Folau return rumours gather new fuel

Correspondent

Current Wallabies rugby union star Israel Folau is rumoured to be getting closer to a return to rugby league.

The rumours were given a boost this week, when Folau and his manager, Isaac Moses, were spotted having discussions with NRL‘s head of football, Todd Greenberg.

The meeting took place at the Azure Cafe at Allianz Stadium, and reportedly lasted about 40 minutes, with the player leaving after about 20.

Folau almost returned to rugby league with the Parramatta Eels 18 months ago, but delays by the NRL in clearing the deal meant that he went to rugby union instead.

The NRL insisted that the meeting with Greenberg was simply social, however. Greenberg apparently said it was his birthday, so Folau offered to buy him a coffee.

“Mr Greenberg ran into Israel Folau, who he knows well, while heading to the coffee shop and they had an unplanned catch up,” a NRL spokesman said.

“It was not a business discussion.”

Meanwhile, it is also reported in the Sydney Morning Herald that Kurtley Beale’s return to rugby league is a done deal, with the Wallabies international set to switch codes and join the Canterbury Bulldogs.

Gold Coast AFL player Karmichael Hunt is reportedly on the radar of NRL clubs. Hunt is a former Maroons and Kangaroos star who has also played professional rugby union.

He is also managed by the ID Elite Sports agency, like Folau.

NRL