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The devastating family situation affecting England's Joe Cokanasiga

By Online Editors
(Photo by David Rogers/Getty Images)

The father of two England internationals is reportedly stuck in Fiji due to immigration rules, preventing him from returning to rejoin his cancer-stricken wife. 

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Ilaitia Cokanasiga, the father of Bath winger Joe and London Irish prospect Philip, is apparently devastated at being marooned on the other side of the world from his family while his wife awaits a brain tumour operation. 

Despite serving for almost 14 years in the British armed forces and serving two tours in Iraq and one in Afghanistan, Cokanasiga’s immigration plight is said to be typical of numerous Commonwealth-born army veterans.

In an interview with the Guardian, he said: “I feel betrayed after what I did for the army and the country. I talk to my wife every other day, and she cries on the phone. 

“She is very worried. I’m not there and she’s supposed to be having surgery. Everyone in the family is struggling to cope with the pressures of my wife’s poor health. I need to return to the UK to care for my wife.”

Joe, who was prevented from having his father watch him at the World Cup last year in Japan due to the immigration red tape, added: “Between my father, my brother and I, I believe we have served the United Kingdom in more ways than any ordinary British person.

“We have been made to feel that my father has done something wrong, when in fact it is the British army that has let him down. For me, this has been a really bitter pill to swallow.”

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“I had immense pride to have served in the British armed forces, and to have both my sons representing England in rugby,” added Ilaitia, whose younger son Philip has played age-grade internationals. 

“I now reflect on my army career with underlying bitterness and my pride at my sons’ rugby careers is tainted by the fact that the British government let our family down. I have never done anything unlawful in my life, so to be told that I did not have valid status in the UK was a real blow.”

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Bull Shark 2 hours 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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