Another Wallabies player is being chased by New Zealand Super Rugby clubs, while teenage star pursued by France

A Waratahs and Australian international could follow in the footsteps of a reborn Wallabies star after receiving offers from clubs in New Zealand and France.

James O'Connor and Wallaby Lalakai Foketi.

Wallabies centre Lalakai Foketi could be the next star lured overseas after receiving offers from New Zealand and France.

The eight-Test Wallaby, who was born in New Zealand, could make a similar move to that of James O’Connor, who has spent this season at the Crusaders and excelled.

Foketi has injured his shoulder and will miss the NSW Waratahs’ must-win game against the Blues in Auckland on Saturday.

The 30-year-old made his Test debut for Australia in 2021. He has been in and out of the team since, but remains an outside chance of making the squad for the British & Irish Lions tour if fit.

Lalakai Foketi scores a try for the Wallabies. Picture: Getty Images

Meanwhile, NSW coach Dan McKellar has spoken to wayward prop Taniela Tupou, after he was sin-binned for tripping in last weekend’s thrilling extra-time win over Western Force.

“I had a chat to Nela around that,” McKellar said.

“He understands that. We gave away some silly penalties collectively last week and we talk about discipline a lot, and a lot of games have been really good. You put it down to a brain explosion, wouldn’t you? I think someone else has mentioned that during the week.

“I think straight away he knew himself that he was pretty apologetic about it. I’m sure he’ll keep that out of this game.”

McKellar continues to back the off-contract Tupou, who has had a mixed season.

Taniela Tupou needs to get his act together for the Waratahs. Picture: Getty Images

“His movement, speed, that’s what’s been the encouraging thing, even at training, he wants to be in the game,” he said.

“I think over the last three or four weeks there’s been some good signs.”

McKellar suggested injured trio Jake Gordon (hamstring), Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii (broken jaw) and Max Jorgensen could be in the selection mix next week should the Tahs make the finals.

FRENCH CLUBS EYE TEEN

YET another talented Australian teenager is in the sights of a French club.

Weeks after dual-code 17-year-old star Heinz Lemoto signed with Toulouse, it can be revealed Australian under-16s star Hasani Bloomfield is being chased by another major French team.

The 16-year-old, who is in Year 11 at The Kings School, is a tighthead prop who is seen as a Taniela Tupou prototype.

Hasani Bloomfield is in the sights of French rugby. Picture: John Appleyard

He is already 186cm and 112kg, but will continue to grow. The French offer is for him to join after he finishes school next year, like Lemoto.

Bloomfield was contracted to the NSW Waratahs at just 14, such is his promise, but the French raiders continue to target some of the best young players here, much to the annoyance of Rugby Australia, who have sought World Rugby intervention to try to stop the poaching or force the clubs to pay higher release fees.

WALLABIES, NFL, TO TACKLE USA

RUGBY’S big push to crack the lucrative North American market is about to go to a whole new level with secret talks taking place with NFL franchises wanting to cross promote both sports.

This column’s US snouts have revealed the Los Angeles Rams quietly reached out to Rugby Australia to brainstorm ideas about plugging the NFL’s future games at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

While the promotional strategy is still being worked out, it’s expected that a small number of marquee players from the Rams will hook up with a selection of available Wallabies for a global launch in Melbourne in late June to spruik the NFL’s regular season games due to take place at the MCG in 2026 and 2027.

It’s common knowledge that while the NFL is far and away the biggest professional sport in the United States, gridiron officials are aggressively trying to tap into new regions around the world.

The NFL has already staged regular season games in Britain, Mexico, Germany and Brazil and will travel to Spain and Ireland later this year before venturing to Australia for the start of the 2026 and 2027 seasons.

While they will also involve AFL players, NFL has long seen rugby as its ideal promotional partner because of the code’s international reach and ambitions for North America.

Victorian-born former Wallaby Jordan Petaia recently signed on with the LA Chargers as tight end.

Jordan Petaia has signed with NFL team LA Chargers. Photo by Mia Jones/LA Chargers

Rugby 7s will also be featured at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics while the men’s and women’s Rugby World Cups are both taking place in the US in the cycle before the Brisbane 2032 Olympics, where NFL hopes flag football will be included.

Super Bowl champions just four seasons ago, the Rams are taking the lead and paying close attention to the British and Irish Lions’ matches in Melbourne later this year.

The Rams have already confirmed they will play at the MCG in 2026 although their opponents have not been decided.

NFL insiders reckon the most likely date for the game will be Saturday September 12, which would clash with the AFL finals.

GRAHAM MAKES HISTORY

SHAE Graham created history on Thursday, becoming the first woman to play 100 games for Australia’s wheelchair rugby team, the Steelers.

Graham took to the court for Australia during the 2025 World Challenge which is being held in Adelaide over this weekend.

After sustaining a spinal cord injury aged 18 in a car accident, Graham watched the iconic wheelchair rugby documentary, Murderball, and was encouraged to try the sport by her brother.

Shae Graham became the first woman to play 100 games for the Steelers.

She excelled in the game’s speed and intensity, and made history in 2019 as the first woman to represent Australia in the sport, with rules allowing mixed teams.

Graham is a two-time Paralympian, competing at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, and helped secure a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Games.

By day, she is a librarian at the Melbourne Museum, helping catalogue collections and assisting with community programs.

Originally published as Another Wallabies player is being chased by New Zealand Super Rugby clubs, while teenage star pursued by France