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‘All Blacks would be pretty cool’: NRL’s Joseph Manu weighing up code switch

(Photo by Jason McCawley/Getty Images)

Sydney Roosters and New Zealand Kiwis utility Joseph Manu is weighing up a possible full-time switch to rugby union which could see the NRL star potentially realise his All Blacks “dream.”

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Manu, 27, was crowned the world’s best international rugby league player after a sensational series of Test matches in the New Zealand Kiwis jersey in 2022.

But away from the international game, the two-time NRL Premiership winner has risen to superstar status during a glistening career with the Roosters which began in 2016.

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The Tricolours – nickname for the Sydney Roosters – will be desperate to keep Manu beyond 2024, with the New Zealander set to come off contract at the end of the 2024 season.

Manu is widely viewed as the best player set to test the free agency open market with the Rooster generating plenty of interest amid links of a short-term deal in Japanese rugby.

“I’m not too sure what I’ll end up doing but I think rugby is a challenge. It’s something different, something new” Manu told Nine News.  “If I go to play rugby then I’m focused on rugby, not on coming back.

“Obviously (playing for) the All Blacks would be pretty cool. That’s a Kiwi’s dream.”

It’s been reported that Manu’s management has floated the idea of the NRL star signing a short deal with a Japanese rugby club from December to May.  Under this proposed deal, Manu would ideally return to Sydney to see out the rest of the 2025 NRL season with the Tricolours.

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But Manu has ruled out that idea. The Roosters centre insisted that if he does switch codes, it won’t be a temporary stint away from the NRL – it’ll be permanent.

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“You could probably go there and come back, but the focus isn’t really going there to just play for a few months and come back. It’s not really that,” Manu added, as reported by Stuff

“I grew up playing rugby but it’s really just a case of looking at all options and that was one that was tossed up.

“I’ve been at the Roosters for 10 years now. It’s been a long time and I love the place. That makes it very hard to leave but we’ll see what happens.”

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Comments

5 Comments
J
Jmann 288 days ago

who is he?

P
Pecos 289 days ago

A custom built #12 with a rugby pedigree. Why not?

F
Forward pass 289 days ago

A quality player who I think would make it in Union if given the right environment. WOuld have been a vg player if he had stayed in Union from the get go.

A
Andrew 289 days ago

Dont stuff around. Just get on and return. If the fire is in your belly it will happen….if it’s just”cool” it doesnt sound like you’re serious. If you do, avoud any Auckland side. It will only end in tears. The Chiefs or Crusaders will get ypu back up to speed the best.

J
Jonathan Gil 289 days ago

Interesting. Let’s hope that, if he makes the switch, he doesn’t get Rogered — ie slotted, as RTS was, into the wrong position. Though in his case, second-five might be just the trick: he’s a big unit (6’4”), but also has the requisite agility and kicking skills.

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NB 11 minutes ago
'Passionate reunion of France and New Zealand shows Fabien Galthie is wrong to rest his stars'

Nice bit if revisioniusm but that's all it is JW.


For your further education, I found the following breakdown of one prominent club's finances in the Top 14 [Clermont].


For Clermont (budget of €29.5 million for 2021-2022) :

- 20% from ticket sales

- 17% from the LNR (includes TV Rights, compensation from producing french internationals and other minor stuff)

- 5% from public collectivities (so you're looking at funds from the city of Clermont, the department of Puy-De-Dôme and the region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes)

- 4% from merchandising and events

- 3% from miscellaneous

- 51 % from sponsorships and partnerships. They've got 550 different partners. The main ones are CGI, Groupama, Limagrain/Jacquet, Omerin, Paprec, Renault and of course Michelin (not surprising since they're actually the founders of the club).


As you can see nothing comes from the FFR at all. The LNR is a separate entitiy to FFR and their aims frequently do not accord.


It is also why the European breakaway plotted by LNR and PR back in 2013 had nothing to do with the governing bodies of either England or France - and it most certainly did not have their blessing https://www.espn.co.uk/rugby/story/_/id/15331030/jean-pierre-lux-anglo-french-cup-detrimental-european-rugby


And from the horse's mouth [ex AB skipper Sean Fitapatrick] about the comp between Top 14 and Super Rugby:


"The Top 14 in France is probably the best rugby competition in the world at the moment, purely for the week-in, week-out.”


“I think the quality of players. They are bigger, they are faster, they are stronger. Which then carries on into the international game.”

Take it from someone who knows JW😅

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