Former State of Origin player Ben Te’o, currently signed to Super Rugby, emerges as hottest target on NRL player market
He hasn’t played NRL in almost five years and now has 16 Test rugby caps for England. Yet suddenly, NRL clubs are queuing up for this former Origin star.
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Former England rugby union star Ben Te’o has emerged as a priority target for NRL clubs as COVID-19 continues to cast a cloud over the future of rugby and the Super Rugby competition.
Amid talk that Quade Cooper could make a switch to the NRL, The Australian understands that Te’o is a more realistic target for rugby league clubs given he has an intimate understanding of the code through his previous stints at the Wests Tigers, Brisbane and Souths.
Te’o has played at inside centres in rugby, but in rugby league he moved between the centres and the backrow.
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He played eight years in the NRL before switching codes at the end of 2014, having celebrated a premiership win with the Rabbitohs.
He moved to English rugby union and enjoyed several successful season, playing for the national side under Eddie Jones.
Having departed Europe at the end of the 2019 season, he joined the Sunwolves in the Super Rugby competition but the outbreak of coronavirus forced Super 15 into hibernation after Te’o had made only a handful of appearances for the Japanese club.
He has been in Australia since and the uncertainty over the return of Super Rugby prompted former Brisbane captain Gorden Tallis and Te’o’s ex-teammate Sam Burgess to suggest on Fox League that he would be the perfect signing for an NRL club as the competition braces for a return on May 28.
Clearly, some NRL clubs agree.
The Australian understands a handful have already expressed an interest in signing Te’o for the remainder of this season if and when the competition is up and running.
His former clubs Brisbane and Souths would appear the most logical fits given he has previously played with both.
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Originally published as Former State of Origin player Ben Te’o, currently signed to Super Rugby, emerges as hottest target on NRL player market