World Rugby, the International Federation, on Wednesday changed the eligibility conditions for internationals.
A player can now change federation for another
"subject to demonstrating a close and credible link with the new federation through the right of birth"
, provided that he has not played for three years for his first federation .
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This measure should help the nations of the Pacific to recover their best elements. Previously, a player who had played for one country could not then wear the colors of another nation. Unless an improbable passage through rugby 7 and then return to XV. Ubuesque. Thus, the former All Black Malakai Fekitoa (24 caps), 2015 world champion passed by RC Toulon, had participated in an Olympic rugby sevens qualifying tournament with Tonga, in June in Monaco, in order to be able to become international again. with his country of origin.
"The player must either be born in the country of the federation in which he wishes to be transferred, or have a parent or a grandparent born in this country"
, indicates the world body. Example: a player of Fijian, Tongan or Samoan origin who has some selections with New Zealand but who has not been selected for three years, can now, from January 1, represent the country of his origins. World Rugby specifies that a player can only change federation once.
There are some fantastic players from the Pacific Islands who are playing for other nations.
Allowing them to come back (play for their home country) after a period of hiatus could only strengthen the island nations, boost world rugby and the interest of World Cup matches.
Wayne Pivac
Until then, New Zealand and Australia were singled out for "offering" a few selections (usually 7) to Pacific players and then nothing.
This meant that the player could not attempt an international career with his country of origin.
Wayne Pivac, New Zealand manager for Wales, had recently said the current system was
"a loss for the game".
“There are some fantastic players from the Pacific Islands who play for other nations.
Allowing them to return
(to play for their country of origin)
after a period of stoppage could only strengthen the island nations, strengthen world rugby and the interest of World Cup matches
,
”
he said.
Charles Piutau will be able to play for Tonga
This relaxation of the eligibility rules had until then been defended by Daniel Leo, the former Samoan captain, who in 2016 created the association “Pacific Players Welfare” (social assistance for players in the Pacific). The former second row - who played in England (Wasps, London Irish) and in France (Bordeaux-Bègles, Perpignan) - wanted
"to relax the rules so that at the end of their career, players can play for a second team national. We would need some to come and share their experience ”
.
With the evolution of this rule, the former back of the All Blacks Charles Piutau (30 years old, 17 selections between 2013 and 2015), born in New Zealand of Tongan parents, will now be able to play for the “Ikale Tahi” (Eagles of the seas).
But he will not have had the opportunity to play with his brother, Siale (36), who announced his international retirement after the 2019 World Cup. Ditto for third-row Nathan Hughes (30 years old, 22 caps with England between 2016 and 2019) could represent Fiji, where he was born.
The Tulou and Smith cases in France
The XV of France had been confronted with one of these cases. Philippe Saint-André would have liked to select the former third line of Montpellier, Alex Tulou, of New Zealand origin. But that could not be done because the latter had played a few minutes with the New Zealand team at 7 against Tunisia in 2008.
“Alex Tulou is ineligible. He played four minutes to 7. We knew that he had already played with New Zealand and that he was on the IRB lists
,
”
regretted the former coach of the Blues (2012-2015). If this had taken place after January 1, 2022, he could have become a French international.
Same case with Castres winger David Smith.
In 2016, then coach Guy Novès summoned him to Marcoussis except that the latter, a native of Samoa, also played with the New Zealand team at 7 in 2008. David Smith is therefore obliged to return to his club, no career at XV possible for him with the Blues.