Union v League eligibility - an opportunity?

[eal]

If we end up just having every national team filled by Australians what are people actually cheering for? A blue shirt that says Scotland?

[MatthewWoody]

This World Cup was not bad at all and yes, for what I've happened to see down under, people were cheering to players, because you can be both Irish and Australian, etc., thanks to your family history and culture. 
We've had the most enterteining World Cup ever but forumers here still complain. 

[rhinos78]

11 hours ago, BBR said:

I hate the chopping and changing. I understand why it happens but it's plain wrong. It also results in a silly situation where a side like Tonga could be 3rd best in the world this year, yet back to being an also ran next year.

 

If that bath player wants to play for Tonga RL, what is to stop him if he is good enough. Would his bath contact prevent him playing for Tonga RL? 

If the union situation is correct about only playing for England if you play in the English league I can only presume they make up the possible lower than France salary by getting large international appearance sums. Otherwise, surely we would have a bosman style ruling to allow the policy to be overturned. Didn't Johnny Wilkinson play for England whilst at Toulon?

The match fees for playing union for england are reported to be pretty lucrative. But even if they wernt, the rule couldnt be overturned by any kind of bosman style ruling. The national team can select who they want, a court order cant dictate that theyv got to pick a certain player.

Johnny wilkinson did play for england whilst at toulon,but that was before the current rule came in to effect. His last game for england was the 2011 world cup quarter final, the rule took imediate effect at the conclusion of that tournament. 

[Blind side johnny]

On 12/4/2017 at 12:18 PM, Bramstein said:

What you've said makes sense but journos in Britain regularly say it's keep test RU as the pinnacle of the game. I have no idea if they're right, however.

Even if you play for one country at one code you can then play for another at RU. Pristine and pure?

[Mushy]

On 05/12/2017 at 2:10 PM, MatthewWoody said:

Do you reckon we would have had a terrible and not watchable World Cup without all these grand-children of Australian/English/Kiwis grand-parents? 
 

I think we’d have had a slightly smaller World Cup or slightly less competitive but still a good one. We’d have had an even more competitive World Cup if we scrapped eligibility and let countries pick players one at a fine from all the talent available, but that wouldn’t make it right either! 

I mainly don’t like the fact that there’s not a great incentive to get more people playing the game in a lot of the developing countries at the moment when the main talent can come from grandchildren of natives. France and to a lesser extent Wales play the game in their countries but will struggle against other countries with a smaller (or indeed non-existent) competition, and I am less comfortable with that to be honest  

But it’s not a massive issue - and I don’t want to detract from a great World Cup on the field - and the current ruling is at least consistent with most other sports, I just prefer a tighter one, that’s all. 

[rhinos78]

Thought the world cup was great. Hope they keep the eligibility and oputunity to go back and forward between tier one and tier 2 teams rules the same for the next one. 

[TheReaper]

I'm fine with the grandparent rule, wouldn't mind if it parents only either. I'd definitely prefer 5 year residency, that's a significant chunk of a player's career and shows commitment.

On the mention of commitment... no nation switching. Can't stand the idea.