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
I 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?
1 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 👍
1 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 commentsI think Matt Proctor became a 1 test AB in the same fixture. Cameron is quality and has been great this season, can’t believe’s he only 27. Realistically how would he not be selected for ABs squad this year. Only Dmac is ahead of him as a specialist 10. With Jordan out, it will come down to where and when Beauden Barrett slots back in, and where they want to play Ruben Love. Cameron seems an absolute lock in for the wider squad though. Added benefit of TJ-Cameron-Jordie combination at 9, 10, 11 too.
1 Go to commentsFarcical, to what end would someone want to pay to keep this thing going.
1 Go to commentsHavili, our best 12 by a mile, will be in the squad, if he stays fit. JB is the most overrated AB in the last 50 years.
61 Go to commentsWe had during the week twilight footy, twilight cricket, tw golf plus there was the athletics club. Then the weekend was rugby 15s plus the net ball, really busy club scene back then but so much has changed and rugby has suffered. And it was all about changing lifestyles.
6 Go to commentsIn the 70s and 80s my club ran 5 Senior sides plus a Vets. Now it is 2 sides with an occasional 3rd team. Players have difficulty getting to training now, not sure why and the commitment is not there. It seems to me more a problem of people applying themselves and not expecting to turn up and play whenever they want to.
6 Go to commentsROG’s contract is until 2027. The conversation about a successor to Galthie after RWC 2027 may be starting now. We can infer that Galthie’s reign stops then. He is throwing the Irish Coaching Job angle in because he is Irish. The next Irish coach MUST be Leo Cullen. As well as being the best coach available, coaching the vast majority of Irish Internationals week in week out, he has shown incredible skill at recruiting the best coaching staff for the job in hand. That was a failing in France. Cullen is a shrewd guy and if there is a need for foreign coaches underneath him he won’t hesitate. Rightly so. Ireland does need to start to bring Irish coaches through. Not just at the professional level but we need to train coaches to man new pathways for developing kids from schools/clubs up through the divisions.
8 Go to commentsNo Islam says it must rule where it stands Thus it is to be deleted from this planet Earth
18 Go to commentsThis team probably does not beat the ABs sadly Not sure if BPA will be available given his signing for Force but has to enter consideration. Very strong possibility of getting schooled by the AB props. Advantage AB. Rodda/Skelton would be a tasty locking combination - would love to see how they get on. Advantage Wallabies. Backrow a risk of getting out hustled and outmuscled by ABs. Will be interesting to see if the Blues feast on the Reds this weekend the way they did the Brumbies we are in big trouble at the breakdown. Great energy, running and defence but goalkicking/general kicking/passing quality in the halves bothers me enormously. SA may have won the World Cup for a lot of the tournament without a recognised goalkicker but Pollard in the final made a difference IMO. Injuries and retirements leave AB stocks a bit lighter but still stronger. 12 and 13 ABs shade it (Barret > Paisami, Ione = Ikitau, arguably) Interesting clash of styles on the wings - Corey Toole running around Caleb Clark and Caleb running over the top of Toole. Reece vs Koro probably the reverse. Pretty even IMO. 15s Kelleway = Love See advantage to ABs man for man, but we are not obviously getting slaughtered anywhere which makes a nice change. Think talent wise we are pretty even and if our cohesion and teamwork is better than the ABs then its just about doable.
11 Go to commentsCompletely agree. More friday night games would be a hit. RFU to make sure every club has a floodlit pitch. Club opens again Saturday to welcome touch / tag. Minis and youths on Sunday
6 Go to comments1.97m and 105Kg? Proportionately, probably skinnier than me at 1.82 and 82kilos. He won’t survive against the big guys at that weight.
56 Go to commentsThe value he brought to the crusaders as an assistant was equal to what he got out of being there. He reflected not only on the team culture but also the credit he attributed to the rugby community. Such experience shouldn’t be overlooked.
8 Go to commentsGood luck Aussie
11 Go to commentssmith at 9 / mounga 10 / laumape 12 / fainganuku 14
61 Go to commentsBar the injuries, it’s pretty much their top team …
2 Go to commentsDon’t disagree with much of this but it appears you forgot Rodda and Beale, who started at the Force on the weekend.
11 Go to comments