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Melbourne Rebels and Wallabies back-rower Sean McMahon has inked a two-year deal with a Japanese rugby club which is likely to rule him out of the 2019 Rugby World Cup.
It’s unclear at this stage which club McMahon has signed on for, with the tip being Suntory. Regardless, it has been confirmed the deal will run towards the end of 2019 and should rule him out of the Rugby World Cup in that year, also to be played in Japan.
McMahon, who has been named in Michael Cheika’s train-on squad for the upcoming Bledisloe Cup and Rugby Championship, will still be available for the Wallabies until the end of their Spring Tour later this year, but will play no part in the 2018 Super Rugby season.
The 23-year-old back-rower said he was done playing in Australia for the next two years, not giving too many details away, but saying it was the best decision for his career.
“We’re done with the Rebels after this season. All I can say is I won’t be playing in Australia next year, I will be gone for two years,” McMahon said.
“It was a very big call I’ve made. There were a few factors that came into it, a few personal ones and a few other issues that I don’t really want to go into.”
However, there was a sliver of good news for Australian rugby fans; McMahon didn’t completely shut the door on appearing at the 2019 Rugby World Cup, saying there is a chance he could return in time for the tournament.
“If I want to come back it will have to be a decision I’ll have to make at that time,” he said.
“There’s still a chance (that I could come back in time to play in the next World Cup), maybe down the track I might change my mind.”
However, without a get-out clause in his contract to return to Australia after a season, McMahon would likely need to ask for a release ahead of the World Cup if he does want to play for the Wallabies.
After making his debut in 2014 for the Rebels, McMahon currently has 45 Super Rugby games under his belt. He made his Wallabies debut in the same year and has 14 caps to his name, although injury and the presence of David Pocock and Michael Hooper in the back row have prevented him from becoming a key cog in Michael Cheika’s side.