NRL superstar Kalyn Ponga free to chase All Black and Rugby World Cup dream

November 06, 2020
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Ultimate Rugby

Newcastle Knights and Queensland star Kalyn Ponga could chase his All Black dream and in 2023.

Ponga will be free to pursue a spot at the 2023 Rugby World Cup after it was revealed he has a player option in his favour for the final two years of his NRL contract. The NRL officially released its updated 2021 contracts on NRL.com on Thursday, revealing the details of Ponga's $1.1 million-a-season deal.

Ponga will become a free agent this time next year and will be allowed to walk out on the Newcastle Knights at the end of 2022 if he chooses to. The two parties agreed to include a player option clause in his contract for the final two years of the deal which could free him up to chase a spot at the 2023 Rugby World Cup, despite recently extending his Knights contract until 2024.

When his contract extension with the Knights was confirmed in June this year, Newcastle CEO Phil Gardner took issue with reports which outlined the Knights' intention to agree to a clause that would allow him to leave and pursue opportunities elsewhere and the club denied there was a clause in Ponga’s contract which would allow him to walk away to pursue a chance to play for the All Blacks.

By this time next year, Ponga will have the option to opt for a code switch or could even switch league clubs if he wishes too. The NRL superstar has reportedly been approached by multiple Super Rugby teams over the years and there were also reports that form Wallaby coach Michael Cheika even approached him last year.

His connection with the All Blacks comes after comments he has made in the past. Ponga, was born in Western Australia but spent five years in New Zealand and has Maori heritage through his father Andre.

“Obviously, that (playing for the All Blacks) would be a huge goal, if I was to come back to union I’d want to tick,” Ponga told TVNZ in 2018.