Wallabies star Jordan Petaia walks away from rugby union to chase NFL dream

  • Petaia joins international player pathway programme
  • 24-year-old heads to Florida in ‘once in a lifetime’ move

Former Wallabies player Jordan Petaia will pursue his long-held dream of playing in the NFL after being handed a prized spot on the league’s international player pathway (IPP) programme.

The 24-year-old was announced as the first athlete of the programme’s 2025 class on Tuesday. Petaia will head out to the US in January for an exclusive 10-week training camp in Florida before he gets a shot to impress club scouts and win a place on an NFL roster.

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Ireland 22-19 Australia: Autumn Nations Series rugby union – as it happned

A winning send off for Andy Farrell as Ireland come from behind to beat the Wallabies

8 mins. Valetini flies through the lineout to yoink the ball away before the tap down from Ryan can reach Gibson-Park; a magnificent bit of larceny from the Australian. This puts the visitors on the attack in the Irish half

6 mins. It takes a while to complete the Irish scrum just outside the Wallaby 22, which in the end results in a free kick to the home team. The ball is tapped quickly by Gibson-Park and a tidy pass from Prendergast finds Keenan on the gallop up to the line, but Kellaway rattles the ball out in the covering tackle to deny the fullback. Knock-on, and Australia clear from the scrum.

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Suaalii wins fitness battle to start in Australia’s Dublin date with Ireland

  • Tane Edmed gets surprise selection in replacements
  • Farrell retains Prendergast at fly-half for the hosts

Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has won his battle to be fit for Australia’s final Test of their British Isles tour and will hope to bow out against Ireland in the spectacular fashion that he began on his debut against England.

Coach Joe Schmidt, hoping to down the team he once led to glory for six years, has also offered up one final surprise selection to finish the rugby year as he’s primed to make replacement fly-half Tane Edmed the Wallabies’ record-extending 19th debutant of 2024.

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Samu Kerevi’s three-match ban opens door for Suaalii’s Wallabies return

  • Australia centre’s tour ended after red card in win over Wales
  • Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii in frame to return for Test against Scotland

A three-match suspension has ended Samu Kerevi’s tour, jolting his longer-term Wallabies hopes and opening the door for Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii’s return against Scotland.

The centre’s yellow card for a high shot was upgraded to a 20-minute red in Australia’s defeat of Wales in Cardiff. On Wednesday the 31-year-old’s fate was sealed, a disciplinary committee upholding the on-field decision and halving the standard six-week ban due to his guilt, remorse and good record.

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