'Not fair and consistent' - change to rugby eligibility laws needed
The effect of Tongan captain Sonatane Takulua’s post-match interview has certainly been noteworthy. In openly discussing the issues facing his side, Takulua brought awareness to a range of difficult realities present in rugby union today. One such topic – the eligibility laws currently within the game.
Such laws are indeed wide-ranging in the impact they have upon players, nations and fans and can also prove controversial given the differing opinions and views surrounding them.
Joining the discourse in light of Takulua’s words were the Aotearoa Rugby Pod panel this week, with Maori All Blacks halfback Bryn Hall and ex-All Blacks hooker James Parsons providing their thoughts on the matter.
“I think definitely it’s an area that needs to be looked at,” said Parsons. “It was evident how the Tongan team were affected by it … and I think there’s a growing voice for [change]. I think there has been in the past, but there’s a genuine want now, looking for example at Moana Pasifika and Fijian Drua coming into Super Rugby, to improve the opportunities for success in Pasifika rugby.”
In April of this year it was announced by New Zealand Rugby that both Moana Pasifika and Fijian Drua had been granted conditional licences to join an expanded Super Rugby competition in 2022. Final negotiations appear to be ongoing with Rugby Australia, and as of yet, no details have been confirmed as to what the 2022 competition will look like.
Moana Pasifika general manager Kevin Senio also revealed that 80% of the team’s players must declare for Tonga and Samoa in order to play. It is hoped that through securing top talent at franchise level, greater autonomy and stability will be provided to the respective unions in picking their international sides.
Relatedly, Parsons went on to discuss how to allow for players who, having already represented one nation at international level, subsequently seek to switch their allegiance to play for another country.
“There needs to be [a system] where you can potentially get guys who have represented other nations to make one [international] and purposeful change in their careers,” said Parsons. “There’s got to be something that allows a person who wants to change allegiance to do so, and that might simply involve a six-month stand-down or a year’s stand-down before they can then go and represent that country. You might need to have been born there or your family might need to have been born there. [Potentially also, a system] not just [for those going from] tier-one to tier-two. I think there might be people out there that want to go from tier-two to tier-one. It’s got to be consistent.”
Parsons’ view on the implementation of a stand-down period alone as a means of switching is shared by CEO of Pacific Rugby Players Welfare Dan Leo, regarding the method as a simpler and perhaps more inclusive means of changing one’s allegiance. The current rules require a player to have been out of test rugby for a minimum of three years, to hold a passport for their second country and to participate in an Olympic rugby sevens qualifying tournament before they are eligible for that ‘new’ nation at all levels. Whilst not an impossible path to follow, club commitments might nonetheless serve to prevent this route being undertaken, as Charles Piutau recently found out.
“They need to come up with a plan that is consistent,” continued Parsons. “I don’t think that the Olympics sevens as an avenue is right at the moment, because think of a front rower as an example, they’re largely not going to be able to play sevens, so [for them] there is no avenue back that way. That’s the only avenue, so it’s not fair and consistent.”
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Both Parsons and Hall looked to the rugby league model as a positive example of what can emerge from a change in eligibility laws.
“If you use Tongan rugby league as an example,” commented Parsons, “as a fan, [the eligibility rules] made me more interested in international rugby league. That Jason Taumalolo and all those players made the move to represent Tonga and we saw them beat the Aussies and challenge the Kiwis … it really does make you interested in international rugby league again. There’s more competition there. So, if we can do that in our game and make it really strong worldwide through an avenue like this, why not?”
Hall too highlighted the benefits for fans and players alike that could come from eligibility changes. “We want our game to grow, we want the best players in the world to be able to play international rugby. You look at the likes of Charles Piutau and Steven Luatua, guys that are still playing great rugby but have obviously played for the All Blacks … and haven’t played here for a long period of time – it would be great to be able to see them pull on their nation’s colors without them having to go through the sevens circuit to play.”
Fans of the game would likely not disagree with Hall’s logic – after all, who wouldn’t want to see the best players in the world be able to compete at a World Cup?
“I think it’s unfortunate that such a proud team like Tonga face so many barriers,” said Hall. “I think there needs to be some headway made by World Rugby and I think conversations are happening now more so now than they probably have in the past.”
Parsons echoed Hall’s views pointing out how recent progress and exposure has come through the actions of players in the game themselves.
“Guys like Charles Piutau, Malakai Fekitoa and George Moala all spoke out earlier in the year about wanting to do it and they’ve been quite strong in their views that it has got to change,” said Parsons. “They’ve brought a public voice to [the issue] and I do think there are conversations happening … People that make the decisions will be having those discussions as well. They’re not sitting there blind to the issues and what potential problems there are, that’s probably why it’s drawn out. It’s about when you do it, getting it right.”
Certainly, as shown by the likes of Fine Inisi and Luatangi Li on Saturday evening, pride in one’s national jersey continues to hold a special place in rugby.
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Comments on RugbyPass
Except for the injured Zach Gallagher this would be Saders best forward pack for the season. Blackadder needs to stay at 7, for all of Christies tackling he is not dominant and offers very little else. McNicholfullback is maybe a good option, Fihaki not really upto it, there was a reason Burke played there last year. Maybe Havilli to 2nd five McLeod to wing. Need a strong winger on 1 side to compliment Reece
1 Go to commentsTo me TJ is clearly the best 9 in the competition right now but he's also a proven player off the bench, there's few playmaking players who can come off the bench as calm and settled as he is, Beauden can, TJ can and I doubt any of the scrumhalves in contention can, if they want to experiment with new 9s I want him on the bench ready to step in if they crumble under the pressure. The Boks put their best front row on the bench, I'd like to see us take a similar approach, the Hurricanes have been doing similar things with players like Kirifi.
33 Go to commentsROG has better chance to win a WC if he starts training and make himself eligible as a player. He won’t make the Ireland squad but I reckon he may get close with Namibia (needs to improve his Afrikaans) or Portugal. Both sides had 1000:1 odds to win the RWC in 2023 which is an improvement on ROG’s odds of winning a RWC as a coach. Unlike Top 14 teams, national teams can’t go shopping and buy the best players - you work with the available talent pool and turn them into world beaters.
2 Go to commentsthat backline nope that backline is terrible why would you have sevu Reece when he’s not even top 5 wingers in the comp why have Blackadder when there’s better players no Scott barret isn’t an automatic the guy is more of a liability than anything why have him there when you have samipeni who’s far far better
33 Go to commentsAh, good to find you Nick. Agree with everything about Cale. So much to like about his game
49 Go to commentsNot too bad. Questions at 6, lock and HB for me. The ABs will be a lot stronger once Jordan and Roigard return. Also, work needs to be made to secure Frizzell back for next season and maybe also Mo’unga; they’re just wasting time playing in japan
33 Go to commentsOn the title, i wonder for many of those people it is a case something like a belief in working smarter, not harder?
1 Go to commentsForget Sotutu. One of those whose top level is Super Rugby. Id take a punt on Wallace Sititi Finau ahead of Glass body Blackadder.
33 Go to commentsI’m a pensioner so I've been around a bit. My opinion of SBW is he is an elite athlete and a great New Zealander and roll model. He has been to the top and knows what he's talking about. To all the negative comments regarding SBW the typical New Zealand way, cut that tall poppy down.
17 Go to commentsI'm not listening to a guy moralise over others when this is the guy who walked out mid season on Canterbury RLFC when he had a contract with them, what a hypocrite. Those praising him are a joke.
17 Go to commentsI’d put Finau at 6 instead of Blackadder but that’s the only change I’d make. Can’t wait to see who Razor picks.
33 Go to commentsTamati Williams, Codie Taylor, and Same Cane? Not sure about Hoskins Sotutu at test level. Wasn’t that impressive last season. Need a balance between experience and talent/youth.
33 Go to commentsInteresting insight. Fantastic athlete, and a genuine human being.
17 Go to commentsThey played at night in Suva last weekend and it’s an afternoon game forecast for 19 degrees in Canberra this weekend. Heat change is a non issue.
1 Go to commentsWishing Rosie a speedy recovery
1 Go to commentsObscene that SA haven’t been knocking
1 Go to commentsChances of Blackadder being injured seem too high to give him serious consideration. ABs loosie combination finally looked good with 2 committed to tackling and clearing rucks in the centre and Ardie roaming. Hoskins/Ardie together would force one of them into where they don’t excel and don’t get to use their talent, or require a change in tactics. If we continue to evolve last years systems I would take Papali’i and Finau at 6 and 7 (conceding that Blackadder will be injured) and Ardie at 8.
33 Go to commentsArdie’s preferred position 7? Where do they get these writers from? I've no idea where he's playing in Japan, but the previous two seasons he wore the 7 jersey exactly twice.
17 Go to commentsNot good to hear Ulster described as “financially troubled”. Did not think it was getting to that level. I would hope the Irish system of spreading players of talent away from Leinster would kick in now. Better to have a Leinster fringe player with Ulster or Connacht, then getting only a few games a season in Dublin. 10, for example, would seem to be a case for spreading the talent. I would not be at all adverse to a SA man coming in as head coach/DR. Ludeke is worth trying. Certainly got a long and impressive coaching career at this level…..149 games in SR, then Japan, 30 years experience. And Ulster’s ledger of successful SA coaches and players is on the positive side. Is talk of Ruan Pienaar interested in coming back as a coach…..could be a good combination with Ludeke. And Pienaar and family would have no settling in to do, one would judge. He loved life in Ulster when there, by all reports.
1 Go to commentsSome thoughts to consider here, Sam. Thanks
2 Go to comments