Mark Nawaqanitawase has shared his latest thoughts on the three-way international battle for his services leading into next year’s Rugby World Cup in Australia.
The former Wallaby, who won 11 Test caps under Dave Rennie and Eddie Jones between 2002 and 2003 before he joined the Roosters in rugby league’s NRL, is set to return to union after signing a deal with Japan’s Saitama Wild Knights.
This cross-code return has opened a three-way contest ahead of the 2027 World Cup. Nawaqanitawase could play again for the Wallabies, now coached by Les Kiss, or use World Rugby’s standdown period and declare his allegiance to either Fiji or Italy.
The dilemma has generated huge interest ahead of his club move to Japan, with even ex-Wallabies such as Matt Giteau criticising the 26-year-old.
“I will eventually come to a decision…”
Nawaqanitawase has now appeared on the latest edition of The Good, The Bad & The Rugby to explain where he is, regarding the international rugby decision he will have to make in 2027. He said: “I’ve had a short time in union and I still feel like I have a lot more to give, a lot more to prove. I want to do that.
“There’s a Rugby World Cup next year; I’m moving to Japan, which is a cool thing. I also love experiences. So that’s another big reason why I’m going to come back (to union) because I want to travel as well.
“There’s a whole bunch of things that I feel like I’ve still got time to do. The main one, yeah, like I said, I’ve still got a lot to prove… I don’t know where that’s going to be at, but wherever I go, I feel like I have a lot to give the team. I want to go out there and show that I can play.
“I will eventually come to a decision. I will obviously have a few things to think about beforehand. I want to make sure wherever I go I’m happy and the people around me, my family, are happy too with it, and there’s a lot to think about because these decisions will have a massive impact on how your life goes.
“It’s not about the money. Honestly, I’m not going to get paid, or you don’t get a contract like that. I get paid by my club, and then I play international. You might get a match fee here and there, but really that is the biggest thing that’s kind of made me open to everything.
“I’ve come from an experience at the Roosters where the set-up, everything from top to bottom, just the way they made me feel, and the experience that I’ve had to win, I definitely do have to think about where I’m going to go, where I’m going to get that feeling again. People will never understand that. And that’s the biggest part of making the decision.
“It [winning] is a massive reason as to why I’m coming back to union. Yeah, I definitely want to go back and like I said before, whoever it’s for, I want to do good. You know, I want to win it pretty much [the World Cup]. I feel like I can help win it. I don’t know who for, but time will tell.”
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“A lot of people would be quite shocked at how in tune I am with both cultures”
Nawaqanitawase went on to explain how genuine his Fijian and Italian connections are. “A lot of people would be quite shocked at how in tune I am with both cultures. I’ve grown up in a household full of Fijians.
“The other side of it is my mom’s fluent in Italian and obviously my aunties and my grandparents. We’ve grown up in the same street. So Italian, whatever Italian events, every birthday, any special event, it’s Italian food around, let alone the language being spoken in Italian.
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“I’m not fluent, speak a bit, I can get away with it and then obviously growing up in a house full of Fijian, my mom’s got a big heart so she’s always had cousins; honestly I’ve grown up my whole life with not just my mom, my stepdad, my brother my sister, it’s been us plus another family of Fijians and it’s been on rotation. They stay for two years; another one will come in.”
Reflecting on his attachment with the Wallabies, Nawaqanitawase mentioned how he was part of the U20s side that narrowly lost the 2019 World Junior Championships by a point in the final. Three years later, he was winning his first Test cap.
“Playing for the Wallabies was a massive honour. Grew up watching them and then to be able to do it, it was amazing. Obviously didn’t go quite well in some of the things we did, but I’ll never have a regret or not like that part of my journey. I loved every moment of it. There are some great people that I met, played with, boys that I’d grown up playing with here and there as well. Yeah, I had a great time doing it.”
He also spoke about his relationship with Jones, who succeeded Rennie as Wallabies boss for Rugby World Cup 2023. “Yeah, I love him. That’s my personal experience. I know some boys may have had different thoughts on him, but yeah, I loved him.
“He was great to me. He’s a character, obviously, but you know, deep down he does care, and he wants to win. Obviously didn’t go our way in that time. But, like I said, yeah, I got around him.”