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Battle of the footy codes: Rugby boss fires back at NRL supremo Peter V’landys in war of words over Wallabies’ stunning megabucks raid on league’s biggest stars: ‘We’ve struck a nerve’
- Ambitious Rugby Australia officials believe they have got under the skin of NRL
- Comes after reports of a $10million, five year deal on offer for Joseph Suaalii
- RA chairman said that figure was ‘fanciful’, but confirmed they want NRL stars
- NRL supremo Peter V’Landys stated Suaalii, 19, would be ‘bored’ playing rugby
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The battle of the footy codes has intensified, with Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan declaring they have ‘struck a nerve’ with the NRL by targeting the competition’s biggest stars.
It comes after reports RA were prepared to offer Sydney Roosters young gun Joseph Suaalii a monster $10million, five-year deal, with McLennan admitting the 19-year-old is a target.
As the war of words went up a notch, NRL chairman Peter V’landys openly mocked the 15-a-side code for their attempted raid, stating Suaalii would even have time to post on social media during matches because the sport is so boring.
‘I don’t think Suaalii would go to rugby because he would be bored,’ V’landys told News Corp.
Following reports Rugby Australia were prepared to offer Sydney Roosters young gun Joseph Suaalii a monster $10million, five-year deal, chairman Hamish McLennan said the code has ‘hit a nerve’ with the NRL
NRL chairman Peter V’landys (pictured right) openly mocked the 15-a-side code for their rumoured cross-code raid, stating Suaalii would be able to post on social media during matches as the ball is out of play so often
‘At the moment in rugby union, the ball is in play for 33 minutes a game where in rugby league it’s in play for 55 minutes.
‘Joseph better have something to do for those 22 minutes a game – maybe he should take his mobile phone out there to see what’s going on, maybe he could do some social media posting.’
He added RA offering that kind of money to Suaalii would be a ‘short term sugar hit, but there is no long-term benefit.’
McLennan laughed off V’landys’s jibe, labelling rugby a ‘thinking person’s game’.
‘We’ve obviously struck a nerve,’ he said. (The fact is) ‘more people play and watch rugby globally.’
He wasn’t finished yet, stating rugby is a ‘truly world game.’
‘We’ve got a golden decade coming up, including multiple Olympics, where Joseph can win a gold medal, play a Lions tournament and win a World Cup on home soil,’ he said ambitiously.
Rugby Australia chairman McLennan (pictured right) admitted Suaalii, 19, was a target, but described the reported $10million figure as ‘fanciful’
Sea Eagles superstar fullback Tom Trbojevic was also said to be on Rugby Australia’s hit list
Others NRL stars on RA’s radar include of the likes of Tom Trbojevic, Latrell Mitchell, Cameron Murray, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Nelson Asofa-Solomana.
Suaalii was a schoolboy rugby star, playing in the King’s School first XV from the age of 14 as well as being picked in the NSW and Australian Schoolboys squads.
He was on the books of the Rabbitohs until joining the Roosters last year.
Wallabies backrower Jed Holloway believes Suaalii would be a sensation in rugby.
‘If it is going to make our team better, I think it could be great,’ he told reporters on Tuesday.
‘He’s quite a talented person; obviously he’s killing it in rugby league and he’s quite young.
‘We’ve got a huge amount of depth, but if it’s going to make us be better and win a World Cup, why not?’