welshmagpie

Next year will likely see Nigeria up against Lebanon and South Africa in the MEA Cup* *this current edition is the Championship I.e the qualifiers for the big one.

You surely can’t be serious. Have you seen the Greek squad? No offence to them but the Knights squad could go out and beat them.

Big win for Nigerian, which is unsurprising. The young saints lad a level above all. Cameroon looked physical mind, good on them.

If any international fixture has an extended bench the IRL don’t give it test status. It is upto the NGB’s themselves whether they wish to recognise it for their own records and cap it for themselves. Wales RL and the IRL have a long standing dispute over how many international caps Elliot Kear has.

Australia all over them, too big too strong and too tactically wise. Zac Lomax, if he was to start for Australia come World Cup (don’t watch enough NRL to know who may be better option than him) is the weak link, prone to multiple brain explosions and terrible at reading a 3-man rush in attack. Ben Hunt and DCE are very good!

Is Joe French born? If not he’s no longer eligible on residency once he heads to Melbourne

Likewise. Once capped you’re good for life would be my stance but sadly I’m not in charge.

Fages’ injury is a massive shame. Never seems to be available for France when it matters most.

Rhys Curran for France is one example. I do the eligibility processing for Wales, there’s a young lad at a super league academy who recently made his Super League debut that resides in north Wales to English family, the moment he leaves wales he’s no longer eligible even if we cap him prior. From the IRL laws: “Residence” means the place or location in which a Player has his/her primary home for each of the preceding sixty (60) months immediately prior to playing an international match. Subsequent to establishing his/her initial residency eligibility the Player must in each year prior to the year of his/her selection for such country be resident in the country for a minimum of 210 days in the preceding 12 months to maintain his/her residency eligibility.

Fun (scary) fact: the moment he signs for a club outside of England, he’s no longer eligible for them* *unless he has an English born parent/grandparent. This is based on the current ‘residency‘ ruling from the IRL.

24th September 2022 Lebanon 22-4 Italy in Sydney. Both teams fielding very much ‘emerging/hopefuls’ squads of players from lower grades who’re now out of competition for the season. 37-year-old Ray Moujalli captained Lebanon at prop.

Interesting then, maybe it’s an accumulation list. Ah well.

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It’s not true. This isn’t a rule.

List is a few years out of date. Roland Podesta doesn’t play anymore and last played in World Cup qualifiers against Spain et Al.