Former England centre won't be returning to rugby union any time soon

Former England centre Ben Te'o won't be returning to rugby union any time soon, after he penned a new contract at the Brisbane Broncos this week.

Te'o returned to league in 2020 after a stint in Japan with the Sunwolves. A forward in league, the former British and Irish Lion has signed until the end of the 2021 NRL season.

The 33-year-old left England and Worcester Warriors in 2019 after missing out on England's Rugby World Cup squad for Japan.

Te’o started his career in the NRL at the West Tigers, before his spell with the Broncos, and finished his first stint in league with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, where he won a Premiership title.

He made the move to union in 2014, where he spent two seasons with Leinster, before joining the Worcester Warriors. During his time in the Gallagher Premiership he earned 16 England caps and two British and Irish Lions caps, but missed out on the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

After missing out on going to Japan with England, he had a brief stint with Toulon, before his move to Japan’s Sunwolves in Super Rugby. The abandonment of the 2020 competition due to the COVID-19 pandemic brought to an end the Tokyo outfit’s time in Super Rugby, meaning Te’o was left looking for a new club, at which point the Brisbane Bronco took him on.

Now having extended his contract at the Broncos, it doesn't look like he'll return to rugby union anytime soon. Te'o has stated that he wants to play in his native Australia but the Rugby Australia franchises could be reticent to sign a player that of his advancing years and who isn't Australian qualified in the fifteen man code.