Warriors NRL star 'open' to former All Blacks star Julian Savea making cross-code switch
Star Warriors playmaker Blake Green believes former All Blacks wing Julian Savea would be a good recruitment for the NRL squad.
The 29-year-old announced on Thursday he is returning to New Zealand after a two-season stint in France with glamour Top 14 club Toulon.
While nothing has been set in stone in terms of where his future lies, the 54-cap star said in a video interview posted on Instagram with his younger brother Ardie that he is open to anything – including a possible code switch.
“Ideally, I’d like to be back with the Canes [Hurricanes],” Savea said.
“If that doesn’t happen, it could be another franchise, it could be Japan, it could be the NZ Warriors.”
“The [Top 14] season is done and I’m coming home soon, hopefully, once everything dies down.
“And I guess trying to get back into New Zealand rugby or find another contract but that’s a five-month, six-month timeline in terms of what could happen because the Covid-19 is still ongoing.
“We’re waiting for everything to calm down and when teams and organisations are ready to sign again.”
A move to the Warriors would be a transfer of quite some significance, but it’s one that the club’s halfback Green it’s one that would be warmly welcomed.
“I think anyone who wants to play for the Warriors with some passion and dive into the game, we are open to having those players on board,” Green said. “Especially a talented player like a former All Black.
“We’ll have to get him to put his hand up and come down to training, or even fly him over to Tamworth, so we can see if he can play.”
The Warriors are currently based in the New South Wales town of Tamworth as the NRL prepares to get back into action after spending more than two months out of action due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
The Auckland club are scheduled to play in the opening fixture of the competition reboot against the St George-Illawarra Dragons on May 28.
Comments on RugbyPass
Finals are always tense affairs for the players so I do not expect this to be a spectacle of running rugby unfortunately.
1 Go to commentsBulls***': Ex-England international calls out Eben Etzebeth… Not to his face but from very far away… after he’d left. Checked to make sure he wasn’t in the building.
83 Go to commentsHopefully this will mean a new Auckland league team to support in the west. Big Warriors fan but it’s very, very stale on that front and I’d like the option of another team if it was to watch league again. League needs to step up BIG time if its to get anywhere, another AK team and something from the capitol or south is a must for the game.
3 Go to commentsGood, deep interview, nice job Frankie!
1 Go to commentsNRL players don’t have anywhere near the number of Tests. Some people would be happy having Rest Homes full if 40 yo ex-players walking, or hobbling more like it, into walls. It’s just a game!
4 Go to commentsNOW Razor is worried about ABs getting injured or overplayed! Didn’t bother him last year. He happily played his AB Crusaders.
4 Go to commentsWhat is the World Rugby U20 players born year.
2 Go to commentsMuch like the Chiefs finally gave up waiting for Atu Moli to ever not be injured, you have to wonder if the Chiefs and Crusaders will let Josh Lord and Ethan Blackadder go next season. They’re being well paid to sit in the injury ward every year. Better off putting those funds towards someone who might actually play.
7 Go to commentsShowed better basic skills than some nz Super sides, who probably would have botched some of those backline moves. This tournament really is too short though. Needs more teams, or have them play two rounds to properly prepare them for the near full-time NH U20 sides.
4 Go to commentsGood grief it’s only six months. Probably just upset it’s not an established kiwi entering their prime they can “project” into green to join the rest.
1 Go to commentsGood player but far from being best in the world. That's an exaggeration. Perhaps Best in world by Northern Hemisphere standards and biasis but certainly not Southern Hemi standards
3 Go to commentsWell one thing about World Cup knock out rounds and Ireland is very clear: they won’t be getting ahead of themselves in ‘27! Because making it beyond the QF is well and truly ‘IN THEIR HEADS’ now…😉
83 Go to commentsHas this guy been dope tested? Sounds like a case of “roid rage”.
1 Go to commentsI would like to see him say that to Eben face to face in a dark alley.
83 Go to commentsYep, lost in translation. There are arrogant people in Ireland, yes. As there are arrogant people in every country, but as a nation, arrogance is not a general characteristic in Ireland. There has not really had a strong representation for any global sport over the years, and hence arrogance is not endemic to Irish people in this regard. I seriously doubt that was said or meant by 12 or 13 players. If it was said, it would have been said in jest and to pay Etzebeth and the Springboks a compliment for how hard fought the game was.
83 Go to commentsOne of the few Bidwell articles I can agree with. If coaches played their players through niggles and consistently played them 80mins then you could make an argument for resting protocols - they obviously don’t and are incredibly responsible, let’s give up the resting nonsense and let the boys play.
4 Go to commentsDaniel Gallan, please for the love of all that is holy, stop writing about rugby. Or at the very least stop telling people you are South African.
21 Go to commentsThis Dr.Rassie 6-2 filth is spreading. We need to ask World Rugby to ban something
1 Go to commentsPity he couldn’t call him a liar to his face, such a brave man.
83 Go to comments“You ain’t counting to 12 or 13 straight after a game, son!” Just because you don’t doesn’t mean everyone else doesn’t “I reckon if anyone said it they would have said, ‘Hopefully, see you in the final’.” Oh, you “reckon”, do you? You weren’t there, you weren’t part of the conversation but you know what was said… Id10T
83 Go to comments