Mataiasi Stark 
Sydney Roosters star Mark Nawaqanitawase is set for a lucrative switch back to rugby union, with reports indicating he has signed a landmark deal with a Japanese Division One club worth more than $1 million per season.
According to the Sydney Morning Herald, the 25-year-old has agreed to a two-year contract valued in excess of $2 million, with the Roosters open to the possibility of his return after the deal concludes.
Nawaqanitawase is expected to complete the 2026 NRL season in Sydney before making the cross-code move, as he looks to add a State of Origin debut and an NRL premiership to his résumé.
The move is likely to rule him out of selection for Australia’s Kangaroos squad for the Rugby League World Cup in October and November, as his focus shifts back to the 15-a-side game overseas.
Nawaqanitawase has been one of the NRL’s most prolific finishers, scoring 25 tries in 24 matches for the Roosters over the past two seasons and finishing as the league’s leading try-scorer in 2025.
Prior to his switch to league, he earned six Test caps for the Wallabies between 2022 and 2024 before becoming a dual international last year when he started all three tests in Australia’s 3–0 Ashes series sweep of England.
Despite moving offshore, Nawaqanitawase remains eligible for Wallabies selection. Rugby Australia’s director of high performance, Peter Horne, said the once-controversial Giteau Law is now effectively redundant, allowing overseas-based players to be considered without restriction.
The Giteau Law previously required players to have at least 60 Test caps to represent Australia while playing outside Super Rugby, a rule that has since been relaxed as Rugby Australia adapts to the modern professional landscape.
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