Former Rugby Australia boss Hamish McLennan has made the bombshell claim that he was contacted by a third party who assured him that Nathan Cleary was interested in switching codes.
Joseph Suaalii made a stunning debut for the Wallabies last week after signing a controversial megabucks contract to leave the NRL and defect to the struggling code in 2023.
McLennan – who was removed as RA chairman on November 19 last year – has now revealed that a number of other high-profile rugby league stars were also interested in switching codes after he left.
It’s understood that six players – including the NRL’s No. 1 player Nathan Cleary – were open to negotiations with Rugby Australia.
‘Earlier this year, I got told Cleary and a few other top NRL players were keen to come to rugby via a third party,’ McLennan told News Corp.
‘It wasn’t directed at me, but I believe it was all real.
‘Perhaps they [Cleary and the other NRL players] were wanting to test the waters with a few people, but by then I had left Rugby Australia.
‘I left it alone as I felt it had nothing to do with me.’
In October there was speculation that UK rugby clubs were sharpening their pencils to sign Cleary while he was visiting his girlfriend Mary Fowler.
‘My only fear with Nathan is him going to England puts him pretty much in the spotlight or basically he’s right in the backyard of these big French rugby clubs and European rugby clubs,’ Matty Johns said at the time.
‘And there would be a temptation there (to poach him). Some of them (rugby clubs) would probably look to make a bid sooner rather than later, that’s the only thing that would concern me.’
Johns had first-hand experience, watching in the early 2000s as English rugby clubs desperately tried to sign his brother Andrew.
Former Wallaby and Fairfax columnist Peter FitzSimons wanted UK rugby clubs to seize the opportunity and sign Cleary while he was under their noses.
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