Wallaby Eligibility

[Wilson]

lame

surely we get some love in this eligibility debacle as these higher ranked teams get to poach our players.

I think this change was largely to help the USA - it means their collegiate system and MLR have much more capacity to convert eligibility over time without the players needing to live in the US the whole time on relatively low contracts/wages, as long as they don't go play Shute Shield, NPC, etc. in the off season.

 

[Braveheart81]

I think this change was largely to help the USA - it means their collegiate system and MLR have much more capacity to convert eligibility over time without the players needing to live in the US the whole time on relatively low contracts/wages, as long as they don't go play Shute Shield, NPC, etc. in the off season.

I would say there's a strong chance the change was a reaction to the Spain disqualification from the 2023 RWC for fielding an ineligible player. By removing the travel component it makes it far easier for unions (particularly smaller ones) to follow the rules.

 

[Kaiviti]

I think this change was largely to help the USA - it means their collegiate system and MLR have much more capacity to convert eligibility over time without the players needing to live in the US the whole time on relatively low contracts/wages, as long as they don't go play Shute Shield, NPC, etc. in the off season.

Not sure how this helps the USA. A foreign player wouldn’t make enough of a living exclusively playing MLR so will have to play in another comp (NPC, Currie Cup etc.). With the cumulative rule it’ll take 10 years so they would debut at 30.

 

[Wilson]

Not sure how this helps the USA. A foreign player wouldn’t make enough of a living exclusively playing MLR so will have to play in another comp (NPC, Currie Cup etc.). With the cumulative rule it’ll take 10 years so they would debut at 30.

Foreign players coming through the collegiate system is the main area - my understanding is most aren't spending their longer breaks in the US, resetting any potential eligibility period each year. With this change they graduate only needing a year or two more of residency in MLR at the point where they are going pro. A lot easier to work around a two year period in MLR than a 5 year one.

 

[Kaiviti]

Foreign players coming through the collegiate system is the main area - my understanding is most aren't spending their longer breaks in the US, resetting any potential eligibility period each year. With this change they graduate only needing a year or two more of residency in MLR at the point where they are going pro. A lot easier to work around a two year period in MLR than a 5 year one.

Ah right. Yeah I heard recently two players became classed as domestic players through this exact system!