Wales in hunt for Oz League star Frizell
WALES will consider a move for Australian Rugby League superstar Tyson Frizell as part of their longterm planning for the 2023 World Cup.
They have held ‘discussions’ with the 26-year-old in Sydney over the possibility of an eventual cross-code switch. The WRU also attempted to sign his younger brother Shannon Frizell before his capping by the All Blacks.
Frizell snr, a second row in League, is seen as an inside centre in Union, a position he held during the Australia Schoolboys’ tour of Britain and Ireland in 2009 before declining an offer from the Waratahs to join the NRL club Cronulla Sharks.
Frizell, eligible for Wales because his father, Andrew, comes from Swansea, has already taken that route, appearing for Wales at the 2013 Rugby League World
Cup. The rules then allowed him to switch allegiance to Australia and become part of the Kangaroos’ World Cup final win over England last year.
As another sign of Wales leaving no stone unturned in their global search, they held talks in Australia earlier this year with the younger Frizell.
Andy Lloyd met the 24year-old back row forward in his capacity as the WRU’s Elite Performance Exiles manager.
“We’d known about Shannon’s Welsh qualification for some time and had been following his career from a distance for three to four years,’’ Lloyd said. “I’ve seen every game he’s played for the Highlanders and we spoke to him just before he sky-rocketed into the All Black team.
“We had to find out whether he was interested in making himself available to Wales. We have a relatively small playing population so we have to explore every option.
“I know we have no shortage of back row quality but there’s always room for someone who offers something different. We’re not over-blessed with big men in the back row and Shannon is a big man, a very talented player who can play in a number of positions.
“We had a lovely conversation and he made it clear that he wanted to play for New Zealand.
“I respected his decision. I am not in the business of trying to force people to change their minds about who they want to play for at Test level.
“He’s a lovely kid and I was so impressed that at the end I shook his hand and said I hoped he would get his All Black cap.
“He didn’t have to wait that long which confirmed what we knew, that he was a special talent. I don’t feel we’ve missed out in any way.
“At least we knew where we stood which was better than doing nothing and wondering what he might have said if only we had given him the chance.’’