The Roosters are exploring the possibility of bringing Mark Nawaqanitawase across from rugby straight away after he was snubbed in Joe Schmidt’s first Wallabies selection.
The Waratah winger was not among the 16 players from the ousted Super Rugby franchises to be called into Australian training to stay fit ahead of the July Tests against Georgia and Wales.
Nawaqanitawase may have played his final game in the XV-man code, although he has had discussions about potentially joining the Sevens team for the Paris Olympics – although coach John Manenti’s comments were tempered.
The Sydney Morning Herald reported Friday that the Roosters were interested in Marky Mark having an “extended apprenticeship” with the NRL club before coming into the team in 2025.
The Herald said the Roosters “are interested in getting Nawaqanitawase an early start on his transition to rugby league via training and potential games in lower grades.”
Meanwhile the paper reported that Nawaqanitawase had also held discussions with Manenti, with whom he has a long realtionship, about the possibility of playing at the Paris Olympics.
His former Wallaby teammate Michael Hooper is also in the frame but his chances appear bleak due to injury.
Mark Nawaqanitawase is headed to the National Rugby League’s Sydney Roosters. (Photo by Scott Gardiner/Getty Images)
“I know ‘Marky’ pretty well and we have had a few conversations,” Manenti told the Herald.
“I would certainly include him [in the selection mix] and have a look at him. There is a fair bit of work for him to do to get up to speed quickly but he has played with us before, and he went to the Commonwealth Games, at late notice as well. We want some more weapons to fire so he is still an option.”
It seems that Manenti has his eyes on other targets from Super Rugby ahead of Nawaqanitawase, and he had discussed plans for Darby Lancaster and Corey Toole with Schmidt.
“Out-and-out speed is of importance to us, and Darby and Corey probably offer a little bit more around high speed than Mark,” Manenti said. “But Mark has other strengths; he is good in the air and has an offload game.”