Kuni Minga, the free-scoring winger who was denied a move to Featherstone, has been handed a trial in rugby union.
The PNG speedster, who scored over a try a game for Toulouse Olympique during the past two seasons, was without a club after leaving the French club by mutual consent.
He was set to join Featherstone Rovers ahead of the season, but the move was blocked by the RFL as he had not played the required 75% of matches over the last two seasons, having managed just 45 appearances from a possible 61, a percentage of 73.7%.
As a result, he was not granted a Governing Body Endorsement (GBE), leaving him with no possibility of a move to a club in the UK.
Instead, the sport is now set to lose one of the most exciting talents outside of Super League to the 15-man code, with the 24-year-old taking up an offer with French second-division side USAP.
A number of coaches have hit out at the current rulings, with Toronto head coach Paul Rowley describing the current regime as a “restriction of trade.”
Minga’s case is set to launch further disgruntlement among coaches, with a number of Super League clubs also interested in signing the talent only to be told they wouldn’t be able to. Now, his future is set to be elsewhere.
