Rugby Australia has flagged it will step up a raid on NRL players after securing a 2027 World Cup on home soil, but league bosses says they’re unconcerned by the threat of a code war.
RA chairman Hamish McLennan told the Sun-Herald newspaper that CEO Andy Marinos and Wallabies coach Dave Rennie have already had discussions about targeting “a few good league players who grew up with rugby.”
“These players love the game and they know that a Rugby World Cup experience in Australia can’t be replicated by league.”
If McLennan’s statement was a shot across rugby league’s bows, the CEO of the NRL Andrew Abdo seemed dismissive.
Hamish McLennan. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
“We focus on rugby league; we don’t worry too much about what’s going on in and around us from the other sports’ perspective,” Abdo told the Sun-Herald.
“People are entitled to say what they want and ply their trade how they want.
“We have seen some unbelievable talent unearthed in our competition year after year. We see some great players retire and then you see some rookie players come through and become fan favourites.
“We are razor-sharp focused on making sure our competition is the best in the world.”
Abdo said league had compelling advanatges over union.
“It’s a wonderful game to play, a wonderful game to watch. We have tribalism and passion, a wonderful support base, we’ve got clubs that have unprecedented investment into centres of excellence and new stadiums,” Abdo said.
“When a professional athlete makes a choice about where they play, they take a number of considerations into account. We certainly are confident we have the systems in place to attract and develop talent. We will continue to do that.
“Coming out of the pandemic, we’re going to see the international game revitalised. We have a World Cup this year in the UK, we have a Pacific double-header coming up in June and we are working on an international calendar in October and November on an annual basis.
“If you’re a rugby league player, you have a lot to look forward to. It’s a pretty compelling proposition.”
Rugby Australia has been the hunted for several years with many of its top stars being poached overseas. They appear hopeful that an injection of funding from the successful 2027 World Cup bid will help them stem the tide and then push onto NRL’s territory.
McLennan was not prepared to discuss potential targets.
Former Wallabies captain George Gregan said RA would need to be careful with their choices.
“Before I’d have a chequebook, I’d have an attitude book,” Gregan told the Sun-Herald.
“If their attitude is to compete on an international arena, contribute to the Wallaby team and they want to play the game of rugby and try and get to the heights that it enables you to do, then that’s great. The rest takes care of itself.
“That was definitely the case with players I was lucky enough to play with over my career who came from rugby league. They had an attitude which was they wanted to be world champions and the best they could be in our game. They brought that attitude and that work ethic to the team which I think is really important.”
Gregan reflected on the signings of Wendell Sailor, Lote Tuqiri and Mat Rogers from league. They were big stars in rugby union as well.
“They earned their place and cut their teeth playing Super Rugby, going on tours,” Gregan said. “They were quality players. The skill sets required to play both games, there’s some difference, but then there’s some stuff which correlates as well. They all had big-match temperament. They were never intimidated.”
Gregan said RA could offer something that NRL couldn’t.
“Rugby separates itself from those two codes [NRL and AFL] with a Rugby World Cup,” he said.
“It’s a global, international event, which attracts the best players in the world and attracts incredible support from all around the world. You’ll play in front of arenas which are sold out over a seven-week period which is pretty unique. The other codes, as great as they are, they just can’t offer that.”
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
I meant the Broncos and Titans don’t have a direct link to Grassroots. In the same way that the OP was complaining Super Rugby teams don’t and NRL teams do. There is not this situation where NRL teams are also heavily part of grassroots club league. Like every sport these are run off the back of hard working volunteers. And while pro teams do try and engage with the community, there is not true link from Billy’s Under 6s and the NRL (or Super Rugby) team
Nat
Roar Guru
Ok, maybe i wasn’t as specific as I meant to be. You said the Broncos don’t, I know they do but i never made comment on any other club or code. Further, it’s not scouting at u6 - u9s which is my direct involvement and what i term as GR funding. The reference scholarships was not meant to be a GR reference but it does point to the amount of $ they are putting into the game outside of the NRL.
Train Without A Station
Roar Guru
That’s what every Super Rugby team does though. Every sport in fact. It’s an investment, and a great one at that. So if it involves the grassroots then so do all the SR teams. But I don’t know how you can say scouting elite talent is really grassroots connection. Where they engage with junior clubs that certainly is though.
OMO
Roar Rookie
It's usually because of money. It has to be faced that in Oz, league is much more successful, and thus can pay their players more, and there is also more money in Oz than there is in Nz. So they poach the Union talent with the incentive of money for the whole family.
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
probably the same reason why most Kiwis come here – Oz has more to offer beyond playing footy (& the weathers better)
Nat
Roar Guru
You might want to look a bit deeper into that TWAS, for the broncos at least. I have first hand experience is seeing them at many junior clubs, clinics and supporting with $. They have the most amount of 13 - 15yo kids on scholarships (although Penrith are up there as well these days). I believe they have a FT guy up in PNG as well.
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
yes i can see RL's attraction - play in east coast clubs of Oz, the north of Blighty when their career in Oz is over and a joke of a World Cup. at least rugby's "retirement" league (France) has better weather, food & wine (sure beats a chip butty & warm lager).
Kent Dorfman
Roar Rookie
i thought rugby is all about passion! - just ask Nick Farr-Jones
fiwiboy7042
Roar Rookie
:laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Emery Ambrose
Roar Rookie
Forget going after League players, I would have Rugby Australia hire Global Talent Officers to head out to UK, France, Japan and USA, working to get 30-40 players back to Australia, give them a deal and they can play in SR for 4 years, with the chance to play for Australia in a home WC, in front of family and friends would be an extra lure. We will probably see some return in the next couple years on their own accord, just to be more readily available for the test team instead of being hampered by club commitments.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
The troll comment was not called for but I don't agree that the majority of League fans would not have known otherwise. I didn't check the viewing numbers but it is on other media like this one. It's a code war article and as a Dragons fan I am looking forward to all the future Rugby World Cups.
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
I'm assuming that everyone gets a daily dose of the news even if they're only interested in their chosen sport. It's obviously not everyone. I heard it a few times.
OZ Rugby Fan
Guest
Why the insult? How is this a troll. Did I hurt your sensitive little feelings, kitten? Plenty of people missed this on the news. Many don't even watch the news in this day of social media. So, point stands, cupcake, back in your box.
Mitch
Guest
I asked my dad if he heard that rugby won the RWC he replied “What when “ he’s a massive sport fan .
Rugby League is very, very popular in NZ, despite the useless Warriors. The only reason Rugby Unions exists in NZ is that it has an almost impossible stranglehold in the schools , and the AllBlacks have an excellent record. Even Union fans in NZ know their game is rubbish compared to League.
Dadofchampions
Guest
I agree. Abdos comments were ‘considered’ weren’t they, aware alot of his stars were poached from Kiwi college rugby. Was at a St Kents v St Peters game on the weekend and the prevalence of NRL branded tracksuits and caps wasn’t lost on many. :thumbdown:
Cadfael
Roar Guru
Look at our own before looking to the NRL.
Birdy
Roar Rookie
"privledged white families"
Tim Buck 3
Roar Rookie
You can bet that the majority of League fans would not have known otherwise. The majority of League fans would have heard it on the news OZ Rugby Troll.
Randy
Roar Rookie
yeah but Rugby needs a headline in the papers so they can say "haha look, the best NRL talents wants to play global rugby rather than go to western sydney and qld every other week ahahah" is whats its about