Newcastle Knights superstar Kalyn Ponga is reportedly being pursued by top-tier overseas rugby union clubs, as French and English franchises explore the possibility of luring the electric fullback away from the NRL.
According to a report from Code Sports, both French Top 14 and English Premiership Rugby sides have made initial inquiries to gauge Ponga’s interest in a code switch to the 15-man game.
While Ponga remains contracted to the Newcastle Knights until the end of the 2027 NRL season, his future is far from locked in, especially with a potential $2 million per year payday reportedly available in European rugby—significantly more than his current $1.4 million salary in Newcastle.
The 27-year-old, who was born in Port Hedland, Western Australia, has long been linked to a move to rugby union. He attended Brisbane’s prestigious Anglican Church Grammar School (Churchie), where he starred in the school’s First XV, and has previously spoken about his dream to represent the All Blacks.
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Despite the speculation, Ponga remains passionate about his current team the Newcastle Knights, and is set to pull on the No.1 jersey for Game II of the 2025 State of Origin series for the Maroons on Wednesday night.
“Yes, there’s been some interest in Kalyn from rugby clubs overseas,” Ponga’s father and manager Andre said, confirming the international approaches.
Andre acknowledged the rugby interest but said he wouldn’t be pressuring his son to make a switch. Instead, he plans to support Kalyn’s decisions as he enters the next phase of his career.
“To be honest, I would probably encourage him not to go to rugby, but I will always support what Kalyn wants to do, rather than telling him what he should do,” he said.
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The timing of the overseas offers could coincide with significant changes in the rugby league landscape.
With two new NRL expansion teams, including the Perth Bears set to enter the competition in the coming years, Ponga could find himself in high demand domestically as well.
“There are two more franchises coming into the NRL over the next few years. He is coming off-contract at the right time to know what the next phase of his career is going to look like,” Andre said.
“There will be a new salary cap in 2027-28 and they say these are the golden years Kalyn is coming into,” he added.
Kalyn Ponga's next move will be watched closely by both league and union circles.
Whether he stays loyal to Newcastle and Queensland or decides to chase international rugby dreams, his career remains one of the most compelling stories in Australian sport.