Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt is open to Rugby League superstar Nathan Cleary having a go at a cross-code but insists Australia has the depth currently to thrive.
Fifty days out from the first British and Irish Lions Test in Brisbane, Wallabies coach Schmidt weighed in on the prospect of Penrith NRL halfback Cleary making the move to rugby.
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It comes after two-time World Cup winner Tim Horan claimed the NSW State of Origin star was "quite keen to come to rugby", with cashed-up European clubs an option given Cleary's UK-based Matildas star girlfriend Mary Fowler plays for Manchester City.
Schmidt was open to anyone having a crack at Rugby Union, but stressed he was happy with the current playing stock that the Wallabies have.
"I watched State of Origin ... he obviously went to Sacred Heart College in New Zealand when Ivan was coaching the Warriors," Schmidt said.
"That's (former All Blacks captain) Sean Fitzpatrick country, that's Taniela Tupou country. It's certainly a rugby school.
"He played soccer as a young man, he's played league. He might want to spread his wings.
"At the same time we've got a really good stock there that we're focused on in the very short term."
Schmidt will slowly add to his wider Wallabies squad as Australia's teams finish their Super Rugby Pacific duties, with the NSW Waratahs hopeful of joining the Queensland Reds and ACT Brumbies in next week's finals series.
The first squad will be selected in grand final week next month, if no Australia team is featuring.
But Schmidt, explaining in cricketing parlance, said any team that did reach the decider would naturally command attention from Test selectors.
"It does ramp up; there's more pressure in play-off games, and we're getting a few guys back," he said of the weight placed on finals form.
"The longer you stay at the crease, the more chance you've got to accumulate runs.
"We might even see a couple of nice strokes that get them over the line."
