Brief
Michael O’Connor says Mark Nawaqanitawase’s NRL success proves Wallabies are alive
The former Wallaby backs Michael O’Connor praised the winger’s league achievements as evidence of the health of Australian rugby union.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Dual‑code veteran Michael O’Connor told the SMH that Mark Nawaqanitawase’s two‑year spell in the NRL demonstrates that Australian rugby union remains capable of producing elite players, despite the Wallabies’ 24‑year Bledisloe Cup drought.
What happened
Nawaqanitawase left the Wallabies after breaking into the side in late 2022 and signed with the Sydney Roosters for the 2024 season. He debuted against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, scoring a try, and went on to top the league’s try‑scoring list in 2025 with 24 tries. His performances earned him selection for the Kangaroos in the Ashes series in England, and he capped his league career with an NRL Grand Final win, scoring twice in the Roosters’ 19‑18 victory. After 26 months in league, he is set to return to union with Japanese League One club Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights.
What the reports add
The article notes that Rugby Australia chief Phil Waugh was surprised by Nawaqanitawase’s code switch only a year after his Wallabies debut. It also records O’Connor’s own history: 13 Tests for the Wallabies followed by 87 tries across ten seasons with St George and Manly in league. O’Connor said he first saw Nawaqanitawase while serving as a Wallabies selector in 2019, which informed his view that the winger’s league success was unsurprising.
What was said
"You look at his ability and what he’s been able to do; to me, it reflects really well on rugby that we have a player like him come over to rugby league, and there are quite a lot of sceptics in rugby league around rugby union, and to see how he’s dominated the competition, I think it’s a good thing," O’Connor told the SMH.
He added, "The Roosters certainly did their homework when they signed him," and later compared the returning player to the one who left rugby in mid‑2024 after the Paris Olympics, saying the former is "better".
How it came about
O’Connor’s comments follow a period of intense scrutiny of Australian rugby, including the Wallabies’ recent Bledisloe Cup loss and Dan Carter’s advice to the side ahead of the 2027 World Cup (see Felo’s coverage on 2 Oct 2026). The dual‑code success story adds a positive narrative amid those challenges.
Key facts
- Mark Nawaqanitawase scored on his NRL debut for the Sydney Roosters. (smh.com.au)
- He topped the NRL try‑scoring list in 2025 with 24 tries. (smh.com.au)
- Nawaqanitawase will join Japanese club Saitama Panasonic Wild Knights after his league stint. (smh.com.au)
- Michael O’Connor played 13 Tests for the Wallabies before a ten‑season league career with 87 tries. (smh.com.au)
- Phil Waugh expressed surprise at Nawaqanitawase’s code switch just a year after his Wallabies debut. (smh.com.au)
Sources
- [1] smh.com.au — originally reported as “Wallabies 2026: Mark Nawaqanitawase is proof Australian rugby is still alive says dual international Michael O’Connor”
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