- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
Benji Marshall looks set to return to the NRL as soon as this season, with the playmaker unlikely to return to top-flight Super Rugby this year.
Blues coach John Kirwan has told Marshall that it would be unlikely he would feature in the plans of the Super Rugby club this season, and reports from New Zealand have suggested that Marshall will seek to return to rugby league.
Marshall has started for the Blues just once in eight rounds of Super Rugby, with limited opportunities from the bench culminating in 212 minutes of game time.
Although the former Wests Tigers star was originally said to be taking a long-term view of getting up to speed with the game in the hope of appearing in the 2015 World Cup, it appears the prospects of playing the rest of 2014 in the lower tiers did not suit.
Marshall, 29, has instructed his manager Martin Tauber to open talks with NRL clubs.
“It just hasn’t worked out, it is disappointing,” Tauber told News Corp.
“He’s not had the game time he’d like. This has all happened over the last 36 hours.”
Marshall must seek to get a release from New Zealand Rugby Union, and find an NRL club before the June 30 cut-off for signing for this season.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.