Nathan Cleary on five-man Eddie Jones list of rugby union targets

Japan head coach Eddie Jones has named five rugby league players he believes would thrive in rugby union, with Penrith Panthers halfback Nathan Cleary topping the list. Speaking on FanaticsTV on April 28, 2026, Jones praised Cleary as someone who 'could slot in and play ten in any team in the world' and be 'absolutely outstanding.' Jones, who admitted he would have loved to have been a rugby league coach, discussed the relationship between the two codes in Australia while naming four other unnamed players alongside Cleary.