Israel Folau, Quade Cooper, Sonny Bill Williams, Ardie Savea among top names eyed up by NRL clubs - report
Former Wallabies star Israel Folau could return to the NRL as early as this year with at least one club in Australia’s premier rugby league competition reportedly set to make an inquiry about the cross-code star’s services.
According to a report from the Sydney Morning Herald, an unnamed club is preparing to approach Folau with a deal that would see him return to Australian rugby league for the first time since 2010.
The 31-year-old had his multi-million dollar contract with Rugby Australia torn up last year after he made posts on social media in what the organisation denounced as homophobic.
After receiving an undisclosed payout from RA following a lengthy legal battle which concluded in December, Folau switched back to rugby league by signing with France-based Super League club, the Catalan Dragons.
The UK league competition is currently suspended, however, with the coronavirus outbreak bringing the tournament to a halt after seven rounds of action.
The NRL is in a similar situation after their competition was postponed after just two rounds, despite resistance from the league’s officials.
An optimistic return date of May 28 has subsequently been set by NRL bosses, potentially with a shortened 13-week competition.
That would allow clubs one month to approach Folau to gauge an interest in returning to Australian rugby league before the competition’s transfer deadline of June 30.
The 73-test Wallaby made his first foray into professional sport when he made his NRL debut as a 17-year-old with the Melbourne Storm in 2007, before going on to join the Brisbane Broncos two years later.
Whether or not he would be welcomed back into the NRL is another question, though, with Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V’Landys among those to publicly condemn Folau’s homophobic comments last year.
“The comments of Israel are not inclusive,” V’landys said. “Israel has to understand he is a role model … he has a duty. When I was at school and kids used to get bashed up because they were different, I used to go and defend them. I have no tolerance for people who put other people’s lives into violence or whatever.”
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However, the SMH claims that there is growing support for a Folau return within NRL clubs, with 40 percent of club chairs and chief executives saying they would welcome the eight-test Kangaroo back into the competition under strict conditions in a poll undertaken by the newspaper prior to the season.
The former Queensland State of Origin star isn’t the only high-profile cross-code prospect being eyed up by the NRL.
The SMH also reports that former 70-test Wallabies first-five Quade Cooper would be willing to discuss a short-term deal with an NRL club if given the blessing by his current rugby union team, the Kintetsu Liners.
Cooper has been playing in Japan’s second-tier Top Challenge League alongside long-time teammate and halves partner Will Genia following a season-long stint with the Melbourne Rebels last season.
The 32-year-old has returned to Brisbane in recent times, though, and has been training alongside Broncos forward Tevita Pangai Jr at the club’s facilities in Red Hill.
Less than a week after hitting the headlines with a miraculous behind-the-back trick pass shared on social media, @QuadeCooper is causing another stir.https://t.co/jt3y0V9RHB
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) April 11, 2020
Cooper has previously spoken of his desire to play in the NRL, and attracted interest from the Melbourne Storm and Parramatta Eels in the early stages of his career.
The 2011 Super Rugby winner reignited talk of a possible code switch last December when he appeared on The Ice Project podcast, hosted by former New Zealand and Cook Islands rugby league representative Isaac John.
“I wouldn’t mind playing NRL either, just for one season or even just come and do some training with the lads to see what it is like,” Cooper said at the time. “If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. I am happy with what I have been able to achieve, but if the opportunity arose I would love to do it.”
The SMH suggested Cooper could be used at either five-eighth or fullback by the Broncos, depending on how they want to utilise star playmaker Anthony Milford.
Iconic jersey that 🤤 https://t.co/JkRcI0dCFc
— Quade Cooper (@QuadeCooper) April 7, 2020
All Blacks star Ardie Savea also used John’s podcast to express his interest in moving to rugby league earlier this year.
“Strategically I would want to go to a team that was dominating, like the Storm or Roosters,” Savea said in February. “One hundred percent I want to play rugby league, I think they do a lot more in terms of off the field stuff … and also, just a new challenge. I want to test myself.
“Learning a whole new game and seeing if I can dominate, or play the way I play in union, that excites me. Seeing guys like Sonny [Bill Williams] do it kind of plays on my mind a bit.”
The Hurricanes loose forward’s deal with New Zealand Rugby expires at the end of 2021, but the SMH reports that Savea could use the COVID-19 outbreak as an opportunity to try out rugby league in a short-term capacity, with huge doubts surrounding the feasibility of both Super Rugby and international fixtures this year.
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The newspaper also indicated that Savea could be joined by former All Blacks teammate Williams, who switched back to rugby league for the third time in his decorated career late last year after signing a two-season, $10 million deal with Super League newcomers, the Toronto Wolfpack.
Sandwiched between two World Cup-winning campaigns with the All Blacks, the 34-year-old won NRL premierships with the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Sydney Roosters in 2004 and 2013, respectively.
Williams, Savea, Cooper and Folau were among a raft of names from both union and league tossed up as potential targets for NRL clubs by the SMH.
Other individuals named by the Australian media outlet includes Wallabies utility back Kurtley Beale, former England and British and Irish Lions midfielder Ben Te’o and cross-code Waratahs star Karmichael Hunt.
Comments on RugbyPass
Sometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
9 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
9 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
9 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
9 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
9 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
41 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to commentsResults probably skewed by the fact that a few clubs have foreign fly halves in their 30s, but most teams have young English scrum halves. Results also likely to be skewed by the fact that many teams rely on centres and fullbacks to provide depth at 10, whereas they will need to stock a large number of specialist backup 9s.
1 Go to commentsI really get the sense that when all is said and done, the path of least resistance will end up being a merger of Wasps & Worcester that essentially kills the Worcester Warriors brand and sees Wasps permanently playing at Sixways. I’m not saying that’s what should happen or what I want to happen. I just think it’s the easiest rout to take and therefore, will be what happens. Wasps will definitely return to play first, and I suppose it all depends on if they can find support at Sixways. If people turn up and support Wasps in that community, at that ground, I bet they drop the Sevenoaks plan and just remain at Sixways. Under the radar but not totally unrelated, it looks as though London Irish are going to be brought back from the dead by a German consortium and look set to return, likely to the remade Championship. It’s set to have 12 clubs next season with 14 in 2025/26, what do you want to bet those extra 2 are Wasps and London Irish?
3 Go to commentsThe shoulder is a “joint” with multiple bones. You don’t “fracture” a shoulder, you fracture any one or more of the bones that make up a shoulder.
2 Go to commentsOh dear, bones too suspect to continue?
2 Go to commentsBold headline considering the Canes and Blues are 1 and 2 and the Brumbies were soundly beaten by the Chiefs and Blues. Biggest surprise is Rebels 4 Crusaders 12 - no one saw that coming. If Aus are improving that’s great 👍
3 Go to commentsAnna, You are right, we need to have patience whilst the others catch up to England and France. Also it is the PWR that has been the game changer for England. the RFU put money into that initially at the expense of the Red Roses. I was sceptical at first but it has paid off in spades.
1 Go to comments