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'If you're not Welsh, you're not Welsh, and you shouldn't be selected'

By Online Editors
Johnny McNicholl /Getty

Adrian Hadley has criticised Wayne Pivac’s decision to select Johnny McNicholl for Wales’ defeat of the Barbarians on Saturday, labelling the residency rule as ‘stupid’.

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The former Sale player outlined his unhappiness with the situation, claiming that new head coach Pivac should have used the game to hand opportunities to home grown players.

The Scarlets player only became eligible to play for Wales in late October, having completed his three-year residency period. The 29-year-old was born in New Zealand and joined Scarlets from the Crusaders in 2016.

McNicholl marked the occasion with a try in Wales’ 43-33 win, but Hadley labelled the decision to select him ‘nonsense’, adding that he believes Pivac should not be selecting any players who qualify under residency.

“I’ve got nothing against the boy and as a player if you’re picked to play for a country then you’re never going to turn it down,” Hadley said, speaking on BBC Radio Wales.

“For me, it’s just nonsense. You can’t just spend three years in a country and suddenly decide you’re Welsh. If you’re not Welsh, you’re not Welsh, it’s as simple as that, and you shouldn’t be selected.

“The other thing is, and no offence against the kid, he is 29. Is he going to be around for the next World Cup?

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“He will be 33 and on the bench you had Owen Lane who is 21 and then there is also Hallam Amos, who is 25, as is Ashton Hewitt, as is Steff Evans. All of these are young Welsh players who could well have been on the park if that stupid ruling wasn’t in force.”

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Bull Shark 41 minutes ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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