Will Genia’s ‘realism’ supersedes ‘ego’ as Wallabies legend reveals shock preferred next move after Japan exit
Will Genia playing for Kintetsu Liners in Japan and in action for the Reds earlier in his career.
Wallabies legend Will Genia insists that he is still open to any challenge that may come his way after leaving the Kintetsu Liners at the end of the Japanese season.
The 37-year-old earned 110 caps for Australia between 2008 and 2019, establishing himself as one of the best scrum-halves in the game, before he moved to Asia.
Genia has spent the past six years at the Liners and is now getting towards the end of his playing career, but the half-back still feels that he has plenty to offer.
“I’m keen to play. I still really enjoy the game, the challenge it obviously provides physically and mentally, so I’m just sort of sitting back seeing what’s out there,” he told AAP.
Playing alongside long-time team-mate
Genia has been playing alongside his old Reds and Wallabies team-mate, Quade Cooper, at the Liners, but both have now departed the club.
The Test centurion admits that he would like to remain in Japan but he has left the door open for those who want to express an interest in his services, particularly teams in the US.
“They’re just keen to move in a different direction. A hundred per cent I get it,” he said.
“It’s a business and, like anything in life, everyone’s trying to do their best and that’s what’s best for them.
“The club’s given me six years, man. I was so grateful to live in Japan and play for them for six years and I’ve got nothing but gratitude.
“I’d like to keep playing, ideally for me Japan. I really enjoy it there. I still feel like I can compete at a high level in that competition.
“Potentially even in the States. That’s really appealing to me because it’s somewhere you can go and play and enjoy the game but share your experience.”
Genia would be open to a return to the side where he made his name – the Reds – should his body and mind stand up to the rigours of Super Rugby, but he concedes that is unlikely.
The difficulties of Super Rugby
“I’m a realist. The ego side of a professional athlete says, yes, I might be able to go back [to the Reds] but the reality is it’d be incredibly difficult,” he said.
“Being an older athlete, you can go back and play for maybe a couple of games, but then it catches up on you because it’s a different level of intensity and a different level of commitment mentally that it requires.”
Genia also has other projects ongoing should he decide to hang up his boots. The 37-year-old would potentially turn to coaching if that happens, but a big passion of the scrum-half’s is to help the country of his birth, Papua New Guinea.
He was born there and remained until the age of 12 before he moved to Brisbane for his high school education.
“My family are invested in a rugby club here and I find a hell of a lot of joy in using sport as an opportunity to create change because obviously a country like Papua New Guinea, for example, it’s stricken,” he said.
“The minimum wage is ridiculously low. There’s a lot of people that live in poverty. There’s a lot of people without education, and so my family, we’re really big on trying to use rugby, use sport, more so as a vehicle for transformation of people’s lives.
“So that’s where I feel I can help, more holistically.”
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