Just weeks after being offloaded by the Los Angeles Chargers, two-time World Cup Wallaby Jordan Petaia is returning to rugby.
But the powerful and versatile outside back won’t be playing Super Rugby in 2026.
Instead, he will make his comeback in the XV-man game in the French Top 14.
The 25-year-old has signed a nine-month deal with Perpignan, with the 31-Test capped Wallaby due to arrive in the south of France by October.
Two-time World Cup Wallaby Jordan Petaia has signed a short-term deal in France. (Photo by Adam Pretty – World Rugby/World Rugby via Getty Images)
The Roar understands Petaia was offered the contract over the past week and leapt at the opportunity to get back onto the field.
While Rugby Australia was interested in luring the former Reds star back to Super Rugby, the governing body wasn’t able to offer the talented back a compelling offer to immediately return.
But the short-term contract in France leaves the door ajar for Petaia to re-emerge on the Australian rugby landscape ahead of the 2027 World Cup.
The star back, who was the youngest Wallaby to play at a World Cup and was sensationally picked at outside centre to face England in the 2019 quarter-final, has a big supporter in Wallabies-coach-in-waiting Les Kiss.
Kiss tried to keep Petaia at the Reds last year but ultimately gave the back his blessing when he decided to spread his wings and try to make it in the NFL.
“Jordie has been a great Reds player,” Kiss said last year.
“We only wish him the best with his ambitions in American football. We support him.
“He represented the Queensland jersey proudly as one of the most dynamic players in Australia, if not the world.
“A key trait is all he gives in the locker room to younger players.”
Could Reds coach Les Kiss bring Jordan Petaia home? (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Former Wallaby and Rugby Union Players’ Association boss Justin Harrison described Petaia as an “outstanding talent” and added that he thought RA would keep the lines of communication open to try and lure him home.
“I’m sure they’re having discussions,” Harrison said on Stan Sport’s Between two Posts. “It would be silly not to.
“He was the youngest player to represent Australia at the World Cup.
“Outstanding talent. A huge amount of resources that he’s given to Australian rugby. We’ve also put into him.
“He’s benefited now from understanding a different type of ecosystem and the hierarchy of a different sporting infrastructure and probably realising that he’s in a good environment back here in Australia as well, and he’s got a great opportunity now to head into a home World Cup.
“There has to be timing and there has to be the right amount of trust and honesty and a plan put in front of him.
“He’s clearly an aspirational thinker of the game. No one puts themselves in that environment without taking risk and is brave and is intelligent and forthright in what they’re doing. For whatever reason, it hasn’t worked in NFL. Notwithstanding the fact that this seems to be one of the hardest competitions in the world to get a contract.
“So good on you for trying. Why not? I’m sure they are.”
Former Wallabies coach Michael Cheika took Petaia on the end of year tour in 2018, but the then-teenager was denied a Test debut as an 18-year-old after suffering an injury.
But the 2015 World Rugby coach of the year took a punt on Petaia in 2019 despite the back missing the majority of the Super Rugby season, as well as The Rugby Championship, before picking him to debut against Uruguay in Japan on the wing.
Jordan Petaia
Jordan Petaia burst onto the scene at the 2019 World Cup. (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
Cheika then threw another curveball by picking him in the No.13 jersey against England in the quarter-final.
Although the Wallabies were soundly beaten, Petaia was a shining light and one of the Wallabies’ best.
Cheika said he thought Petaia would have grown as a person by his recent experience with the Chargers and added that he was coming into his prime.
“Yeah, he’s got skill, there’s no doubt about it,” said Cheika, who was a special guest on the Stan magazine show.
“I think a bit of extra work on keeping him [fit is important]. Maybe doing something a little bit different with him around the physical preparation, so he stays on [the] field more often.
“But for a young talent, who was brought in so early and then has had a bit of time away, he’ll be more mature now and these would be the years where I think you could get a lot from a player like that.”