Sunday Sesh: Tom Gilbert is Eddie Jones’s tip as a rugby union target

Eddie Jones may have left the Wallabies under a cloud, but the former coach has cast his eye over the best in the NRL and made a surprise pick of the player he’d like to cross codes.

Former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones says that rugby union needs to keep chasing elite NRL stars and has come up with a surprising target for Rugby Australia as the embattled code looks to bounce back from World Cup devastation.

Only days after RA chief executive Phil Waugh declared the code needed to be more fiscally responsible, Jones suggested rugby league stars should be the icing on the cake of any rugby union rebuild.

Speaking on The Bye Round with James Graham, Jones said rugby union needed to sell the code to young stars already playing the sport and top it off with the best of rugby league.

“I think that is a bit of icing on the cake,” Jones said.

“It is good for the stature of rugby to get one or two of those top players, and it captures headlines mate.”

Jones, who quit after the Wallabies’ woeful performance at the World Cup, had a left-field option for RA – Dolphins and Queensland forward Tom Gilbert.

Tom Gilbert of the Dolphins celebrates after scoring a try. Picture: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images

“He is a bit like Peter Ryan — hard, tough,” Jones said.

“You just need another one of those because they change the way you train.”

Jones said the more immediate priority for RA and rugby union was to make itself more attractive to young players already in the code, pointing to the example of Max Jorgensen – the teenager who rejected the Sydney Roosters to commit to rugby union.

“You have to make it exciting for them,” he said.

“Max Jorgensen did the whole pre-season with the Roosters, was probably going to play with the first team.

“Australian rugby last year took an Australia A tour to Japan and he fell in love with rugby. Thought how good is this?

“Then he comes to the World Cup as an 18 yearly. Unfortunately gets injured at training and doesn’t play, but he is invested in rugby now because he can see what it can bring him.”

The full interview between James Graham and Eddie Jones drops on Sunday afternoon.

Parramatta and Jillaroos star Kennedy Cherrington with rugby league fan, Ruby. Picture: Supplied

CHERRY’S HEART OF GOLD

Kennedy Cherrington has a heart of gold. The Parramatta and Jillaroos star has been a source of support for young rugby league fan Ruby, 12, who is battling a rare heart condition called pulmonary arterial hypertension (PH).

Recently Ruby had to undergo a double lung transplant in Melbourne, and Cherrington visited to brighten her spirits.

The pair struck up a friendship during an Eels visit to Westmead’s Ronald McDonald House earlier this year, and have stayed in contact almost daily since.

Sadly, Ruby has had to give up playing rugby league, like Cherrington, who was also diagnosed with a congenital heart condition as a kid.

NRL CLUB LOOKS TO SNATCH FUTURE ALL BLACK FROM RUGBY

Star forward Leo Thompson’s twin brother Tyrone is on the verge of a cross-code switch to follow in his brother’s footsteps.

Tyrone Thompson, who is on the cusp of All Blacks squad selection, has had talks with the Knights about the prospect of joining the club once his deal with New Zealand rugby expires.

The Knights are expected to explore any potential salary cap dispensation which has been floated by the NRL in recent days. Having watched on as brother Leo has risen to international status, Tyrone is planning on trying to replicate that.

Tyrone, 23, toured with the All Blacks at the end of last year and featured in a match against the Barbarians. He was overlooked for the World Cup squad and now has his heart set on joining Leo in Newcastle by 2025. Tyrone plays for the Chiefs in Super Rugby.

Tyrone Thompson. Picture: Fiona Goodall/Getty Images

The brothers were teenage rugby standouts in New Zealand, making a host of junior representative teams and were earmarked as future stars.

However, Leo wanted to play rugby league and now his brother wants to do the same.

Few forwards have made an effective transition between the two codes. Leo, however, has been one of the game’s success stories. He signed with the Raiders before picking up a train and trial deal with the Knights in 2022.

He quickly impressed and was one of the bargain buys of the year. The Knights took little time to tie Leo down and have now locked him in until the end of 2025. He made his international debut for the Kiwis this year and played off the bench in their win against the Kangaroos earlier this month.

SOUTH AFRICA ON LEAGUE MAP

South Africa has emerged as a surprise destination to host a future Rugby League World Cup as the international body explores taking the event away from the traditional Australia, New Zealand or England markets.

South Africa is not alone with the likes of Japan and USA also being considered as the International Rugby League (IRL) federation prepares to open up its tendering process for future events.

“We have to spread the wings to see where the interest is,” said outgoing IRL chairman Troy Grant.

Could South Africa host a future Rugby League World Cup?

“A World Cup traditionally is over a six week period. To hold the interest of crowds is a challenge but having said that we have to get out of the cycle of England/Australia.

“That’s what is attractive about South Africa. It is a rugby league playing nation who knows rugby union well. It’s a good destination for rugby league fans to travel to.

“North America is a target at the right time.”

The next World Cup in 2026 will be in the southern hemisphere after France pulled out of hosting. America was also expected to be the destination for the now shelved 2025 tournament.

But there is nothing locked in for 2030 as yet.

Grant said the reintroduction of a World Nines at some stage might be a prime opportunity to introduce the game into a new market.

“When you take a six week tournament to a new venue there is risk in it because how do you hold the interest and hold the crowd for six weeks,” Grant said. “You have to do it in a measured, sensible way. It has to be a short and snappy major event. Like a nine’s format, a carnival-type situation.

“That’s the challenge the game has.”

TSZYU EYES ALI IN VEGAS

Fledgling plans to have Nikita Tszyu fight Muhammad Ali’s grandson as part of the NRL’s Australia-week extravaganza in Las Vegas go on the line next week in Newcastle.

The unbeaten Tszyu faces the biggest challenge of his professional career when he takes on Dylan Biggs, a fellow undefeated fighter.

The bookies have Tszyu as a slight favourite and there is plenty at stake for the younger brother of Tim Tszyu.

There has been talk that he could feature on a card with brother Tim on the eve of the NRL season-opening double header in Las Vegas in early-March.

Nico Ali Walsh has been flagged as a potential opponent. The grandson of Muhammad Ali has won eight of his nine fights, the vast majority by knockout.

Muhammad Ali’s grandson Nico Ali Walsh

First of all Nikita has to find a way past Biggs in what shapes as the biggest test of his career.

“This is a real 50-50 fight and the whole of Australia should tune in to see how good Nikita really is because this is the chance he’s got to prove himself,” former world champion Jeff Fenech.

“They may have bitten off more than they can chew. Anything can happen so tune in and watch Australia’s best fights for along, long time.”

American Shawn Porter, who has flown out to be part of Main Event’s telecast of the fight, added: “I truly think it’s a 50-50 fight. I think Dylan’s a little more fundamentally sound and he can really whack. He believes wholeheartedly in his power.

“So the questions you may have about Nikita will all be answered in this fight.”

EX-DOG’S BITE

Manly recruit Corey Waddell has spoken in support of former Bulldogs club captain Ray Faitala-Mariner as his ex-teammate finds himself on the outer at the club.

Faitala-Mariner has been told he is free to leave the Bulldogs, having been frozen out of training last week.

He is now back in the fold but appears to have no future at Belmore as the club continues an overhaul of a playing roster that won only seven games last season.

“They made him club captain over there at the start of this year,” Waddell said.

“I don’t really know what is going on over there at the moment. I forgot about it as much as I could, but for Ray, I wish him all the best whichever way that goes for him over there.

“I think he probably needs to do what is best for his career. I hope that he works it all out.”

Matt White.

MEDIA BUZZ

Name: Matt White

Age: 53

Job title: SEN Mornings With Matt White – Host

First job?

Patrolling parcel pick-up at Woolworths at Warringah Mall, Brookvale. First job in the media was a Copy Boy at The Manly Daily Newspaper.

Your sporting heroes?

Graham Eadie, Viv Richards, Joe Montana

What NRL team do you follow?

Manly. Sliding down the back of the hill at Brookie Oval on a bit of cardboard is a rite of passage for any kid growing up following the Sea Eagles.

What sports did you play?

Everything and anything: footy, cricket, baseball, water polo. When I realised that I wasn’t going to make it in any of them, I thought reporting on them would be just as much fun.

How do you spend a day off?

Coaching cricket, chasing cattle or keeping active.

Career highlight?

Commentating Greg Murphy’s “Lap Of The Gods” at Bathurst 2003 alongside the best in the motorsport business, Neil Crompton.

Originally published as Sunday Sesh: Tom Gilbert is Eddie Jones’s tip as a rugby union target