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NRL star Kalyn Ponga free to chase Rugby World Cup dream after contract details revealed


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Newcastle fullback Kalyn Ponga is free to pursue a spot at the 2023 Rugby World Cup after it was revealed he has a player option in his favour for the final two years of his NRL contract.

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The 22-year-old signed in June what was touted as a long-term deal with the Knights until the end of 2024.

However, it has been revealed Ponga will be a free agent by November next year and will be free to leave the club at the end of 2022 if he decides not to take up the final two years on offer at the Knights.

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On Thursday, the NRL revealed the updated contracts for the 2021 season which revealed the specifics of Ponga’s multi-million dollar deal.

At the time of the announcement of his re-signing, the Knights denied there was a clause in Ponga’s contract which would allow him to walk away to pursue a chance to play for the All Blacks.

But with the Rugby World Cup set to be played in France in 2023, Ponga will have the option in his favour by the end of the 2021 NRL season to opt for a code switch.

He could also be pursued by rival NRL clubs by this time next year.

The Queensland fullback has previously been approached by Super Rugby clubs, while the Wallabies also sounded out his interest in making the code switch.

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However, the All Blacks connection comes from comments Ponga made in 2018 in which he said playing for the side would be a dream.

He was born in Western Australia but spent five years in New Zealand and has Maori heritage through his father Andre.

Regardless, the details of his Knights deal will come as a shock for fans who were told by the club there was no “All Blacks clause” in Ponga’s contract.

“It’s no secret I want to win a comp in Newcastle, I want to hold the trophy up here,” Ponga said when he re-signed with the Knights five months ago.

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“We’re building towards something and I can definitely feel it. It’s something that I want to be a part of and I’m excited to be a part of.

“There was a lot of talk in the media about rugby union but I’ve always said I’m focused on the Knights and have been since I walked in the door.”

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NoLongerARuck 54 minutes ago
Nations Championship: 'The data shows the north has finally caught up with the south'

The Six Nations produced so many compelling games and so much of action packed moments that you can only conclude that its the best international comp out there at the moment except for a world cup. If Wales improve it will be even better especially given the strides Italy have made in recent times. The Rugby Championship is now taking a hiatus in a year it really should be building toward something better which is terrible considering the competition was so tight last year. The Nations Champs promises much but one gets the feeling that the 6 Nations teams will not be at their peak given its at the end of their long season. In terms of rugby quality and entertainment Id rather watch the 6 Nations over everything else other than a world cup right now. The North arguably offers more in terms of entertainment than the South at club level as well. The Prem, the Champs Cup, URC and Top 14 all feature plenty of scoring and different playing styles while Super Rugby seems to be the same thing game in game out. While the South tries to speed up the game artificially with new trials and law variations the North has shown you can do it with good refereeing which penalises cynical play harshly and encourages positive actions on the field. In terms of entertainment the North wins. In terms of winning? They are making strides but until they win another world cup or get a team to rank number 1 again for an extended time again they cant really say they are better than the South.

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