Vagana Tempted By Italian Offer

Kiwi rugby league centre , Nigel Vagana , has revealed he considered a code switch to an Italian rugby club before signing with National Rugby League (NRL) side Cronulla-Sutherland.

Rated at the finest centre in the NRL, Vagana left the Bulldogs at the end of last season after failing to secure a new deal.

He said he never seriously considered turning to rugby but has played league alongside All Blacks rugby centre Tana Umaga and Samoan rugby World Cup first five-eighth Earl Va'a in the past.

Italian coach John Kirwan is also a former teammate from his time with the Auckland Warriors.

"I could have gone to play rugby in Italy instead of coming to Cronulla, but we'd just bought a house here and I didn't really want to move," Vagana told League Correspondent.

"Perhaps after Cronulla, I don't know."

Vagana said he would play five-eighth if necessary following his starring performance for the Kiwis in last month's test win over Australia.

"To me, whoever plays five-eighth would more than likely just be backing up (Brett) Kimmorley and running off him, so it's just like another centre," he said.

"If I was to play five-eighth here it would just mean that instead of Cronulla having two centres on the field we'd have three."