{"id":379802,"date":"2024-03-27T03:55:39","date_gmt":"2024-03-27T04:55:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=379802"},"modified":"2024-03-27T07:03:01","modified_gmt":"2024-03-27T07:03:01","slug":"rugbys-contract-conundrum-over-million-dollar-man","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/?p=379802","title":{"rendered":"Rugby's contract conundrum over million-dollar man"},"content":{"rendered":"

Australian rugby could lose two of its most important players in quick succession before a crucial period for the Wallabies<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Taniela Tupou<\/a> is said to be on the radar of Ireland giants Leinster and France Top 14 team Montpellier.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Max Jorgensen – the son of former dual code star Peter Jorgensen – is being eyed up by the Roosters to join the NRL<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Watch all the action from the 2024 Super Rugby Pacific season, with<\/strong><\/em> every match ad-free, live and and on demand on Stan Sport<\/strong><\/em><\/a><\/p>\n

'Tongan Thor' Tupou is already one of the most well-paid athletes on Rugby Australia's books, reportedly on a $1 million per season deal.<\/p>\n

\"Taniela<\/p>\n

Although he hasn't been at his barnstorming best in Super Rugby Pacific this year since returning from injury, there's a belief that his previous form should be reason enough to keep him on big dollars.<\/p>\n

"Personally, I think he's worth it. He's bigger than just a player for Australian rugby at the moment," said former Wallaby Cameron Shepherd on Stan Sport's Rugby Heaven<\/em>.<\/p>\n

"You've got to remember as soon as the Rebels got into trouble, everyone in world rugby would have been looking at their best players \u2013 and that doesn't matter if it's Andrew Kellaway, Carter Gordon, or Taniela Tupou.\u00a0<\/p>\n

"Second thing is that he's a marketable figure that we really want and love. He's got cult status in the game. He's probably not come back into Super Rugby this year and performed as well as we all probably would have hoped but we know his potential. He can be great.\u00a0<\/p>\n

"He's arguably one of the best front-rowers in the world. Australian rugby needs to acknowledge everything that's Taniela Tupou and I hope they do everything that they can do to keep him."<\/p>\n

\"Max<\/p>\n

While Tupou is arguably one of the most well-known names in Australian rugby, there's a chance Jorgensen could become an icon of the sport.<\/p>\n

Jorgensen was selected by then-Wallabies coach Eddie Jones to play in the 2023 Rugby World Cup but broke his leg in training.<\/p>\n

The 19-year-old is yet to make his debut for the Wallabies and only has less than a season's worth of experience at the Waratahs.<\/p>\n

For Wallabies legend Tim Horan, RA's bid to keep Jorgensen isn't just about his on-field efforts.<\/p>\n

NEW PODCAST! Nine and Stan's Michael Atkinson and Sam Worthington tackle all the burning questions in Australian rugby<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

https:\/\/omny.fm\/shows\/rugby-world-cup-inside-line\/the-act-rebels-is-a-merge-on-the-cards\/embed?in_playlist=podcast&style=Cover<\/a><\/p>\n

"I think when you look at these high profile players \u2013 and Max Jorgensen, yes, he's still only young \u2013 but a lot of the times you're paying for the 60 to 70 percent of their on-field performance," Horan explained.<\/p>\n

"Also, you're looking at the marketing capabilities of a player. Whether that's a Max Jorgensen, whether that's a Taniela Tupou, whether that's Rob Valetini, you're paying them for kids to look up to (them) and go 'Wow! I want to be like a Max Jorgensen'.\u00a0<\/p>\n

"He's done a few good things so far. He's only very, very early in his career. Of course, he missed a little bit of Super Rugby last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n

"I hope that Max Jorgensen stays. One, because he's going to be a wonderful player in rugby, but two, because of the marketing opportunities that rugby have around a guy like Max Jorgensen to bring and aspire those young boys and girls to play the game."<\/p>\n

\"Deadline<\/p>\n

Jorgensen is at something of a crossroads with the British and Irish Lions tour looming in 2025 and a Rugby World Cup at home in 2027.<\/p>\n

While those landmark events are perhaps reason enough to stay, Shepherd worries Jorgensen isn't ready to hop codes.<\/p>\n

"The pool he'd be jumping into in rugby league, I don't think it suits him at the point of the career he's in," said Shepherd.<\/p>\n

"He's trying to hone his trade and he's learning to adapt and he just needs a key amount of time leading into this Lions series next year and then the Rugby World Cup where he can really establish himself.\u00a0<\/p>\n

"I don't think, just purely looking at it as rugby decision, that it'd be a good decision at all for him to go to rugby league. I don't think he's at the point in his career where that will be a successful move. I think he'd have a tough few years on his hands."<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Australian rugby could lose two of its most important players in quick succession before a crucial period for the Wallabies. Taniela Tupou is said to […]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":379804,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379802"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=379802"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379802\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":379808,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/379802\/revisions\/379808"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/379804"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=379802"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=379802"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportinfo.pro\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=379802"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}