NRL clubs to target Folau, Cooper, SBW and more while other competitions are dormant

NRL clubs could target a raft of stars - including Israel Folau, Quade Cooper and Sonny Bill Williams - while their competitions are suspended, a new report says.

Sydney Morning Herald sports writer Michael Chammas wrote in his column that the NRL could take advantage of other competitions suffering longer suspensions during the coronavirus outbreak. The NRL intends to resume on May 28, possibly with just 13 more regular-season rounds.

Other names mentioned as possible targets are Ardie Savea, the All Blacks star who has expressed interest in an NRL switch, plus Kurtley Beale, Ben Te'o, Will Chambers, Karmichael Hunt, Jordan Rapana, James Maloney, Jackson Hastings and Blake Austin.

The players compete in the Super League, Super Rugby and Japanese Rugby. Cooper, the former Wallabies playmaker, shapes as the best possibility because he isn't due to start a new season with Japanese club Kintetsu Liners until January.

The Herald was told that Cooper, 32, might consider a short-term NRL deal if given the green light by Kintetsu.

There are obvious hurdles with other stars; including Folau, currently with Super League's Catalans Dragons in the south of France. Folau's potential return to the NRL has been blocked due to the homophobia scandal that saw him sacked by Rugby Australia, while his wife Maria is pregnant amid a global health crisis that has severely restricted travel.

SBW, meanwhile, is on $5 million per season with struggling Super League side Toronto Wolfpack, who would surely be loathe to risk their megastar a stint with an NRL team.