Dual international Ben Te’o warns Payne Haas of the ‘boredom factor’ of rugby

Former Brisbane Bronco and rugby union convert Ben Te’o has warned NRL star Payne Haas that money isn’t everything and that ‘boredom’ is the reason rugby league players always return to the sport.

Haas is at the centre of another Rugby Australia poaching raid that has already netted Sydney Roosters star Joseph Sua’ali’i.

RA is prepared to splash more than $1million annually for the Origin tyro to join Super Rugby and the Wallabies, more than the Broncos will be able to afford.

Te’o played NRL games for Wests Tigers, Brisbane Broncos, South Sydney Rabbitohs, and the England national team. 

During his time in the NRL, he won the 2014 NRL Premiership with Souths and was named to the NRL All Stars team in 2013 and 2014.

Te’o was a dual international and played for England in both rugby league and rugby union, ultimately returning to the NRL

Haas has a big decision to make with the Broncos offering him a multi-million dollar deal that can’t match the war chest Rugby Australia has

In 2014, Te’o made the switch to rugby union and signed with the Irish provincial team, Leinster. 

He went on to play for Worcester Warriors in the English Premiership and was selected to play for England in the 2016 Six Nations tournament. 

He also played for the British and Irish Lions in their 2017 tour of New Zealand before returning for an NRL swansong.

T’eo has warned Haas that he will miss rugby league if he leaves and to make his decision carefully. 

‘If I was born with Payne’s body and attributes, I know what I would be doing,’ Te’o told News Corp.

‘I took a leap of faith to go to rugby, but to be honest, I did miss rugby league and we [the NRL rugby defectors] all end up coming back, that’s the reality.

‘History shows we all come back because rugby league is a part of you and the NRL is the best competition in the world.

‘It would be a shame to see Payne leave the NRL.

Sua’ali’i has already pledged his allegiance to rugby and the Wallabies and Te’o hopes that he comes back to rugby league afterwards

Wallabies coach Eddie Jones has made no secret of the fact he wants to recruit the best rugby league players to cross codes and play for Australia

‘I think Suaalii will come back one day – he will miss the buzz of the NRL,’ Te’o continued.

‘He will enjoy his time in rugby, but there is nothing in rugby that equates to what the NRL can offer.’

Te’o sensationally warned Haas that his time in rugby was frustrating and boring which drove him back to rugby league. 

‘I came to experience rugby as a world game, but once you have seen it, it’s not as impressive as what you might imagine it to be,’ he said.

‘There’s a couple of things for Payne to consider. Firstly, it would take him time to find his feet. If his attributes aren’t transferring, then there will be that frustration factor.

‘There is also the boredom factor. Payne won’t be able to make 20 hit-ups a game and do all the things that we admire him for.

Te’o was a passionate NRL player and is now working as an assistant coach at the Dolphins under Wayne Bennett

Te’o warned Haas that walking away from the NRL without winning a premiership would eat at him

‘There is no buzz like the NRL. There is no buzz like the build-up we have for NRL and Origin games. The daily stuff in the papers. The week-to-week coverage on TV. Rugby doesn’t have the same coverage as the NRL.

‘It was certainly a magnet for me to go overseas and play at places like Twickenham.

‘In rugby league, I felt like I was on this loop, but in rugby, I could travel to other countries on weekends.

‘I know playing at a packed stadium in Paris is nice and I enjoyed my time in rugby, but to be honest, there’s nothing like the Cowboys versus Broncos at Suncorp with 50,000 fans.

‘I was lucky that I won a premiership at Souths before I left, but if you have never won a premiership and you go to rugby, it will eat at you.’