Rugby league persona Phil Gould has described Mark Nawaqanitawase’s choice to go away the NRL as a “horrible disgrace” for the game, with the previous Wallabies winger reportedly returning to rugby union in a bid to play on the 2027 Males’s Rugby World Cup.
Sydney Morning Herald journalist Michael Chammas has revealed that Nawaqanitawase has advised the Sydney Roosters that he might be leaving the membership after the 2026 NRL season. It’s understood Nawaqanitawase will pursue a deal in both French or Japanese rugby.
Nawaqanitawase is believed to be within the combine to play for Australia throughout their 2025 Ashes Sequence towards England following a sensational marketing campaign with the Tricolours, which noticed the Paris Olympian prime the try-scoring charts on the finish of the common season.
Forward of the NRL preliminary finals, the Rugby League Gamers Affiliation revealed their Dream Workforce for the 2025 season, with Nawaqanitawase chosen on one wing. Nawaqanitawase was additionally named the 2025 Gamers’ Rookie of the 12 months.
Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii left the Roosters after the 2024 NRL season, and Rugby Australia’s multi-million greenback man has gone on to star at each Super Rugby Pacific and Check degree, which included a Participant of the Match efficiency on debut for the Wallabies.
As Gould defined when advised about Nawaqanitawase’s reported choice to go again to the 15-player sport, “It appears to me we’ve heard this tune earlier than.”
“It’s the identical factor with Suaalii,” Gould stated on Large World of Sports activities’ Six Tackles with Gus.
“That’s a loss. Anyway, that’s the fashionable world, mate.
“That’s what they’ve purchased. They’ve purchased a great participant however they’ve purchased 12 months of publicity now. It’s a great funding. They bought 12 months of publicity out of Suaalii earlier than he went – how’s he gone within the rugby? I haven’t seen.
“[It’s a] horrible disgrace. What a sensation he’s been… what an athlete, what an incredible participant. It’s unhappy for our sport, I’d’ve favored to have seen him in our sport long-term. Anyway, such is life.”
Chammas has reported that Nawaqanitawase desires to play for the Wallabies on the 2027 World Cup on Australian soil, however that doesn’t imply the winger will play for any of the nation’s 4 Tremendous Rugby Pacific sides.
It’s been reported that Nawaqanitawase will look to signal a deal abroad. With Rugby Australia’s Director of Efficiency, Peter Horne, revealing a few months in the past that “the Giteau Legislation’s type of redundant”, Nawaqanitawase would nonetheless be eligible for Wallabies choice.
The Wallabies are at present first on The Rugby Championship ladder, having performed 4 Assessments to this point towards the Springboks and Los Pumas. With all of it to play for within the ultimate two rounds, the Wallabies will face the All Blacks in Auckland and Perth.
