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Mark Nawaqanitawase en route vers le XIII
Après la piètre campagne des Wallabies lors de la Coupe du Monde de Rugby, les fans de rugby australiens doivent s’attendre à de nouvelles mauvaises nouvelles, car l’ailier vedette Mark Nawaqanitawase envisage de changer de code.
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Comme l’a rapporté le Sydney Morning Herald vendredi 10 novembre, le Wallaby aux 11 sélections devrait rencontrer l’entraîneur des Sydney Roosters, Trent Robinson, et son président, Nick Politis, la semaine prochaine.
Retour aux sources
Ce serait en quelque sorte un retour au source pour le natif de Burwood, près de Sydney, puisque c’est par le XIII qu’il est entré dans le rugby jusqu’à être happé par le XV à l’âge de 14 ans.
Nawaqanitawase, né d’un père fidjien, est rapidement devenu l’un des joueurs vedettes des Wallabies depuis ses débuts internationaux en novembre 2022, juste après avoir fait un rapide passage à sept lors des Jeux du Commonwealth où l’Australie avait terminé au pied du podium. Il est en fin de contrat avec les New South Wales Waratahs et Rugby Australia à la fin de l’année 2024.
Mais la perte de l’ailier vedette au profit du rugby à XIII – qui pourrait permettre aux Roosters de prendre leur revanche après que le rugby a débauché Joseph Suaalii avec un contrat juteux – serait un coup d’arrêt à la fin d’une année difficile.
Un moteur pour les Wallabies
Nawaqanitawase a été un élément moteur pour les Wallabies au cours d’une année particulièrement compliquée. Depuis ses débuts lors de la tournée de fin de saison de l’année dernière, le joueur de 23 ans s’est élevé au rang de superstar.
Sur ses 11 tests, il ne compte que trois victoires contre le Pays de Galles (34-39 en novembre 2022), la Géorgie (35-15) et le Portugal (34-14) à la Coupe du Monde de Rugby 2023 en France.
En forme, Nawaqanitawase devrait être considéré comme une certitude pour porter l’or des Wallabies l’année prochaine et probablement à l’avenir contre les British and Irish Lions. Mais Rugby Australia doit d’abord le retenir.
Au début de l’année dans une interview qui revêt aujourd’hui au mieux une forme d’ultimatum, au pire d’une prémonition, Nawaqanitawase avait déclaré au Sydney Morning Herald qu’il aurait aimé avoir un contrat plus long et qu’il aimerait explorer d’autres domaines.
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« J’aurais aimé en connaître plus », avait-il déclaré. « J’aimerais rester ici aussi longtemps que possible.
« Dans certaines circonstances, nous devions nous mettre d’accord sur un point. La prolongation de contrat d’un an était la meilleure chose à faire à ce moment-là.
« Dans un monde parfait, j’aimerais rester (dans le rugby à XV) mais il y a toujours un “mais”. Il y a évidemment d’autres choses qui pourraient m’intéresser. »
Comments on RugbyPass
Great piece Nick, plenty to chew on. Loved this ‘biases’ line from Geoff, shows he is a thinker - “If you asked me for a shortlist of coaches who appealed to my biases, he would be on it.” I think Schmidt is towing a similar line to Rennie in regards to OS players, he is publicly saying he prefers local talent, but almost certainly will be fighting to have the likes of skelton in the team. Interesting to hear the backroom on the rebels and what a cockup that is, just when you think RA admin has hit rock bottom it digs deeper. Other bit that caught my eye was his skills focus on things like passing from 7s at the base of the lineout, great little details. but also scary that a SR level 8 didn’t know how to operate within a lineout - telling!
19 Go to commentsThoroughly enjoyed this thanks Nick. ‘The lineout starts on the ground…’ wish I’d thought of that line when discussing Will’s place in the Wallabies.
19 Go to commentsShannon Frizell’s second year is optional is how I heard it. Given nothing has been confirmed yet it gets more and more likely he signs to return next year. Cant wait to see Finau doing more work on Internal players.
28 Go to commentsBlindside flankers should be hard hitting defenders, good lineout jumper with height, and a hard worker who hits and cleans rucks. If he can be a destructive ball carrier it’s a bonus but not a necessity. Samipeni Fineau and Cullen Grace are excellent at those core skills and my choice at blindside. Brad Shields is dismissed because he is 33 but not sure why that should be a consideration for this season. Shields too does these core roles well. Just don’t pick an 8 and shift him to 6 like the wingers on The Breakdown suggest, as if 6 and 8 are interchangeable. They are not. An 8 is first and foremost a dynamic ball carrier, not necessarily a destructive defender as a 6 should be. Devon Flanders and Akira Ioane are #8 s forced to play blindside because their teams have better options at 8 than them. Do not pick them at blindside
28 Go to commentsSaints obviously didn’t get the memo, or needed an ego boost?
1 Go to commentsReturning to the Chiefs would be another good change that could only put him into a better position to succeed in black
6 Go to commentsSimply outrageous and demonstrably false to say Finau’s tackle on Lynagh was “2 seconds late” In reality it was probably 0.5 seconds after he passed the ball. If you carry the ball at speed to within 5m of the defensive line you can expect to get tackled. Finau could have pulled out of it and not absolutely flattened him for sure, but there was going to be contact either way. He seems like a high risk selection at the moment, but there is no one else like him in NZ at the moment. His big tackles make the highlight reels but he is also a great athlete, very fast for such a big man, spent most of his days at lock so also very strong in the line out.
28 Go to commentsYes, Finau looks like the best option. Blackadder is not big enough for an international 6 - he should join the queue at 7. Frizzell had the power and heft and line-out height to play lock, so maybe that is where the ABs should be looking, not at a 7 who’s not big enough for 6, but at a lock who might have the agility to play 6, like Scott Barrett, or… Natai Ah Kuoi, who absolutely fits that bill, but seldom gets to play 6 because the Chiefs have so many loosies.
28 Go to commentsPaul Quinn was a National MP.
6 Go to commentsNo need to worry about losers’ mentality hysteria from Australia. Finau has all the attributes, I don't recall a high or no arms tackle from him, and his timing has been controlled very well since the round 3 Lynagh tackle. It's an easy decision for Razor, the only question is who should back him up from the bench. He can't be overworked like Squire was in his first full season.
28 Go to comments“Reds coach Les Kiss saying later: “I think every player has the right to feel safe.” Maybe Rugby is the wrong sport for people who want to feel safe..?
28 Go to commentsNot sure what the context was, but the highlights showed one scrum against Aussie where the baby Blacks were going backwards at a pace. The pack has been the issue since 2017, so they might be in for another reality check soon. This tournament should really have been two rounds, would have learned a lot more.
1 Go to commentsPeter Lakai has a ‘lot of size’? Since when? To Kirifi maybe. I think Laidlaw clearly saw he’s too small for 6 or 8, so plonked him at 7. Has potential to be Ardies understudy in black for 7.
6 Go to commentsDalton for skipper?
16 Go to commentsOh he's ‘Irish qualified’ isn't that convenient. If Ireland get any more Kiwis (and Aussie) in their backline they might need to run out in green and black kit soon. How is the supposed best rugby system in the world in need of trawling for journeyman Kiwi players?
2 Go to commentsCallum Grace is playing well now that he's finally back in his best position. But given it was Razor who somehow thought Grace was dynamic enough to be a No8 when he's clearly not, Im not sure he’d backtrack on that. Finau is risky with his style, and there's almost no point picking Blackadder when he can’t stay on the field more than five minutes.
28 Go to commentsThe team on paper has more supposed ‘stars’ than a lot of the sides they’re losing to. They’ve got the Razor-blues and aren't playing for Penney. He should jump before he's pushed.
1 Go to commentsProof. That if you lay dramatic instrumental hip hop music over a video of a skinny pale white kid running an unopposed zig zag on a training ground filled with rookies - it’ll look next-level epic!
13 Go to commentsIf they win the challenge Cup then it will have all been worth it. If they don’t, then maybe he should go. Lots of ppl seem to think very highly of him as a coach, but maybe he would be better working under someone. Any top sides looking for forwards coaches rn?
1 Go to commentsJason Ryan knows his craft as forwards coach and I'm sure he’ll hold sway with Scott Robertson of who he feels worthy of selection…his credentials validated when he put a 7xcaps between them front row...Ethan, Samisoni and Lomax on Ellis Park…Go the AB's…
28 Go to comments