Super Rugby season 2015: QRU chief Jim Carmichael wants ARU to target Greg Inglis
GREG Inglis would be a hit in rugby union but it is up to the game’s governing body to find out whether he is serious about a code switch or is simply fishing to swell his next rugby league deal.
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GREG Inglis would be a hit in rugby union but it is up to the game’s governing body to find out whether he is serious about a code switch or is simply fishing to swell his next rugby league deal.
There have been enough murmurs from the rugby league star’s camp about his open-minded plans for the future to make a phone call obligatory from the Australian Rugby Union.
That’s the view of Queensland Rugby Union chief executive Jim Carmichael who says ARU bosses need to find out for themselves.
“I’d like to think that phone call will be made,” Carmichael said.
“It’s not denigrating the players we’ve got. I’d like to think we are a mature enough code that we want the best talent playing, especially out of (league) because the transition is not that difficult.
“He’s one of the few blokes in rugby league I’d turn on the TV to watch. I love what he does.’’
Fullback Inglis yesterday fanned the “all options open” cliche when he arrived in Manchester with South Sydney for Sunday’s World Club Series clash with St Helens.
State of Origin’s greatest tryscorer is contracted to Souths until the end of the 2017 NRL season, which is why hooking a mega-deal to start in French or English rugby from that year is a good fit.
Inglis has never shown interest in rugby before. The lifestyle switch to a bigger-money base in Europe, out of the spotlight in Australia, seems to be the attraction.
Where the ARU could get shrewd is hooking Inglis for a Super Rugby season if he does decide a French rugby jaunt is a goer.
Carmichael said no phone call had been made by the Reds but the positive experience of signing three-code pioneer Karmichael Hunt has clearly whet his appetite.
“Provinces are always looking for players outside our own backyard so, yes, a Super Rugby side could lead the inquiries,” Carmichael said.
“With Karmichael Hunt and Israel Folau you got to gauge a genuineness to want to come to us as a code and from there it’s how you make it work.’’
Creative changes to the ARU’s contracting are in the pipeline to aid keeping the game’s best in Australia after the World Cup with freer access likely to overseas stints.
The same changes might also help woo longshot Inglis, whose Wallabies value is somewhat muted because he would be 32 by the 2019 World Cup.
Carmichael’s preview of draft tweaks to the ARU’s contracting is exciting and necessary when Adam Ashley-Cooper, James Horwill, Nic White and Sekope Kepu are certain to be joined abroad by Bernard Foley and Will Genia next year.
“I think people are going to be pleasantly surprised how we are going to better use the internationalism of rugby to keep players in Australia,” Carmichael said.
“As a game I think we’ve come to terms with it. It’s not an epidemic (of players leaving) but one we will handle better over the next three or four years.’’
Carmichael was tight-lipped about revealing any specifics but closer links between French clubs and Australian Super Rugby sides would be one.
Originally published as Super Rugby season 2015: QRU chief Jim Carmichael wants ARU to target Greg Inglis