IT has long been one of the most hotly contested issues in rugby union. Now, the global governing body of the sport is convinced a workable solution has been found.
Regulation 8 is the bland title for the World Rugby rule on how players become eligible for countries with which they have no blood link. Up until now, the rule has allowed anyone to qualify after three years’ residency in the country they wish to represent. But at a meeting in Kyoto yesterday, World Rugby’s council agreed the period should be extended to five years - or, officially, from 36 to 60 consecutive months.
The change will not come in until the end of 2020, meaning, at least in theory, that any player not already tied to one particular country has until the end of the year to move to a new home and start the process of qualifying for a different nation. The thinking behind the time lag appears to be that there may be some players who already have plans in train to make such a move, and that it would be unfair at this stage to impose restrictions on them. In the longer term, however, the aim is precisely to impose restrictions on the whole of international rugby, and to make it harder for so-called project players to pack their bags and move in search of a new national team to represent.
Josh Strauss, Willem Nel and Cornell du Preez, all forwards born in South Africa, are among the internationals who owe their Scotland careers to Regulation 8’s three-year rule. Because of the use made by the national team of the regulation, it is thought there was initially some reluctance within Scottish rugby when the five-year campaign began, but the council’s resolution was passed unanimously.
“This is an historic moment for the sport and a great step towards protecting the integrity, ethos and stature of international rugby,” said World Rugby vice-chairman Agustin Pichot, the former Argentina scrum-half who played a leading role in the campaign. “National team representation is the reward for devoting your career, your rugby life, to your nation, and these amendments will ensure that the international arena is full of players devoted to their nation, who got there on merit.”
An additional criterion was added to the Regulation allowing players with 10 years’ cumulative residency to qualify as well. This is effective immediately, and was also unanimously approved.
The council’s agreement to change the main eligibility criterion came about after a review group led by World Rugby chairman Bill Beaumont examined Regulation 8. A statement from the governing body said that the group had “determined that Regulation 8 was not in step with the modern game, did not provide an adequate framework to protect the integrity of the international game and does not provide a deterrent to player drain from emerging rugby nations”.
In addition, unions may no longer nominate their under-20s team as their next senior national team - in other words, an appearance for a country’s under-20s no longer ‘captures’ a player for that country. This change comes into force at the start of next year and was passed by a majority.
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