Knights’ Akuila Uate may be ruing decision to knock back lucrative offers to play rugby

AKUILA Uate’s decision to knock back overtures to play rugby overseas may have backfired with the Fijian flyer facing a battle to save his Knights Knights.

Uate may be left to rue his missed chances.

OUT of favour Newcastle winger Akuila Uate’s decision to twice knock back overtures to quit the NRL in the past six months to play rugby overseas may have backfired with the Fijian flyer now facing a battle to save his career at the Knights.

Uate had serious interest from Japanese rugby during the off-season and less than four weeks ago, The Daily Telegraph can reveal he knocked back an opportunity to play rugby in France following a big money offer from an agent with strong connections to the code in Europe.

On both occasions, the club would not have stood in his way.

Uate may be left to rue his missed chances.

But he still has a year to run on a contract in Newcastle believed to be worth around $485,000 in 2017 and with a young family to consider, has told the Knights he is not ready to travel overseas.

“He is just reticent to go overseas because of his young family but also because he loves the club up there in Newcastle,” his manager Darryl Mather said.

“The interest was there from Japanese rugby in the off-season which he knocked back and less than a month ago, there was an opportunity from French rugby which we sat down and spoke about with the club.

“He turned that down as well and I can’t see him changing his mind, at least in the short term, as he is keen to see out his contract in Newcastle.

“At no stage did the club prevent Aku from taking up an opportunity to play elsewhere. It was Aku who made the decision to stay put.”

But now comes the challenge.

Uate faces a fight to regain his spot in the Knights’ first team.

Last week, he was dumped to NSW Cup by coach Nathan Brown and there is speculation he faces a massive task to force his way back into the top grade because he won’t be part of the club’s long-term plans.

Brown is said to be hellbent on giving his younger players opportunities to develop which could see a player like Uate forced to play out the remainder of his contract in the lower grades.

Originally published as Knights’ Akuila Uate may be ruing decision to knock back lucrative offers to play rugby