Mark Nawaqanitawase might have made himself unavailable for November’s Nations Championship, but Les Kiss is confident the dual international will declare his allegiance to the Wallabies, and not Fiji, for next year’s World Cup.
“I think there’s no doubt that he wants to be back in the game for us, that’s for sure,” Kiss said on Thursday at Sydney’s Accor Stadium.
While Nawaqanitawase was enjoying some time away from the paddock earlier this week before moving to Japan to join League One heavyweights Saitama Wild Knights next month, the try-scoring machine’s name was back in the headlines.
It came after one of his agents, Milan Volavola-Shankar, left the door open for Nawaqanitawase to jump ship and play for another nation other than Australia. The winger will qualify for Fiji and Italy in August, having served his mandatory three-year break from international rugby.
The 26-year-old, who was one of the shining lights for the Wallabies during their terrible 2023 World Cup campaign, shapes as one of the poster boys for next year’s tournament.
Already, sponsors are lining up to make him the face of the World Cup, having emerged as a household name in Australian sport after leaving the NRL with a premiership ring on his finger after starring in the Sydney Roosters’ recent grand final triumph.
Now, a tug of war looms for his services, with new Fiji coach Jake White likely to leap at the chance to have the athletic freak represent the island nation.
On Thursday, Kiss confirmed Nawaqanitawase would be unavailable for the Wallabies’ three-Test tour in November.
“Yes, that’s no issue,” said Kiss, who spoke to the 190cm star recently. “For us, we’ve got plenty of good options, and we’re going to focus on those.”
Most would consider Nawaqanitawase a walk-up starter for the Wallabies next year, but Kiss stopped short of guaranteeing the code-hopper a place at the World Cup.
“Everyone will earn their way, but if he’s playing good footy, he’ll be in the mix, that’s for sure,” Kiss said.
“There’s no doubt he’s a quality player that we’ll keep an eye on. We’ll have some opportunities going forward, definitely, and he’ll have some opportunities.
“But first and foremost, get his rest, get himself together and get into some rugby back in Japan. It’s a different game in terms of height and how you attack the game, how you move in the game, how you defend, the aerial game is different, so he’s got a lot of things just to relearn. It won’t take him long, but there’s been some positive dialogue between myself and him.”
Meanwhile, fellow former Origin star Zac Lomax was a late inclusion in the Australia A squad for their two-match tour of the USA.
Despite not being named on Monday, Lomax was included in a 28-man touring party, which includes Wallabies halves Kalani Thomas and Harry McLaughlin-Phillips, for matches against the Eagles in Nashville and New Jersey. It comes after Wallaby Tom Lynagh was ruled out with a knee complaint.
With Nawaqanitawase out of the November Tests, the two matches will give Kiss something to think about, especially with Lomax one of the best in the air in Australian rugby after joining the Western Force earlier in the year.
“Zac had a baby recently, and it’s been a new experience and [he’s] had an interesting couple of weeks,” Kiss said.
“We just asked would he like to come in there, and it’s eventuated in that way. He’s really happy to go on and be part of that. We’ll get a good chance to see him, and he’ll see us in that next level. So looking forward to that.”
Angus Crichton, who has joined the Waratahs after bowing out with another NRL premiership, will stay in Sydney to help recover from a lingering foot issue.
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