Wallabies star Marika Koroibete has backflipped on plans to retire from Test football, with representatives for the speedster telling Rugby Australia he still has a strong desire to don a gold jersey next year following the exit of coach Eddie Jones.
However, the good news about Koroibete could be offset by the departure of highly regarded winger Mark Nawaqanitawase, who is strongly considering a shock code switch to the Sydney Roosters after meeting with league officials last month.
Koroibete, who joined Australian rugby at the end of 2016 after a successful stint with the Melbourne Storm, has been one of the Wallabies’ most potent players during the past five years.
In the aftermath of Australia’s final World Cup pool match against Portugal in early October, Koroibete reportedly told teammates it would be his last international.
“It’s his last Test … I think he’s retiring,” Wallabies prop Pone Fa’amausili told Wide World of Sports. “I’m real close to Marika, and he definitely spoke to me, before we came to France, that this will be his last time putting on the gold jersey for the Wallabies.
“I’m real gutted that I won’t be able to play with him ever again because I played with him at the Rebels, and I’m really grateful to share the field with him.”
Marika Koroibete gets his selfie game going at the World Cup in France.Credit: Getty
News of Koroibete’s Test rugby swansong flew under the radar given the Wallabies’ disastrous World Cup campaign where they were bundled out in the pool stage for the first time.
However, there has been movement on Koroibete’s future this week.
According to RA sources, speaking on the condition of anonymity, Koroibete’s management has told the governing body that he has not finished with Test rugby.
RA was told he has a “strong desire” to continue and that Koroibete was “keen as mustard”.
Koroibete plays his club rugby in Japan with Panasonic Wild Knights and is eligible for Wallabies duty during international windows. The Wallabies’ next Test is against Wales in Sydney in July.
A new coach will be installed by then, following Jones’ resignation after Australia’s World Cup campaign. Jones was less than 10 months into a five-year deal and is set for a second interview with Japan later this month for the country’s vacant head coach role.
Meanwhile, RA is bracing for the possibility that Nawaqanitawase could switch to the NRL in 2025 following robust negotiations.
This masthead revealed last month that Nawaqanitawase, the starting Wallabies and Waratahs winger, met with Roosters powerbrokers to discuss a potential move to the Tricolours.
Nawaqanitawase is off contract with the Waratahs and RA at the end of 2024 and is exploring his options.
Australia’s Mark Nawaqanitawase could be on his way to the NRL.Credit: AP
Sources close to Nawaqanitawase, speaking on the condition of anonymity, say that RA and the Roosters have made offers to the 23-year-old. The Roosters have already lost Joseph Suaalii to Australian rugby on a three-year deal starting at the end of 2024.
As it stands, rugby is no certainty to keep Nawaqanitawase, who has previously expressed a desire to feature in the NRL.
Nawaqanitawase is expected to make a final decision in the coming days. One source said talks with rugby had “collapsed” and that he was “on the verge” of switching codes.
Earlier this year, Nawaqanitawase accepted a one-year extension for 2024 but admitted he would have preferred a long-term deal.
Nawaqanitawase’s teammate Angus Bell was asked on Wednesday if he had tried to convince the winger to stay in rugby and whether a horror World Cup might have an impact on players wanting to stay in the 15-man game.
“That’s completely up to Marky and what he does,” Bell said.
“I don’t think people will lose interest. The World Cup wasn’t good and as we know, we weren’t good enough there. It’s never going to be a positive, but I believe there are plenty of kids coming through the system that can aspire to be Wallabies and who want to play for the Wallabies.”
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