Departing Wallabies free to make immediate NRL switch
Two Wallabies stars are poised to join the NRL after reportedly being released by Rugby Australia.
The Sydney Morning Herald reports both Mark Nawaqanitawase and Carter Gordon are in the process of being released by RA.
It is now up to the NRL whether they are both permitted to join the rosters of the Roosters and the Titans respectively.
Nawaqanitawase signed a deal with the Roosters from next season, while Gordon is joining Gold Coast.
The Super Rugby season is over and neither were selected in Joe Schmidt's first Wallabies squad for upcoming games against Wales.
Nawaqanitawase is, though, heading to the Olympics later this month with the Australian sevens squad.
He therefore won't be available to begin with the Bondi NRL club until August at the earliest.
Gordon - a talented playmaker - is able to start work with the Titans immediately.
It remains to be seen whether either player makes their NRL debut this year for their respective new team.
Watch the 2024 NRL premiership live and free on Nine and 9Now.
The Roosters are facing a backline crisis which Nawaqanitawase could help fix later in the season.
Joseph Manu broke his hand on Sunday and is out for a month, while Billy Smith is sidelined with an ankle issue and Joseph Suaalii and Junior Pauga are both out suspended.
Carter Gordon is joining the Titans.
Manu and Suaalii are both off to rugby next year, when Nawaqanitawase will assume one of their positions full-time.
But following Sunday's win over the Tigers, Roosters coach Trent Robinson denied he had plans to bring the Wallabies convert into the NRL team this year.
"It's more the ability to get him going," he said.
"I haven't got an NRL focus for him, I've got a transition into rugby league focus and get him training if possible and playing some reserve grade would be ideal. And then it's up to him about how he adapts.
"The focus is definitely not NRL, it's not next week... there's not any view on NRL any time soon."
The Titans look certain to miss NRL finals this year and may yet decide to blood Gordon at some point before their season ends.