'I’m holding out hope that it can still happen' - Piutau targets World Cup return
All Black Charles Piutau has reiterated his desire to return to international rugby by switching to play for Tonga at the World Cup.
Piutau won 16 All Blacks caps but a move to Europe ended his chances of adding further caps.
The full back is just 26 and has been a huge success while playing for Wasps and Ulster.
Having signed for Bristol, Piutau will enjoy the tag of being the highest paid player in world rugby, yet is ineligible to play test rugby, due to All Black rules that prevent anyone playing offshore from selection.
However, there is a loophole in World Rugby’s eligibility laws, that could see the 26-year-old represent Tonga, his country of heritage at the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan.
Piutau will need to represent their sevens side in either their Olympic qualifying schedule or at the 2018/2019 World Series.
Should this come to fruition the utility back would become eligible to represent Tonga’s fifteen-a-side team, a loophole that Tim Nanai-Williams has utilised to represent Manu Samoa.
“I’d love nothing more than to be able to represent Tonga at the next World Cup,” Piutau told Press Association Sport.
“I’ve expressed my desire to do that previously, but so far there has been no word about whether that would be possible.
“I’m holding out hope that it can still happen, but obviously the longer that goes on without any suggestion of the rulings changing, then the less likely that becomes.”
Last December in an interview with RadioLIVE, Piutau confessed that the switch was something that had been on his mind for some time and is confident the switch will materialise.
“At the moment, if all my clubs that I’m with currently are happy, and the Tongan union and all different parties are happy, then I will be more than happy to,” said Piutau.
“I was born in New Zealand but both my parents are born in Tonga, and I have a strong connection and ties to the culture and for Tonga as well, so it feels like I’m just as much as I’m a Kiwi.”
“I feel equally Tongan because of my upbringing.”
“The Tongan coach had approached me, and it was something I thought of even before he had approached me.”
He is also optimistic that players who find themselves in a similar situation will follow his lead, to help growth of the game in the Pacific Islands and to give back to their countries of heritage.
“It’s beyond the individual and seeing the benefits what it can do for second-tier countries,” said Piutau.
“For me it’s maybe just revisiting the rules that we have at the moment and really seeing the benefit of players that are no longer playing international rugby that are overseas being able to help out the tier-two nations.
“Having seen what it’s done for the World Cup in the league, I think that speaks for itself and how much it had helped their sport.”
Piutau is however also conscious that the loophole doesn’t become abused.
“When players do get involved they’ll see the benefits of not only being there from a World Cup perspective, or during that season, but during the other tours, during the other years,” he said.
“The tier-two nations need it more and I guess in way too you don’t want too many switches between countries.”
Pacific Rugby Players Welfare Chief executive Dan Leo is keen for a rule change.
“World Rugby have spent a lot of time fine-tuning their policy over residency qualifications,” he said on Sport 360.
“But we would like to see regulations brought in where players who qualify for more than one nation and have been capped for Tier One teams can then – after a suitable cooling-off period – be allowed to represent another Test team from a lower tier.
“We’re not looking at top stars of the game in their prime, we’re looking at guys who perhaps have a handful of caps for a Tier One nation, have then moved abroad, and years later want to represent a Tier Two nation through their heritage.
“So guys like Charles Piutau fall into that category.
“The impact the availability of big stars like Charles could have for Pacific Island nations would be huge.
“There’s no policy that allows players in those situations to go back, and we need that established if those nations are really going to be able to progress.
“We’d like these guys to be available for the coming World Cup. It’s probably touch-and-go now timing-wise, but I’d imagine we could get the ball rolling on that quite quickly.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Wouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
49 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
49 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
49 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
49 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
1 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
49 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
49 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
49 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
49 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
49 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
49 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to commentsSo Ireland will be tired, despite having the most rested test squad in the world. They only play tests, champions cup and urc play off games ffs! Case in point; Leinster sent a B squad to SA for their last two games while their first xv rested up and trained at their leisure for the sf vs Saints at the so called ‘neutral venue’ of Croke Park. So tired? Do me a favour… And as for “people’s champions”? Seriously??? Outside of Ireland they are respected for their ability to win 6N. And of course plenty of inconsequential test friendlies without any real pressure. WC ko games when the pressure is white hot? Not so much…
49 Go to commentsSurprising how standing down or benching a player can do wonders for their motivation. Several players this week in that category.
2 Go to commentsHaha lads lads lads, that’s how you have a holiday In Majorca
4 Go to comments