International Eligibility

[#1 Tah]

Seems to have been swept under the big game tomorrow night, but the IRB have quietly revised their international eligibility rules. From what I understand, if you haven't played for a national team for 18 months, you can represent a different international sevens team in the Olympics provided you hold a passport to that country. That's my take, but hey, I'm not a lawyer.

Story below says that Isaia Toeava, Joe Rokocoko and Sos Aneisi might front up for their birth nations, while there are also rumours that our very own Sita Timani could turn out for Tonga (not too sure how he would go in sevens, but okay).

Does this devalue the international game and/or Olympics? Is it uncomfortably close to the NRL where Hazim El Mazri captained Lebanon?

Initially I didn't like it too much, but it seems to give some Pacific Nations a leg up in terms of access to players. Then again, I can level with the argument of representing two countries .

Source: http://www.espnscrum.com/newzealand/rugby/story/234385.html
http://www.irb.com/irbuploader/ePub...3 GF IRB Handbook Website English Version.pdf
http://intheloose.com/2014/07/28/7-...n-switch-international-allegiances-world-cup/

 

[lemoen]

There was an article about this on GAGR frontpage the other day

 

[Highlander35]

A couple of big ones may or may not also come up.

As I think I've said before, both Delon & Steffon Armitage may end up turning out for the French.

Steven Shingler (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steven_Shingler) may end up finally repping for Scotland, after being determined ineligible since he played for the Welsh U20s (Their official "A side").

Otherwise, I think Tonga are going to be the biggest winners here. Tonga's sevens team is significantly weaker than either Samoa or Fiji, and can afford to put out players that may otherwise have not have been chosen to play the fast game.

When it comes to Fiji as well, the type of player that may have benefited them the most (Salesi Ma'afa) would be the worst choice for sevens, especially since the intention would be to qualify as one of the top 4 of the world series.

May be more than that, but it looks like fun times ahead!

 

[qwerty51]

IMO this is all a beat up. Don't see any of it going through and I'd hope not.

 

[Omar Comin']

I think it's great. It'll really increase the competitiveness and depth of the island nations and eventually perhaps other tier 2 and 3 nations. The more competitive teams in international rugby, the better.

It's a necessity to align with Olympic eligibility rules. There are some players who may be ineligible to participate in the Olympics for the country they are currently aligned to with rugby. But they would be eligible to participate for another country and I think it's fair they be allowed to switch. Once they've done that for 7's it would be a joke to have someone potentially play 7's for one nation and 15's for another.

I don't see it demeaning international rugby if guys who haven't played for their original nation for 18 months or 3 years switch to another country they have citizenship with. I don't see it being as dodgy as the 3 year residency rule in any case.

 

[Bardon]

Can't see this rule change devaluing the Olympics as there are already plenty of sports that allow athletes to change allegiance. It's happened enough now that it barely raises an eyebrow when a medal prospect's passport application is fast tracked.

The vast majority of nation changing will happen outside of the Olympics themselves and the majority of those who change probably won't be seen at the Olympics.

It might cause a bit more of a stir is Rugby circles, simply because it's not something we're used to. However the majority of the switches will be welcomed as they'll be in the spirit of allowing PI players who previously represented Tier 1 nations to switch.

There no doubt will be some controversial changes, but my take on it is that if you were happy for the PI players to change then you shouldn't complain when someone is maybe just switching more as a mercenary.

The rule is there to benefit everyone and your motives don't have to be pure as the driven snow.

In the short term the PI teams should be the ones who benefit most from the rule change. In the long term, as Rugby's popularity grows, it may be less traditional Rugby nations (say a rich gulf state) that decide to recruit a national team and subsequently qualify for RWCs in place of the weaker PI teams.

It's unlikely to happen any time soon but the possibility is there and it would be well within the rules for them to do so.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

There was an article about this on GAGR frontpage the other day

Also a forum thread:

http://www.greenandgoldrugby.com/co...owing-representation-of-second-country.14539/

 

[Braveheart81]

I don't see it demeaning international rugby if guys who haven't played for their original nation for 18 months or 3 years switch to another country they have citizenship with. I don't see it being as dodgy as the 3 year residency rule in any case.

How is it any different when it comes down to it?

For many countries this is the sort of period of residence you need to apply for citizenship.

For the Olympics you just need a passport. A country can make this happen far quicker if they want someone to represent them at the Olympics as has happened many times before.

The rugby rule is not that different but rightly ignores passport issues which are entirely open to inconsistencies and abuse.

 

[Omar Comin']

How is it any different when it comes down to it?

For many countries this is the sort of period of residence you need to apply for citizenship.

For the Olympics you just need a passport. A country can make this happen far quicker if they want someone to represent them at the Olympics as has happened many times before.

The rugby rule is not that different but rightly ignores passport issues which are entirely open to inconsistencies and abuse.

What countries give out citizenship after 3 years? Countries might rush through passport applications from time to time for athletes but it's always for people that meet the regular criteria for citizenship.

Anyway, it's fine. But I think if you're going to have a 3 year residency rule (which benefits the big nations) then I think it's fair to have a rule of 'you can switch countries once in your career provided you haven't played for X years' - which benefits the smaller countries.

 

[SevensPhD]

 

[Highlander35]

So basically:

If a capped player is:

1) Otherwise eligible to represent a particular country (whether through birth, parents birth, or residency).
2) Holds a passport for that particular Nation.
3) Hasn't played for his original Nation in the past 18 months.

He can apply to permanently switch allegiances, as long as the first event he competes in for the new Nation is an Olympic Qualifying event.

Am I reading that right?

 

[SevensPhD]

So basically:

If a capped player is:

1) Otherwise eligible to represent a particular country (whether through birth, parents birth, or residency).
2) Holds a passport for that particular Nation.
3) Hasn't played for his original Nation in the past 18 months.

He can apply to permanently switch allegiances, as long as the first event he competes in for the new Nation is an Olympic Qualifying event.

Am I reading that right?

That is how I read it. IRB letter of explanation here:
http://www.irb.com/mm/document/home...ympicevents-eventssubjecttoolympiccharter.pdf

"For the Olympic Games 2016 in Rio, do any special provisions apply?
Rugby Sevens will enter the Olympic Games for the first time in 2016. The
qualification process has been established and all persons eligible to
participate must have qualified by 11 July 2016. In terms of eligibility, the
three (3) year stand-down period applies. However, given the timing of the
clarification of the qualification process and the constitutional review of the
eligibility requirements for Olympic Events a shorter stand-down period in
respect only of the Olympic Games 2016 shall apply. In this regard any
Player who wishes to represent a Union / country for whom s/he holds the
nationality and has previously been captured for another Union may do so
provided the Player stands down from their current Union at least 18
months before representing the Second Union in an Olympic Event in the
Rio Olympic Games cycle."

 

[SevensPhD]

It will be very interesting to watch what players turn out for the IRB Sevens Series this year. Maybe even at the Gold Coast 7s.

 

[Omar Comin']

It will be very interesting to watch what players turn out for the IRB Sevens Series this year. Maybe even at the Gold Coast 7s.

An added benefit of this change is that we may get to see some 15's props playing 7's!

 

[Highlander35]

Mr Ma'afu playing for Fiji 7s gives me the giggles.

 

[Jets]

I think that you could use one in a squad of 12. Also after a few rounds if a country isn't going to qualify automatically, for the Olympics, it would be worth doing for the RWC.

 

[Omar Comin']

I think that you could use one in a squad of 12. Also after a few rounds if a country isn't going to qualify automatically, for the Olympics, it would be worth doing for the RWC.

Tonga should take advantage of it. As they're not a core team in the series they have no chance of qualifying automatically, but they will still compete in at least a couple of the IRB world series legs. And they are technically olympic qualifying events.

 

[lincoln]

For which country is Nadolo eligible?

 

[qwerty51]

Australia but he's not going to switch with a WC in a year.

 

[RugbyReg]

For which country is Nadolo eligible?

Fiji. He's already played multiple tests for them (starring at inside centre for them recently in fact)