Australian rugby player Mark Nawaqanitawase is considering a change of national allegiance ahead of the 2027 Rugby World Cup, potentially opting to represent Fiji instead of Australia. The Sydney Roosters premiership winner has informed Rugby Australia that he will not join the Wallabies for their upcoming Nations Championship tour to the United Kingdom in November. He is currently reviewing his international playing options.
Nawaqanitawase is eligible to play for Fiji through his father and for Italy through his mother. He recently signed a two-year contract worth $3 million with the Panasonic Wild Knights, a Japanese club coached by former Wallabies head coach Robbie Deans. This deal makes him one of the highest-paid rugby players globally.
His agent, Milan Volavola-Shankar, confirmed that Nawaqanitawase will not participate in international rugby this year. The player communicated his decision to Wallabies coach Les Kiss in July, and Rugby Australia has been formally notified. Volavola-Shankar noted that Nawaqanitawase’s current focus is on settling into his role with the Panasonic Wild Knights and preparing for the upcoming season. The player remains open to representing Fiji or Italy once he completes a mandatory three-year stand-down period from international play in August 2027.
Under World Rugby regulations, players can switch national teams after a 36-month absence from international competition. Nawaqanitawase last appeared for an Australian side during the Olympic Sevens bronze medal match loss to the United States on July 30, 2024. Consequently, he will be eligible to represent Fiji or Italy from August 2027, about two months before the World Cup begins in Australia.
Despite his absence from the Wallabies’ November tour, Nawaqanitawase’s Japanese club has previously agreed to release prominent players Damian de Allende and Lood de Jager to the South African national team for international fixtures. Discussions between Rugby Australia and the Wild Knights regarding Nawaqanitawase’s availability for the November window have reportedly been positive, indicating the club may not obstruct his participation with Australia if he chose to remain aligned with the Wallabies.
Australia faces potential challenges with fellow Roosters recruit Angus Crichton sidelined due to a foot injury, increasing the significance of Nawaqanitawase’s availability for the critical northern hemisphere tour ahead of the home World Cup. His decision to step away for the upcoming tour leaves him effectively a free agent internationally, able to rejoin Australia for the Rugby Championship opener against Argentina in July 2027 or wait three more weeks to become eligible for Fiji or Italy.
Should Nawaqanitawase switch allegiance, it would create a notable gap in the Wallabies’ depth at wing and outside back positions behind players such as Tom Wright, Jordan Petaia, and Reece Hodge. The Wallabies are scheduled to play Tests against England, Scotland, and Wales on their November tour, culminating in the Nations Championship finals weekend in London.
Adding to the intrigue, Fiji has recently appointed former South Africa coach Jake White as their head coach as they prepare for the World Cup. Fiji will face South Africa in a warm-up match on Australia’s Central Coast on September 18, a fortnight before the tournament. With approximately 30 percent of tickets for that fixture already sold, Nawaqanitawase’s potential switch is expected to generate increased interest in the game and the Pacific nation’s World Cup campaign.