Australian international Lote Tuqiri today followed rugby league star wingers Wendell Sailor and Mat Rogers into rugby union after accepting a lucrative offer to switch codes.
The Brisbane Broncos powerhouse, who was a try scorer in Australia's record-breaking 64-10 win over Great Britain last Friday, has signed a two-year contract with the Australian Rugby Union thought to be worth between £150,000 and £200,000 a season.
Tuqirir, who captained Fiji in the 2000 World Cup in England, will swap codes at the end of the season and must decide whether to play for ACT, Queensland or New South Wales before making a bid for the Wallabies' 2003 World Cup squad.
"There's been a lot to think about," he said. "I'm just glad I've made the decision."
Tuqiri's team-mate Allan Langer, the former Warrington captain, said: "It's disappointing, I think he really wanted to stay in league."
Tuqiri is out of contract at the end of the season and Brisbane's efforts to re-sign him have been badly restricted by the confines of the National Rugby League salary cap. - PA