Eddie Jones eyes NRL stars to help spark Wallabies revival
Eddie Jones laid out his poaching plan to raid the NRL’s young talent, and top of the list is budding superstar Joseph Suaalii. Here's how they can outbid the Sydney Roosters for his signature.
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Eddie Jones has three NRL targets in mind to sign to the Wallabies.
He hasn’t identified the three, but well placed sources indicate that some high-profile league stars who are all off contract this year are on a list of interest at Rugby Australia.
Rising Roosters gun Joseph Sua’ali’i is the obvious No.1 target for rugby.
But alongside him, Parramatta Eels centre Will Penisini, Manly flyer Tolu Koula and Melbourne Storm enforcer Nelson Asofa-Solomona are wanted by RA.
Former schoolboys rugby player Sua’ali’i starred for Samoa at the Rugby League World Cup, and has all the physical attributes and mental toughness to switch codes and take on international rugby rivals immediately.
It’s no wonder RA has a massive offer waiting in the wings for the 19-year-old.
They require private investment to bump up Sua’ali’i to a potential $10 million offer, but the suits at Moore Park are confident given Australia will host the multimillion dollar 2025 British & Irish Lions series, and the 2027 World Cup.
Incoming Wallabies coach Jones is determined to revive rugby’s standing in Australia’s sporting landscape, and there would be no bigger statement than poaching the best young player in the NRL.
Penisini went to school and played alongside Sua’ali’i at The Kings School in Parramatta, and captained their First XV team to an undefeated season in 2020, before signing with the Eels and making his NRL debut the following year.
The 20-year-old is a free agent after the 2023 season and would be a prime candidate for the Wallabies backline over the next five years.
Koula, 20, is contracted until the end of 2024, but given his vast rugby experience – he was a member of the Australian Schoolboys side alongside Sua’ali’i in 2019 – he would be an ideal target for the 2025 Lions series.
The 115kg behemoth Asofa-Solomona has already explored the possibility of playing rugby for Australia.
He met with former Wallabies coach Dave Rennie when his anti-vaccination position threatened to derail his NRL career in the midst of the Covid-affected 2021 season.
However, that issue was resolved and Asofa-Solomona resumed playing with the Storm.
But the New Zealand-born heavyweight, who grew up dreaming of playing for the All Blacks, is also off contract after this year and Jones, who loves big bodies with aggressive mindsets, could use Asofa-Solomona as a ball-carrying backrow option.
Another is Roosters backrower Angus Crichton.
Crichton has re-signed with the Bondi club until the end of 2024, so he too would be a Lions target if sought by RA.
Jones was at the helm of the Wallabies when they picked off Wendell Sailor, Lote Tuqiri and Mat Rogers from league, and all helped Australia reach the 2003 World Cup final.
He is not afraid to shake things up for the sake of Australian rugby.
In an interview with Nine, Jones revealed he had three NRL players on his list of targets.
“We always want to develop players in rugby first,” Jones said.
“That’s the No.1 priority. No.2 is to get back players who were lost initially from rugby to rugby league due to the financial inducements that league are able to give the players. We want to get players back who are lost. Thirdly, at the right time, is there an opportunity to secure some talent we don’t have in rugby from league? I think there is a strategic plan that needs to be put in place but the first thing is to retain the talent we do have.
“There’s three [NRL targets] that come to mind … All were Australian schoolboys and have done well in the NRL. I’m sure the allure of playing in a home Rugby World Cup might be something to attract them back.”
There are several other NRL stars with rugby backgrounds – including Kangaroos stars Cam Murray.
But Murray signed an extension with South Sydney Rabbitohs until the end of 2025, making it unlikely he’d be chased by Jones.
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