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'There is a little part of me': NRL star Nathan Cleary on the thought of a code switch
Two-time Premiership winner and NSW Blues halfback Nathan Cleary has shared his thoughts openly on rugby union and what appeals to him about the other code.
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The Penrith Panthers star inked a five-year deal with his club which runs until the end of 2027 which rules out any potential code switch any time soon, but he revealed that a part of him likes the idea.
The appeal of rugby union is the ‘global stage’ with the ability to shine in a World Cup, much like how Australia’s Maltidas recently captured the nation’s attention at home.
The 2027 Rugby World Cup is to be hosted in Australia which ‘excited’ the 25-year-old playmaker.
“It does for sure,” Cleary told Isaac John on the Sporting News/YKTY Ebbs and Flows podcast.
“I think that’s the exciting part of union, it is on that global stage.
“If you were to do it for Australia, it would be such a big thing because Australia has sort of neglected union for a while now and it hasn’t been a massive thing.
“I think that part of it is an exciting prospect, but league is all I have known and loved and it has been a passion for me.
“I couldn’t see myself doing it, but there is a little part of me that thinks it would be cool to try it out.”
Cleary explained that his personality drives him to be exceptional at what he is committed to, so any switch to rugby union would involve knowing the game ‘inside-out’.
“If I was to try it, I would 100 per cent have to be all-in, I wouldn’t just be doing it for the thought of having success or wanting that global status,” he said.
“It would be such a process thing . It would take a lot of hard work, like I’d just have to know the game inside-out before I even felt confident pulling on an Australian jersey.
“I wouldn’t just want it because of what I’ve done in league.”
However, Cleary was adament his time in rugby league isn’t finishing any time soon as he prepares to chase three consecutive Premiership titles in the NRL.
He believes there is ‘so much more’ to do in the NRL which has his full commitment at the moment.
“I still feel like there’s still so much more for me to do in rugby league… it’s just a journey and I feel like I’m honestly just getting started,” he said.
“You can have all the achievements along the way, but you know within yourself what you can get out of your talent and what you’ve put in.”
Whilst the door sounds shut for Cleary, after being publicly called out by Eddie Jones as a target, Rabbitohs star Cam Murray re-signed with his NRL club.
Murray announced he had locked in a five-year deal with the Rabbitohs until 2028 and called the speculation around a rugby union switch “annoying” after he never heard anything from Rugby Australia.
Comments on RugbyPass
What a joke. Total joke and the pundits commentating, all of whom know a bit about the game, could barely disguise their contempt. Reaching for the card then pulling back when he realised a red card would carry further match suspensions is simply not his decision to make. A clear and obvious influence on the outcome of this match and indeed, the championship path.
2 Go to commentsI like the idea, in NZ the Ranfurly Shield and NPC coexist, both having their own bragging rights. The World Cup would be the pinnacle, but the competition and travels of these trophies would be interesting.
40 Go to commentsDon’t worry Sonny bill Williams leave that awkward situation about the curfew in the pass whoever it was it doesn’t matter its no big deal we back our All Blacks through the storm and the thunder until we see the Sun light again.
41 Go to commentsWho listens to this retard? He was a massive liability as a player but obviously a media sensation
41 Go to commentsI’m not surprised by such ‘virtue signalling’ by Sonny Boy. Butter wouldn’t melt in his mouth. He’s such a pious Islamic muppet, imo.
41 Go to commentsI’ve actually never heard of the guy (then I don’t watch League as it is boring). But if he is good enough.. then good luck to him. If not, well, he can always return to league.
2 Go to commentsIt is pretty clear that by almost any measure that NZ are a more successful rugby nation than South Africa. Quite aside from the distasteful events during the last RWC final. NZ lead SA in all significant measurements.
40 Go to commentsDickson went to his pocket for a card, saw who it was, changed his mind and spoke at length to TMO. One angle clearly shows Care diving over a Saints player to kill the ball. 1st yellow, reason given for not Red was player was falling backwards. He was only falling backwards after contact with Lawes. Graham try should have stood. Mitchell did not have both hands on the ball, ball went forward from a Saints boot dragging over it. 2 intentional knock-on's. One of which had an overlap on the outside. If Quins are happy to win by intentional foul play, then it does not say much for them. Would appear to be a bad day for Karl Dickson, also for the RFU in appointing a Ref who spent 8 years as a player at one of the clubs.
2 Go to commentsLet’s not forget about Ardie Savea just yet.
4 Go to commentsThe URC and the Euro Championscup can’t run at the same time, basically dilutes both competitions.
1 Go to comments“While Sotutu should start at No.8 for the All Blacks against England, but it’s only in that arena that he can prove just how good he really is.” And that my friends is where simply hasnt shone despite multiple opportunities. Even in this performance you can see what did him in in the test arena..he almost always still runs at the opposition almost ramrod upright making him easier to stop than it should be.
4 Go to commentsShould have been 0-0 and a message from SR CEO to both teams - “don’t worry about turning up next year”.
4 Go to commentsGreat work Owen Franks. A great of this team, scoring his first try for the Crusaders since 2010.He was beaming, justifiably. A fine win, he and the rest did the job up front.
1 Go to commentsDanny Care. Lang in die tand.
1 Go to commentsBig empty stadium does nothing for atmosphere but munster are playing well with solid performance
1 Go to commentsYes, Fiji can win the World Cup! With that belief plus their christian faith🙏 and hard work it is achievable. Great article. Ian Duncan Fiji resident 1981-84
2 Go to commentsInteresting comments about Touch. England’s hosting the Touch World Cup this year and the numbers have exploded since their last World Cup in 2019, something like 70% more teams and 40 nations taking part. And England Touch have made a big thing about how many universities are in their BUCS University Touch Championship as well as Sport England membership. Can only see this growing even more domestically as more people become aware of it
10 Go to comments“Cortez Ratima is light years ahead of anyone on current form, while TJ Perenara has also skyrocketed into contention following the unfortunate injury to the talented Cam Roigard.” At last some sanity. Hitherto so many pundits have been wittering on about Finlay Christie to the point one wondered if they were observing a FC in a parallel universe where the FC they saw wasnt just the mediocre Shayne Philpott project of Fosters hapless AB reign in the real world. Ratima, Perenara and Fakatava are the ONLY logical 9s for Razor now Roigard is crocked.
4 Go to commentsThis game was just as painful as the Hurricanes game. It was real fork-in-the-eye stuff.
4 Go to commentsNow if they could just fire the Crusaders ground PA guy who likes to play his dance music and just loves the sound of his own voice the entire game, even when play is going on. And I thought their brass band thing of a few years ago was bad.
5 Go to comments