ACT Brumbies star Tom Wright has swatted away cross-code banter as he edges closer to a Wallabies recall, brushing off the suggestion the Canberra Raiders could target Super Rugby players.
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Rival clubs are fired up about the prospects of Mark Nawaqanitawase and Carter Gordon suiting up for the Sydney Roosters and Gold Coast Titans as soon as this season in the fallout of their decision to walk out on rugby and join the NRL.
Nawaqanitawase is set to go to the Olympic Games as part of Australia's sevens rugby team before linking with the Roosters, while Gordon has been overlooked by Joe Schmidt as the new Wallabies coach plans for the future.
Canberra Raiders chief executive Don Furner pointed out the dangerous precedent it would set, telling News Corp the Green Machine would target Brumbies players to help bolster their roster.
It was a tongue in cheek comment made to point out how ridiculous the Nawaqanitawase exemption was, but it certainly had rugby union types shuffling nervously after a lean patch for the game.
Wright - who played in the NRL for the Manly Sea Eagles - was asked about it at a Wallabies press conference on Tuesday.
The fullback was caught off guard as he chases a Wallabies recall after Eddie Jones brutally left him out of the World Cup squad last year, before jokingly throwing 35-year-old prop James Slipper into the equation.
![Tom Wright swatted away talk of rugby league clubs targeting Wallabies. Picture by Gary Ramage Tom Wright swatted away talk of rugby league clubs targeting Wallabies. Picture by Gary Ramage](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/36vwtM5n3dmMVgNPycRBEHz/8a205e52-8bc5-4442-a88a-8802b73152be.jpg/r0_329_3697_2408_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"It's awesome media hype and I get all that stuff. You were just saying the Raiders said something ... I don't think too many guys [would go], maybe Slips at best, but that's probably about it," Wright grinned.
"He talks about himself playing seven for the Raiders sometimes. When we're here, everyone is just flat out trying to get in the 23 here, not worrying too much about trying to fit in at lock for the Raiders.
"Maybe this guy, but that's about it [gesturing to Lukhan Salakaia-Loto by his side]. Maybe this guy is going to the Raiders, I don't know."
Furner was adamant any exemptions should apply to all clubs, adding: "and if this is the new rule, then we will now start looking at the Brumbies players".