Rugby Australia has been rebuffed on the eve of Joe Schmidt’s first Wallabies squad announcement, with Izack Rodda rejecting a new contract and heading to France instead.
After months of negotiations between Rodda and RA, The Roar can reveal that the 27-year-old has decided to honour a deal with Provence in France’s ProD2 competition.
He is expected to be released from his current deal with RA on June 30 and now isn’t expected to be named in Schmidt’s squad on Friday. It comes despite Schmidt regularly being in Rodda’s ear to commit to the Wallabies.
Izack Rodda isn’t likely to be named by Joe Schmidt in the New Zealander’s first Wallabies squad announcement after signing in France. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
The Roar understands RA had come back to the drawing board after Rodda was leaning towards leaving. They tabled a two-year deal for Rodda and had hoped to move the second-rower from Perth to the Waratahs.
Unfortunately, their increased offer was too little too late with Rodda already set for a move.
RA’s reluctance to hand Rodda a national top-up was likely down to the fact that the Western Force lock had been sidelined for much of the past two years with injuries.
But the past two months had shown Rodda has plenty left to give.
Now, Rodda will join Ned Hanigan in the south of France.
Rodda previously played 25 games for Lyon in Top 14 after leaving the Reds when he opted not to take a pay cut during Covid.
Izack Rodda starred at the 2019 World Cup, starting in every match for the Wallabies. (William West/AFP/Getty Images)
The loss of the 34-Test capped second-rower, who played in every World Cup fixture in 2019 and has started in 31 matches, is a big one.
Short of size and experience in the second-row, former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones turned to France to fill his preferred locking combination for the World Cup, with both Will Skelton and Richie Arnold playing in the Top 14.
Rodda’s departure will stretch the Wallabies’ depth in the second-row even further, with other former Australian eligible players like Adam Coleman, Rob Simmons, Kane Douglas and Emmanuel Meafou also starring in the French Top 14. Another rising star, Harry Hockings, is expected to play for Japan next year once he becomes eligible.
Indeed, the absence of a world class tight five continues to haunt Australian rugby.
Last year the Wallabies’ World Cup campaign blew up when Taniela Tupou and Skelton were injured ahead of the side’s second pool match against Fiji.
Without the underbelly to fall back on, the Wallabies were outmuscled and beaten up physically by the Flying Fijians.
There had been high hopes that Rodda could be a solution to help ease the Wallabies’ tight five concerns, but now he is the latest big-name lock to head north.
Schmidt will name his first Wallabies squad on Friday at 11am for two Tests against Wales next month.
Meanwhile, Andrew Kellaway has re-signed with Rugby Australia until the end of 2026 and his move to the Waratahs, first reported by The Roar in January, has been confirmed.
Kellaway had committed to the Waratahs well before the Rebels were axed from next year’s competition.
“I’d like to thank the Rebels for giving me the opportunity to return to Australian Rugby back in 2020, something I’m incredibly grateful for. I’d also like to thank my teammates, the staff and Rebels fans for the experiences and support over the past four seasons,” Kellaway said in a statement.
“To be able to return to the Waratahs after six years feels like a full circle for my rugby journey and I look forward to working hard for the club next year.”