NSW Waratahs recruit Rory Sidey has forsaken a potential opportunity to play for Wales in order to return to Australia.

Sidey spent the last northern winter playing 18 games for Welsh side Newport Gwent Dragons.

The 23-year-old centre was impressed by the legendary passion for the code shown by the fans and could have stayed in Wales long enough to qualify for their national team.

"That was the plan for the next contract that they were offering me, to make it long enough for myself to qualify for Wales," Sidey said.

"But growing up here for 22 years, you can't get that green and gold blood out of your system that quickly."

One of several Waratahs backline recruits, including Wallabies Berrick Barnes and Drew Mitchell and the All Blacks Sosene Anesi, Sidey is looking primarily at the outside centre position but says he'd be happy to compete for a wing berth.

Sidey, Anesi, South African emerging Springbok lock Hendrik Roodt and New Zealand lock forward/flanker Cam Jowitt have been recruited from overseas to bolster the NSW squad.

The 201cm Jowitt moved to NSW from Ireland's European champion team Leinster, where he came under the influence of a number of Australian coaches including head coach Michael Cheika.

Jowitt said he learnt a lot from Cheika and believed the Australian was definitely capable of stepping up to take on high profile positions like the new Melbourne Super franchise and ultimately the Wallabies.

"When he (Cheika) first went over to Leinster, even though we had so many great players, we never really won anything and he built a great team culture and a good environment to be in," Jowitt said.

Jowitt wasn't looking any further than consolidating a starting spot with NSW but, with his grandmother born in Bondi, he does qualify to play for Australia.

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