forwards that just keeps producing, so the competition is intense. I certainly wish him well, but there is no entitlement and there is no snub.
17 Go to commentsSkelton may be brought back for the Wallabies so that would be the only reason that may hinder Wilson. Easily the form, most skilful and game IQ of any Oz 8. Valentini’s best and favourite position is 6, but lineouts may be an issue with Skelton, Valentini and Wilson. Will be interesting what Schmidt goes for but for me Wilson should be picked on form. Schmidt rewards work rate, skill and consistency. All that glitters every so often won’t be in contention. Greely is one of those players that has a knack of making the right decision. A coach is going to love him because he knows week in week out he’s going to get the job done. The second try Greely wasn’t the guy who made the initial break it was Flook, Greely was at the bottom of the ruck when Flook was off along the sideline. Greely got up and made the effort to catch up with play but also read the play nicely and hit the pass from Campbell at pace and then held the pass beautifully to Ryan.
6 Go to commentsSpot on Ben. Dead right. Havili looked great at 10. Easily the highest rugby IQ of any NZ player these days. Getting a kick charged down is a result of getting used to adjusting your depth to the line at 10, which he will sort out with time. But other than that it was an outstanding first effort in that position this year. I think the NZ media has misunderstood this directive from Razor. Havili might rank behind B Barrett this year, but Beuden is 33 this month and won't last much longer. DMaC is great but flaky and not really a test match animal (his efforts in Dunedin versus Aus last year for example). If Razor can't have Mounga, DMaC is too unstructured for Razor (and is just too small for test rugby). Havili will end up our first choice first five, and in partnership with Jodie will be excellent. Two triple threat operators in tandem, and big bodies and tough tacklers to boot. Jordoe will be the ABs goal kicker. I am an Aucklander and Blues (and Warriors) fan, but Havili at 10 is going to be sensational in time… he can be the best first five in the world by the end of this year. No question.
6 Go to commentsSharks deserved to be far further back by the last quarter. Their tackling was awful, their set pieces were disappointing, their defensive organization was poor (especially on the Kok side of the D line), they kept making unnecessary errors, and they never looked like cracking the Clermont defense during those first 60m. Masuku kept them in touch, with some help from the Clermont generosity on penalty opportunities. Agree with the writer of this article. It was belligerence, and ability to raise their pressure game just enough, that turned the last quarter into a Bok-style shutout. Clermont have a reputation of not playing the full 80m, and there was a bit of that for sure. But, quite often when the intensity of a team drops off in the last quarter credit is due to the opponent for tiring them out. At 60m, with the Kok try, you thought that just maybe the game was on. At 70m, with the Mapimpi contribution, one felt that Clermont were fading, while facing a team that would maintain the pressure game through the final whistle. Good win in the end, but the Sharks are still playing way below their potential. And with their resources, and a coach that has had enough time to figure things out, they are running out of excuses.
8 Go to commentsGood riddance
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