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Japanese rugby, NRL and NFL interested in Wallaby Jordan Petaia - report

By Finn Morton
France will go into the upcoming Rugby World Cup after another Test triumph, but the same can’t be said for the Wallabies who are still winless under coach Eddie Jones.

More than one month on from Mark Nawaqanitawase’s shock decision to leave Australian rugby from 2025, another Wallaby could be on the way out as Jordan Petaia reportedly weighs up offers from three sports.

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Petaia, 23, is set to come off contract with Australian rugby at the end of 2024. Others are well aware of this, too, with representatives from a few codes reaching out to the Wallaby.

According to The Daily Telegraph in Australia, Petaia has been approached by the NFL International Player Pathway Program, a Queensland NRL side, and Japanese rugby clubs.

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It’s a troubling development for Australian rugby in the wake of Nawaqanitawase’s decision to sign a two-year deal with the Sydney Roosters. Nawaqanitawase was one of the Wallabies’ best during Eddie Jones’ reign, but Petaia has long been touted as a superstar of tomorrow.

With the British and Irish Lions set to tour Australia in 2025, this report would have to concern the Wallabies – but for now, Petaia is focused on Super Rugby Pacific with the Reds.

“I don’t know about other players but there’s not too much pressure around that stuff,” Petaia said, as reported by The Daily Telegraph.

“It doesn’t change anything with my mindset. I’m focused on the Reds this year and for however long that is, but I’m just focused on this environment and doing what’s best for the team.

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“I’ve had a few questions about (the NRL) but it’s still so early in the year. I still have this whole year to figure out what I’m going to do.

“I’m just enjoying my time at the Reds and trying to build a winning culture here, and see what options I’ve got at the end of the year with my manager.

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“He takes care of most that stuff and is fairly switched on there. I’ve just got to play footy and keep healthy.”

Nawaqanitawase, 23, met with Sydney Roosters coach Trent Robinson and chairman Nick Politis after returning to Australia after the Wallabies’ disastrous World Cup campaign in France.

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The 11-Test Wallaby ended up signing a multi-year with the Tricolours, which will see Nawaqanitawase practically swap places with rugby recruit Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii.

Nawaqanitawase told Nine News this week that he “had to do what was right for me” by securing the headline-grabbing move across codes.

Petaia spoke with the departing Wallaby on the day of the announcement – the pair are good friends, and even visited Switzerland together after the World Cup – and was clearly happy for his international teammate.

“I was stoked for Marky,” Petaia added. “I spoke to him the day of the (Roosters) announcement as well. He was happy about it all.

“I’m sure he’ll do great things in that code. He’s still got another year (of Super Rugby) to go, so we’re still going to battle it out this year and have a laugh. It was good to get away with him after the tournament as well.

“At the end of the day whatever he tries to do, as a mate, we’re happy to see.”

While the memories of last year’s World Cup campaign are still fresh in the minds of supporters all across Australia, fans were almost unanimously thrilled with Rugby Australia’s latest announcement.

Former World Rugby Coach of the Year Joe Schmidt was revealed to be the Wallabies’ third head coach in as many years at a press conference at Sydney’s Allianz Stadium on Friday.

Schmidt has penned a deal through until at least the end of the British and Irish Lions series next year, but beyond then, only time will tell as to whether the coach stays on.

“I don’t know a lot about Joe Schmidt. Obviously he’s coached a lot in the northern hemisphere, but I’m glad someone has filled that role and it’s exciting for Australian rugby.

“I’ve never said I was going to leave rugby, but the winning is always good.

“A part of last year was just moving on from that campaign and we’re starting a new lead. We always want to build a winning culture, that doesn’t really shape what I’m going to do, but you always want to be part of a winning culture.”

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2 Comments
A
Ardy 227 days ago

This is not the time to lose Petaia just after Marky Mark. An important player for our re-building program..

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T
TT 9 minutes ago
Springboks reclaim Freedom Cup in titanic All Blacks clash

Best team won ... again. 


At least the ref was very communicative & not trigger happy like last week. Some clearly wrong tackler/ruck calls. & Lomax yellow, FACT OF RULES IS a player has to change direction for that infringement. Lomax's feet didn't even move off his spot before Kolbe RAN, AT ANGLE, INTO HIM. NOR any Lomax arms for a classic clothesline. REwatch, blind if can't see it.

 

None of those wrong ref calls would have changed the result. Best team won.

 

Wake up Mr Razor & gang. Actually in fairness to Foster... Mr 50% [Fiji doesn't count] Razor. 


FORWARDS fine, except desperately need SR star SOTUTU. 


BACKLINE 3rd rate. NZ back stocks fantastic but Razor & gang asleep.  Changes needed, actually was needed pre-SAf, 


TJ, Reece GONE!

 

Reece?I was his biggest fan, BUT... Low impact & shouldhave been awarded SAf last try. Defensive vague out & didn’t even yell for obviously needed support on the blind. Lost the test . + a few other errors after similar in previous tests.

 

TJ? Ratima going fine. But Razor replaces him with Mr Shouty, TJ. STILL repeatedly warned be ref to shut it! Nothing professional about him.

 

Too late now Mr50% but need, AT LEAST [CONSERVATIVELY ]; 


{starting} 


9 {Ratima}/ Christie (ie waiting on Roigard!) 

10 {D.McKenzie }/ Plummer 

12 {J.Barrett}/ ALB 

13 {Proctor} ( backup R. Ioane) 

14 {Narawa}/ R. Ioane 

11 {C.Clarke} / Tele’a 

15 {W.Jordan} (backup J.Barrett) 

130 Go to comments
H
Hellhound 36 minutes ago
Scott Robertson reflects on the All Blacks’ Freedom Cup loss to Springboks

Razor was untouchable in a club competition that favours the AB's with no real competition. The Crusaders has been the main feeding trough for the ABs for a long time. Easier to stay strong and win against weaker club teams like Super Rugby Pacific. A great club coach doesn't make for a winning test coach. Rassie took over a Bok team that got flogged by everyone. He changed them around and created a winning team and culture. Razor took over a team that barely lost in a WC final. Massive difference between the 2 coaches and teams during transition phases. The question have to be asked...Is the problems in NZ rugby deeper than the team? Are they growing weaker due to coaching or competition? This 2 tests the AB's had it but lost it against a team that is swapping and changing continuesly. Changing that many players, no matter how good they are, you lose a lot of little things. In attack the Boks struggle to gel, they play in short bursts and currently is a team who rescue themselves through sheer power or broken play. Their mental strength is one of the biggest changes in the team. They find a way to win. They believe that they are the best but they are not letting it make them complacent. They know they are hard to beat and at any given day can lose. They are not the polished product and far from reaching their end goal. Rassie keeps shifting the goal posts. Making it harder for every player to keep their spot on the team. Fozzie was seen as the worst AB's coach, but he got them to the WC final. The NZRU would have been very happy that the AB's lost that final. What would it have looked like if they fired a coach they mocked, gave a hard time and fired long before the WC, if he won the WC? They are not good at their jobs. Just like with the Aussie board, this NZ board is failing upwards. How long before the AB's become the Wallabies? The players are trying hard, but they can do only so much. Razor is a coach of habit. He has his favourites. Is the current AB's team the best players in each position in the country? Or is there better players that don't get a look in? These players are not bad. The best though? Imagine what an Aki Bundee would have been able to do, and other players the AB's throw away for fun. Now they gain residency and play for other countries or go back to their Island nations and play for them. No matter how I look at it, NZ rugby is going backwards. I don't blame the players. NZ still produce world class players, but a lot of questions is left to answer. More than just a losing team. Razor should not have walked in as head coach. He should have been assistant to learn the ropes of international rugby. There is a vast difference between club and international rugby. Is the NZRU setting up Razor to fail?

4 Go to comments
J
JW 1 hour ago
All Blacks player ratings vs Springboks | The Rugby Championship

Yeah he might, I only saw the one angle where it looked cheek on cheek, and I didn't see what you're referring to today at all. Did either incident change the play SB, did they have any affect on the game?


Um, I don't think you're right in that 'fact' about foul play SB. I just sounds like the typical moaning SA fans did after Sam Cane's red in the world cup final, after there own captain had done the same or worse, taken out Frenchmen the previous game, and lost domestic titles due to their own nations offences. Don't you think it is hypocritical to talk about New Zealanders? Or is that in fact why you are trying to put Kiwi's in the same boat as others?


I would venture you've fallen into the media hole. It's easy to look at things like number of cards in isolation, for someone to cherry pick data and others to swallow it whole. I would need to do some research to see a problem developing with NZ rugby.


To me, on the surface without digging into it, they have mostly felt hard done by, so I'd suggest to anyone that they simply haven't adapted to the changing laws rather than having changed (their rugby style) themselves. I think if you did look you would find all sanctions were mitigated down to the most minimal suspensions possible. The only bad act I recall was Sonny-Bill Williams in Lions 2 with his league tackle. For him, it would just go down into the 'stupid' category.


So if you don't wont to look stupid throwing around the word 'fact', you should at least be able to back it up when you do try it ;)

41 Go to comments
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