ABs could face expats
2 Dec 2009
The IRB will reassess their eligibility ruling when they meet in Dublin on Tuesday night.
The IRB will discuss and vote on the new eligibility rules, where former international players will be allowed to represent another country after a 12-month stand down period.
The current law states that a player can only represent one nation, but if this new motion is passed, the rugby in second tier countries will strengthen.
Teams, like Samoa, Fiji and Tonga who lose many players to the All Blacks, will be benefit the most from this law.
Tonga will be able to select Doug Howlett, Sam Tuitupou, Sione Lauaki and Saimone Taumoepeau, while Samoa will be allowed to call-up Jerry Collins, Chris Masoe, Sosene Anesi and Casey Laulala.
This could see the All Blacks face former team-mates, like Howlett and Lauaki, in the 2011 World Cup as Tonga are in the same group as the hosts.
This ruling will need at least 75% of the votes to be passed.
The breakdown will also be assessed as there have been many complaints under the current laws that it disrupts the flow of the game and causes too many injuries.
England and Wales will also hear if they will be allowed to schedule Tests against outside the official international window the All Blacks and Springboks respectively.
35 Comments
2 Dec 2009, 08:34 am
Expat Dragons!
I think it’s a good thing.
2 Dec 2009, 08:47 am
Its a great idea. It would make the RWC far more competitive which is a good thing. A Samoan side with ex internationals in it would be very competitive at the rugby world cup.
The NZRFU are fully supportive. Its time to give back to Polynesian rugby which has contributed enormously to world rugby over the years.
Its a pity that the idea will probably be stumped by middle tier nations who would be threatened by a rejuvenated Samoa, Tonga and Fiji.
2 Dec 2009, 08:47 am
This is a **** idea. We are going to get a situation with a whole lot of saffers and kiwis are representing France and England. The england cricket team is already a joke.
Also it works both ways, NZ will snap up all the young promising island player.
2 Dec 2009, 08:50 am
regurgitated DRAGONS
2 Dec 2009, 08:55 am
Yip the NH currency will talk and England etc will be playing with a World 15 against other countries.
Maybe thats way they are toying with the idea seeing that England have run out of ideas….
IRB are NH in disguise aren’t they…?
2 Dec 2009, 08:56 am
way = why
2 Dec 2009, 09:04 am
The Aussies will probaly also end up with a couple of Boks in their team. I am sorry but the international game must be kept pure.
2 Dec 2009, 09:13 am
Die vliegtuig het sy topsnelheid bereik, en die kaptein kondig aan:
“Welkom
aan boord vlug 293 van Johannesburg na Kaapstad. Die weer op ons pad
lyk
goed. Sit gerus terug en geniet die vlug saam . . . O, ****** BLIKSEM!
Stilte volg ‘n Paar sekondes later praat die kaptein weer.
“Dames en here, ek is jammer as julle geskrik het, maar ek het per
abuis
warm koffie op my skoot gemors. Julle moet sien hoe lyk my broek se
voorkant!”
2 Dec 2009, 09:15 am
Dis toe dat een van die passasiers vir om skreeu..” weet jy hoe die fok lyk my broek se agterkant…”
2 Dec 2009, 09:16 am
@Sonito: I am pretty sure it has to be a tier one team and then a tier two team so that could not happen
2 Dec 2009, 09:22 am
I think they’ll only apply this ruling to 2nd tier nations, who’re already exempt from the 3 year residency rule. Currently they can only field uncapped foreign players, which defeats the object of improving their game.
2 Dec 2009, 09:27 am
Some ex-boks we might see playing for other countries:
1 – Brent Russel
2 – Joe van Niekerk
3 – Luke Watson
4 – Gerrie Brits
5 – Butch James
6 – bath;s #9
7 – Faan Rautenbach
8 – Tokkelos
9 – Marius Joubert
10 – Jean De Villiers
11 – CJ
12 – BJ
13 Schalk Brits
14 – Wikus van Heerden
15 – The rest of Saracens
16 – Ex-sharks # 8 now playing in France
17 – Frans Steyn
I probably forgot to mention a number of obvious ones.
2 Dec 2009, 09:51 am
@David:10 – David if the ruling is for 2nd tier nations then maybe yes. If it for all nations. Then it is a joke.
NO way must it be accepted. England will have just Saffas and ABs in their team. Oz will get some of our players playing here and so will France.
This is just plain daft. Look who we have playing overseas that have not represted the Boks for a year?
@Dumb Supporter: 11 – Exactly just look at the line up. They could take on our Boks right now. So it is just stupid if you ask me. We would have Saffas playing against Saffas in all competitions and the ABs have many playing in the NH too that would play against them. Stupid must not be allowed at all.
2 Dec 2009, 09:56 am
Take a look at the England Cricket team. There are 3 saffas in that team. One is the Captain and one used to be the Captain. All three are about their best batsmen too. Strauss, Trott and KP.
Also read that W. Claasen son will represent France from next year. He played here I think in the U19′s and U21′s (think the U21′s) and got injured and never got selected again so went to play his rugby in France, now he is waiting to represent them which he will be able to do next year in October. Believe is he playing fantastic rugby over there.
That is why we have to select our very best always. Otherwise we are going to lose many, many more great players from South Africa.
2 Dec 2009, 09:57 am
meant – he is
2 Dec 2009, 10:32 am
Hey guys. WAKE UP. You’ve misunderstood this. SA and England and France etc are TIER 1 nations. This ruling if passed will only benefit tier two countries. So players who have represented tier one countries (that is tri-nations and 6 nations teams and Argentina)could after a stand dowm period represent tier two countries. So Saffas could not represent England or France after playing for the Boks.
Countries that will benefit are Tonga, Fiji, Samoa and others like Namibia, Canada, USA. I think it’s a good thing and it will make world cups more competitive.
2 Dec 2009, 10:35 am
@Delek:
I dont see where it says that in this article? Just are allowed to represent another country.
“The IRB will discuss and vote on the new eligibility rules, where former international players will be allowed to represent another country after a 12-month stand down period.”
2 Dec 2009, 10:38 am
I don’t like it one bit.
2 Dec 2009, 10:45 am
What is the problem? We pick the best players in this country to represent S.A, we dont have too worry becuase according to Hoskins there are no qoutas at Bok level (clear my throat). The players plying thier trade overseas are seen as not good enough to represent S.A, so I say if S.A doesnt want to use these boys why must they be lost to the world stage? If England are happy to field a 15 mixed bag of Aussies, Kiwi and Saffa’s (and judging from thier cricket team they are) then let them do it. It’ll be a laugh at anthem time but other than that lets see what we arnt selecting based on their performances in another countries jersey. Personally I would love to see Luke Watson in a jersey he hasnt puked on.
2 Dec 2009, 10:45 am
Sonito it may not say it in the article but that is what the IRB are considering. This has been detailed in NZ newspapers. So the article above was poorly written for not explaining that properly. The whole reason this new law was proposed was to benefit tier two countries ONLY. The IRB are not considering allowing players to change from one tier one country to other tier one countries. That would be a nightmare.
2 Dec 2009, 10:46 am
@Delek:
And if that is the case. There is no way the Tier 1 nations will vote for it because they have nothing to gain and everything to loose. Nobody wants to get knocked out of the world cup by a bunch of ex players.
2 Dec 2009, 10:49 am
@Delek:
Ok. but then I am not sure any of the Tier 1 nations will vote for it. Wales cant even currently beat any of the Island teams in the WC so I cant see any of the Tier 1 teams wanting to strengthen the tier 2 teams with ex players.
2 Dec 2009, 13:03 pm
“Teams, like Samoa, Fiji and Tonga who lose many players to the All Blacks, will be benefit the most from this law.”
GarethD, please, could you name examples of “many” lost Fiji, Samoa, Tonga players to the All Blacks?
Except one single Sivivatu.
2 Dec 2009, 13:15 pm
I do understand that ANY lower tier team may be able to pick ANY ex-international, right?
If (and big if), those ex-ABs will represent other country, they may represent Georgia, Cook islands, Portugal or whatever. Or IRB are trying to force them play for countries of ancestry?
Maybe Scotland may claim McCaw then?
2 Dec 2009, 14:13 pm
So you could have a mix of 15 top class ex international players from NZ and SA playing for the USA next world cup. Seems a bit made to me
2 Dec 2009, 15:18 pm
I do not think you will find that many merchants around.
If you play for other country after representing your homeland (where you have been born or raised, went to school etc.) for many years even if that other country happens to be land of your forefathers, it looks weird to me. It is playing against the country which anthem you used to sing all your life.
2 Dec 2009, 16:47 pm
@Blouste:
It’s a racist Gerrymander. The **** nations get all the votes and they vote together… always!
2 Dec 2009, 16:51 pm
@Puma:
At every RWC there have been more Kiwis playing against them than for them.
2 Dec 2009, 17:04 pm
this is gr8 news for many a player and also means that the stronger richer nations cant devalue the other nations player pool
2 Dec 2009, 17:42 pm
If players that go play overseas have to satisfy the two year residency rule before being selected for their new country…why should not then these players satisfy this same rule to qualify.!!!! .As long as they do not transfer with-in the same tier group !
2 Dec 2009, 17:48 pm
@durbs2atl:
The rule only applies to tier 2 countries, who are already excused from the 3 year (not 2) residency requirement.
3 Dec 2009, 00:03 am
@Nils: @22
Come on now, Nils. You know these guys dont like dealing in the facts.
3 Dec 2009, 00:10 am
@Nils:
Or don’t sing as in the case of most “non” NZ’s in the AB’s side
3 Dec 2009, 00:29 am
Lets not forget that this eligibility rule was a NZ-lead initiative to help strengthen Pacific Island rugby – and in many cases, with Kiwi-born Island-ancestry, bloodlines. However it was voted against by the NH nations today for fear that the likes of Samoa and Tonga will become too much of a threat at RWC time.
Hypocricy reigns yet again – happy to mock AB eligibility 1 minute but then putting the handbrake on Pacific Island development the next. Thats the Brits for you tho.
3 Dec 2009, 07:49 am
@Puma:
Don’t forget Matt Prior. He only left SA when he was about 11 which makes him more South African than Strauss. I think Strauss was only in SA for the first couple of years of his life.
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.