Wallabies star Fraser McReight looms as the focal point of Australian rugby’s ambitions, but the flanker has revealed he’s in “no rush” to ink a new deal.
Upon his return to the Queensland Reds’ preseason, having participated in the first Test camp of the year last week, the 25-year-old’s future will be a point of contention as he prepares to come off contract at the end of 2025.
McReight has become one of the Wallabies’ few established members, but will no doubt attract interest from lucrative foreign competitions as Rugby Australia works to retain its talent once the looming broadcast deal is finalised.
Fraser McReight looms as a priority retention for the Wallabies.Credit: Getty Images
Harry Wilson, Lukhan Salakaia-Loto, Taniela Tupou, Len Ikitau, Noah Lolesio and Tom Wright are among the big names seeking to secure their next move, while Tom Hooper has announced he will join Exeter in England come 2026.
While McReight expressed hope the Wallabies would get the chance to build on the promising strides taken on the Spring Tour ahead of the 2027 World Cup, he indicated the squad would only remain intact if it consistently produced results in the global arena and at Super Rugby level.
However, he remained coy on where he saw his future after 2025, adamant that only success on the field for Queensland would dictate his next contract.
“I think there are plenty of opportunities everywhere you want to look. If I’m playing my best rugby and doing my best personally right here [at Ballymore] first and foremost, and taking it into the Wallabies, that will take care of itself,” McReight said.
“I’m in no rush, I just want to enjoy my rugby and enjoy winning and competing. There’s a long list of boys off contract, that’s for sure, and I’m sure that as the weeks and months roll on, that will start getting smaller, and people will start figuring out what they want to do.
“The longer you play with people, you understand their games. Having some consistency last year at the back end was great, but I feel like there’s always a balance though at Test level, where you have to be putting up the performances and getting the results to warrant that consistency.”
McReight’s pairing with Wallabies skipper and Queensland No.8 Wilson has become one of the domestic scene’s most prominent partnerships, a lethal union they intend to transfer to the international stage.
Fraser McReight warms up at Allianz Stadium.Credit: Getty Images
The addition of Liam Wright – who ended his four-year Test hiatus by captaining the country against Wales before succumbing to a shoulder injury – to the Reds’ back row makes for a potent trio, and one that will only become more dangerous.
Following the additions of Salakaia-Loto, Matt Gibbon and Josh Canham, Queensland’s pack boasts 141 Test caps, and that injection holds the key to ending New Zealand’s Super Rugby stranglehold.
Of the 27 competitions involving their Kiwi counterparts, only four premierships have been claimed by an Australian outfit – the last in 2014.
“The great thing about having more Test caps is there’s a lot more depth in the squad, but it comes back down to the competitiveness at training, and then the performance,” McReight said.
“We had a great year last year … but we have a long way to go, and I think having that depth and more Test caps is going to add to that.
“It’s going to be a big year, with the carrot of the Lions. There’s plenty to play for.”
