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.
PiratesRugby
Guest
Fionn, I can explain the problem to you in three words... New South Wales.
AlwaysReadUpOnUsefulThings!
Guest
There's not just one fix though - this is endemic, and like many sports (eg; Aus tennis?), better global powers now play a much bigger part than did decades prior. I think the Wallabies and the ARU code has had the belief and spirit drained from it, due to convergences of multiple factors over a ~10 year period. Aus Rugby has been living under the enormous shadow of the dominant NRL here for a long time - really since the State Of Origin concept catapulted the NRL light years ahead. The ARU has always been able to compete marginally well with the NRL - somewhat successfully, but then, with the evolution of world rugby professionalism in somewhat single code countries, plus other sports here surging ahead in popularity and pushing Aus Rugby down to 4th/5th, and then crucially with NZ rugby surging for the last 10 years to hand us the constant expectation of a regular losing culture against them now, the somewhat perfect storm finally has us incapable of reversing now long-impacting trends, particularly when our fabulous correctional solution every few years is just to cynically rinse and repeat with a new coach. Cheika was never going to be The Messiah. He's just the latest victim caught up in the worsening storm. Let's be honest.. With the exception of a few good World Cup blip years, we've got a half-arsed culture, that generally breeds half-arsed results, compared to the rest of the Rugby world's now surging efforts. You reap what you sow, and we haven't tended the crops for a long, LOOOONG time.
StuM
Guest
More players seem to be doing this these days than ever. What's the history of player exodus from Aus - how far back can anyone remember that it was a rarity.. when a player with Wallabies aspiration actually ditched the jersey to take up a foreign gig? Eg Ben Mowen.
Cal
Guest
Pococks a one trick pony, a good trick tho. SM is a more complete no 7 and still young. He's the future. Shouldve been offered more to be stay
Kiwi in us
Guest
Possibly part of the reason besides all those above is the guy has lost his belief in the yellow jumper and the coaching direction. It must of been euphoric to ride the wave of 2015. but that is where it stopped. The momentum just stopped. I think from the moment Cheika was awarded coach of the year, it surpassed so much more than was expected, it all went to custard. With England being humiliated, you knew they were coming down under with a point to prove. Those early games in 2016 it was remarked everywhere how out of shape and unfit the oz super franchises were. Then for me I noticed that two weeks before the english arrived Cheika excercised his option to be coach through the 2019 RWC. He knew then his team were underdone ( not fit for 80 minutes of rugby) and maybe they new as well. Yet he persisted with a game plan which would better suit a far fitter side. The momentum stopped in 2016 and here we are still bickering about fit wallabies. Fitness should of been fixed 12 months on with the lesson learned. If not this year when we are half way through a WC cycle when. It makes the rest of the season such a waste if the boys are not fit. So I don't know if the young guy is super fit or not, but if he was, and it showed, how would you feel if others turn up not fit. You know what they say, "It's hard to soar like an eagle when you work with turkeys".
Drongo
Guest
He is too small. Let him go with our blessing. He will be big in Japan.
Drongo
Guest
When McMahon becomes anywhere near as good as Pocock he can start complaining.
John R
Roar Guru
Mate, I WISH I was making 10% on that guys earnings!
Marto
Guest
^^ John R. Your client IZZY Foolau took all the top ups..No money left for Sean..
MitchO
Guest
Yes 2023 looks the earliest we may have a sufficiently complete team. In 2015 Scotland were unlucky against us and somehow in the final we managed to push the ABs close but the better teams won on both those days. If I was a McMahon type (very good at a young age) I think you are better off going overseas whilst under 25 and then coming back home to finish your career.
Casual fan
Guest
Real shame. Injuries aside should have been first man picked over past three years.
Ken Catchpole's Other Leg
Guest
Mitcho 2023 looks far more realistic for WBs
DaveR
Guest
My mistake TWAS. I'm sure that will make Sean McMahon feel much better.
Crazy Horse
Roar Pro
Given the ongoing hell that the EARU unleashed on his team (and the Force) in April the only thing I find surprising is that more players haven't opted for the certainty of an overseas contract.
ads2600
Guest
But Quade is not in the squad, is he?!?! Hmm, what's the real story TWAS???
PM
Guest
Been watching young Sean McMahon bust his guts on the International Rugby scene since he began playing sevens for Australia straight out of High School. Was even fortunate enough to be in Moscow for the Sevens World Cup and the last Rugby World Cup in England. Know the lad well and sad to see him go. Bit ironic really as he and Gilly are great mates. As for injuries for the amount of time he has been playing and the way he plays it has only been since the spring tour last year that he has had a bit of a battle with injury. Anyway he is a great young player and a great bloke of the field. He will go well in Japan because of his very nature. Will be in Japan next year to watch him and a few of the other boys go round.
Boomeranga
Guest
PAE played for Samoa against Wales recently as well. He gone for good.
Bfc
Guest
Jeez...hope that doesn't mean a 'player power' clique (a-la the 'Link' episode...) has re-emerged....
Don
Roar Rookie
McMahon would be the second player I'd call in that scenario. Liam Gill would be my first call. But he's having a ball OS…
Jumbo
Guest
Maybe he'll decide by 2019 if he wants to turn out for japan?Just take good money for years to come I reckon.