Rugby Australia too busy dealing with Israel Folau to even think about Latrell Mitchell

If reports of Latrell Mitchell’s so-called advisers contacting Rugby Australia are to be believed, the want-away Rooster may want to consider the small issue of Israel Folau’s $14m damages claim.

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For a supreme talent whose timing on the football field is world-class, reports that Latrell Mitchell has been knocking on the door of Rugby Australia is as ill-timed as it gets.

To be fair to the 22-year-old, news of the “would you take me?” approach to RA can't only be pinned on the Sydney Roosters strike-centre.

His “advisers” have a lot to answer for. Who exactly are those advisers? If they're legitimate? Even RA aren’t entirely sure.

But rugby union’s governing body do have correspondence from someone claiming to be in Mitchell’s corner.

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What sort of advice is Latrell Mitchell getting? Photo: AAP Image/Kelly Barnes

It won't take long for you to work out why RA haven't bothered to follow-up on the cold call.

Yet it seems Mitchell’s crew, in the main, aren't Daily Telegraph subscribers — or at the very least, turned down the volume on every news bulletin last Wednesday.

Because if they were, they wouldn’t have bothered tossing a rock at the window of RA.

Former Wallaby Israel Folau is preparing to take RA to the cleaners with a damages claim worth $14 million.

For Mitchell’s advisers, Izzy is suing RA for the way he was terminated back in May.

The figure he wants has been upped from an original $10 million after Folau produced an amended statement of claim during court last week. The extra $4 million is based on Folau’s belief he could have been made Wallabies captain in the future.

Israel Folau is dragging rugby into a mud pit.

Getting back to Mitchell, RA are spending most days stuffing away every bean they can find until the court case is over, likely in February — just in case, Folau wins.

RA are confident it won't come to that, but they simply can’t afford to be forking out millions for Mitchell when in six months, they could be forking out $14 million to Folau.

It’s why, to date, there's been no return call from RA to his ‘advisers’.

There’s no denying that the powerful left-centre, with a booming left-foot kick, would walk into the Wallabies line-up.

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But does RA, given the mud cakes they’ve been slung this year, need to gamble on a 22-year-old who went missing in State of Origin this year and is being tipped out by the NRL premiers?

It’s all highly doubtful, unless Mitchell wants to wait three months to learn if Folau has left rugby any money to spend when the case is over.

That may change RA’s current position on Mitchell.

But right now RA can’t afford to pick up the phone — in more ways than one.

Originally published as Rugby Australia too busy dealing with Israel Folau to even think about Latrell Mitchell