Greg Inglis is the latest NRL star to consider a switch to rugby © Getty Images

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Queensland Reds boss Jim Carmichael has called on the Australian Rugby Union to investigate NRL star Greg Inglis and whether or not his interest in a code-switch is genuine.

The South Sydney fullback revealed he'd spoken with Bath recruit and former team-mate Sam Burgess about a potential move to the 15-man game after touching down with the Rabbitohs in Manchester for the World Club Challenge.

"I'm contracted to 2017 but I'm still looking at different options," he said ealier this week. "Years pass that quick and we're in 2015 now so I'm just keeping all the doors open and all my options open. There is no harm in looking around."

And that one comment has seemingly been enough for Carmichael, the Reds chief executive has little doubt Inglis would be a success in rugby and that the ARU would be foolish not to at least make an initial approach.

"I'd like to think so. And that's not to denigrate the players we've got. But I'd like to think that we are a mature enough industry - and we know how competitive we've got to be - that we want the best talent to play in our game, particularly out of that game because the transition is not so difficult," Carmichael said.

"But I would think so, would be my response. I'm not saying they (the ARU) are but I would like to think that's something they are thinking about."

Inglis, 28, has little left to accomplish in rugby league with the Rabbitohs' 2014 NRL triumph making up for the Premierships he had taken away as part of Melbourne Storm's salary-cap scandal. A move to French or Japanese rugby, where Inglis could command a similar deal to Dan Carter's monstrous contract with Racing Metro, seems the more likely scenario; yet Carmichael said his experience with another code-hopper, Karmichael Hunt, made him confident Inglis would be a sound investment.

"The Karmichael Hunt story, that was born from identifying the football prowess and identifying the quality of person and leadership. We pursued that very heavily for a long period of time," he said.

"Provinces are always looking at players outside of their own back yard and we do too. Absolutely. I don't watch a lot of league but he's [Inglis] one of the few blokes … if the Rabbitohs are playing, I'll turn it on and watch him. I just love everything he does."