Sydney Morning Herald

In a deal likely to be announced this week, Perese's decision to stay in Australia is good news for the Waratahs and Wallabies.

The pair’s connection appeared to give Perese a safe place to land. Sources told the Herald Perese did not consider returning to rugby league or playing anywhere else. There’ll only be so long we can have these courageous, tight losses before people start pulling apart our technical and tactical performances. After leaving the Reds in 2018, he spent a season in the NRL with the Broncos- a period he credits with rebuilding his body - then moved to French rugby after being stood down over drug-related offences. The deal will be a major victory for NSW, who threw Perese a lifeline after the Australian Schoolboys centre looked for all money to be lost in the professional wilderness. It will also feature a substantial Wallabies top-up for the first time in an indication of Test coach Dave Rennie’s high regard for the tackle-busting centre.