Former All Black turned rugby league convert Craig Inness is warning NRL clubs about the risk of luring Ardie Savea to the 13-man code, following his comments last week.
Appearng on the Ice Project podcast , Savea stated his desire to switch from union to league, his current New Zealand Rugby deal up at the end of 2021.
The All Blacks and Hurricanes loose forward would be a tempting prospect for any possible suitors, being one of the most dynamic players on the planet, nominated for last year's World Rugby player of the year award.
Having played 17 Tests for the All Blacks, Inness switched to rugby league in 1992, joining English side Leeds Rhinos, for whom he played 135 games before joining the Manly Sea Eagles, returning to union in 1997 with the Blues.
Speaking to Stuff, Inness told of the risk involved in an NRL side going in for Savea, the All Blacks star unproven in rugby league.
"For NRL clubs, the risk of taking on an established rugby union player compared to a young player they can mould, and with salary cap restrictions, it's risky, risky stuff," he said.
"A team might see it as a great opportunity. He's obviously a class footballer but would he transition quickly and to what effect? There are lots of big, strong, ball-running forwards playing league.
"For someone like himself with a massive workrate, he would want that in league, so I see him as a second rower, a lock, and he's very upfront and confrontational, so he might even be a prop later on."
A potential Savea switch to league has been welcomed by Warriors captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, however no code-swap will be possible until 2022 at the earliest.
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