Munster1923,
I myself am an immigrant and have settled into a new country that I live in and have grown to love. I work here and my kids will be more from here than anywhere else. That being the case, I would not for one second want to deprive somebody the right to represent an adopted country - that just wouldn't be right. If all of that happens organically great, I don't take any issue. Richardt Strauss can pull on the blue and yellow of Ukraine for all I care.
For me it starts to get murky when international caps start to be dangled at players signing with foreign clubs. This prospect sweetens the pot and perhaps is the clincher for good talent. I agree its not as if these players are being taken at gunpoint but I feel that the spirit of the game is being hurt. A system similar to what goes on in US college sports may be appropriate; certain things are just flat out not allowed to be discussed or to be part of any contract even verbally.
At a minimum an "import" should:
- have lived in an adopted country for 4/5 years. This time period works because it minimizes dangling the chance to play at a world cup in front of young players.
- hold a passport of the new country. My understanding is that a three-year resident of an adopted country can represent that country even without being a citizen or holding a passport. Laughable.
- not have represented any other country at anything past U18.
Fair enough. I wasn't implying the SRU were going shopping in RSA just that there were players with SA roots in all team.
Scotland prefers Kiwi talent and this has been aided by the grandparents rule. Off the top of my head: Glenn Metcalfe, John Leslie, Martin Leslie, Brendan Laney, and probably 5 or so others...
Munster1923, you're missing my point. I never said being born in one country should stop you playing for another. What I said was that out and out recruiting for the purposes of bolstering your national team is the issue and needs to be stopped.
Of this wonderful list that you have compiled not a SINGLE one of those players was lured with a package to ultimately drive them to wear an SA jersey. Not even Beast Mtawarira. Beast endured a 35 hours bus journey from Bulawayo to Durban to try out for the Sharks and after making a name for himself was called up. Do you see the difference? I fear not.
As for the rest of the list, you must understand that the geopolitics of SA and the region skews things. The movement of the people between Zimbabwe/Rhodesia, Namibia, and SA is quite free and often families straddle these countries. As for all of the UK-born folks in that list they moved to he colonies for work, they were not lured to play rugby... Nick Mallett's father for example move him to Rhodesia 6 weeks after birth. Again, it's important that you see the difference.
As for Christian Stewart - who I have met and talked to about this very topic - he moved to SA as a child and learned the game and did his schooling there. Incidentally he is a dual international.
In a comment above you scoffed at me for suggesting that that each six nations team had at least one South African-developed player in their ranks recently. You may be right but off the top of my head:
Italy:
Tobi Botes
England:
Brad Barritt
Mouritz Botha
Scotland:
Dave Denton and a couple guys in the sevens outfit.
France:
Brian Liebenberg
Ireland:
Richardt Strauss
I'm not going to bother with a more comprehensive list...
I don't know if that alone is the answer. Many South Africans have a second passport (mainly British) so that would only slow the flow a bit. Beyond that if a passport is all that is required to switch allegiances there are a number of economic immigrant investor schemes that allow you to get a passport for a large lump sum in under a year. Assuming the poaching unions are paying, this could actually make the problem worse. I say if you've played U19 or above for a country you should be ineligible to play for another.
As for CJ Stander, I hope he seriously considers returning to SA to try and fight for a spot in green and gold rather than trying to be the next Dion O'Cuinneagain...
I hate seeing players so willingly be part of these naturalization schemes... It's one thing if a player decides to immigrate somewhere to pursue an international cap, but for clubs and national unions to be actively recruiting is ridiculous. It's sad to see so many SA players pulling on foreign jerseys. There must be at least one in each of the six nations teams by now.
It's also sends a bad message to the youth players of the countries doing the poaching. "Well done young English chap, you didn't drink or smoke like so many of your peers, you practiced hard and hit the gym religiously, you did everything right to become a professional with a view to playing for your country one day. Now go sit over there and keep the bench warm in case the Fijian/Samoan/South African/Kiwi who is starting in your position needs to come off before the 80 is up."
Pretty bold of you to be dictating who can and can't comment especially when you don't know the laws yourself. Only one foot must be on the ground, not tow a you've stated, for a player to be tackled... If not, then in theory a player could hop to the try line and never be hit.
Elvis was unlucky, just a fraction of a second later and this would have been hit of the week.
Does Ruan Pienaar not know the meaning of the words quick ball or something? He always takes an eternity to get it out, allowing the opposition to regroup - taking momentum away from the bok backs. Before any of you blame Meyer for this style, he has done this for years. How he keeps getting selected, I will never understand.
Fact is McCaw - once again - was disrupting the ball illegally and being a nuisance. Those are not my words, those are the words of Justin Marshall (the commentator) who I should remind some of you was McCaw's teammate for years for Canterbury and the All Blacks at number 9. He has had a more up close view than anybody of McCaw's antics at the breakdown over the years.
All of that said, those of us that have been around for a while know that McCaw continually gets away with it so it's time to work around that unfortunate reality. As for Greyling:
- he came in offside
- he left his feet
- led with his arm
- he aimed for McCaw's head.
A valid yellow - no contest. The subsequent suspension was stupid but that is more a function of the citing process than anything and we all know how broken that is.
CJ Stander scores 80m try vs Glasgow on home debut for Munster
Munster1923,
I myself am an immigrant and have settled into a new country that I live in and have grown to love. I work here and my kids will be more from here than anywhere else. That being the case, I would not for one second want to deprive somebody the right to represent an adopted country - that just wouldn't be right. If all of that happens organically great, I don't take any issue. Richardt Strauss can pull on the blue and yellow of Ukraine for all I care.
For me it starts to get murky when international caps start to be dangled at players signing with foreign clubs. This prospect sweetens the pot and perhaps is the clincher for good talent. I agree its not as if these players are being taken at gunpoint but I feel that the spirit of the game is being hurt. A system similar to what goes on in US college sports may be appropriate; certain things are just flat out not allowed to be discussed or to be part of any contract even verbally.
At a minimum an "import" should:
- have lived in an adopted country for 4/5 years. This time period works because it minimizes dangling the chance to play at a world cup in front of young players.
- hold a passport of the new country. My understanding is that a three-year resident of an adopted country can represent that country even without being a citizen or holding a passport. Laughable.
- not have represented any other country at anything past U18.
Cheers!
5 Months, 2 Weeks ago
CJ Stander scores 80m try vs Glasgow on home debut for Munster
Fair enough. I wasn't implying the SRU were going shopping in RSA just that there were players with SA roots in all team.
Scotland prefers Kiwi talent and this has been aided by the grandparents rule. Off the top of my head: Glenn Metcalfe, John Leslie, Martin Leslie, Brendan Laney, and probably 5 or so others...
5 Months, 2 Weeks ago
CJ Stander scores 80m try vs Glasgow on home debut for Munster
Munster1923, you're missing my point. I never said being born in one country should stop you playing for another. What I said was that out and out recruiting for the purposes of bolstering your national team is the issue and needs to be stopped.
Of this wonderful list that you have compiled not a SINGLE one of those players was lured with a package to ultimately drive them to wear an SA jersey. Not even Beast Mtawarira. Beast endured a 35 hours bus journey from Bulawayo to Durban to try out for the Sharks and after making a name for himself was called up. Do you see the difference? I fear not.
As for the rest of the list, you must understand that the geopolitics of SA and the region skews things. The movement of the people between Zimbabwe/Rhodesia, Namibia, and SA is quite free and often families straddle these countries. As for all of the UK-born folks in that list they moved to he colonies for work, they were not lured to play rugby... Nick Mallett's father for example move him to Rhodesia 6 weeks after birth. Again, it's important that you see the difference.
As for Christian Stewart - who I have met and talked to about this very topic - he moved to SA as a child and learned the game and did his schooling there. Incidentally he is a dual international.
In a comment above you scoffed at me for suggesting that that each six nations team had at least one South African-developed player in their ranks recently. You may be right but off the top of my head:
Italy:
Tobi Botes
England:
Brad Barritt
Mouritz Botha
Scotland:
Dave Denton and a couple guys in the sevens outfit.
France:
Brian Liebenberg
Ireland:
Richardt Strauss
I'm not going to bother with a more comprehensive list...
5 Months, 2 Weeks ago
CJ Stander scores 80m try vs Glasgow on home debut for Munster
I don't know if that alone is the answer. Many South Africans have a second passport (mainly British) so that would only slow the flow a bit. Beyond that if a passport is all that is required to switch allegiances there are a number of economic immigrant investor schemes that allow you to get a passport for a large lump sum in under a year. Assuming the poaching unions are paying, this could actually make the problem worse. I say if you've played U19 or above for a country you should be ineligible to play for another.
5 Months, 2 Weeks ago
CJ Stander scores 80m try vs Glasgow on home debut for Munster
As for CJ Stander, I hope he seriously considers returning to SA to try and fight for a spot in green and gold rather than trying to be the next Dion O'Cuinneagain...
5 Months, 2 Weeks ago
CJ Stander scores 80m try vs Glasgow on home debut for Munster
I hate seeing players so willingly be part of these naturalization schemes... It's one thing if a player decides to immigrate somewhere to pursue an international cap, but for clubs and national unions to be actively recruiting is ridiculous. It's sad to see so many SA players pulling on foreign jerseys. There must be at least one in each of the six nations teams by now.
It's also sends a bad message to the youth players of the countries doing the poaching. "Well done young English chap, you didn't drink or smoke like so many of your peers, you practiced hard and hit the gym religiously, you did everything right to become a professional with a view to playing for your country one day. Now go sit over there and keep the bench warm in case the Fijian/Samoan/South African/Kiwi who is starting in your position needs to come off before the 80 is up."
5 Months, 2 Weeks ago
Eben Etzebeth in hot water after making contact with Greig Laidlaw's eyes
Totally innocuous contact, glad nothing came of this.
6 Months, 7 Hours ago
Elvis Vermeulen yellow carded for huge hit on Zee Ngwenya
Pretty bold of you to be dictating who can and can't comment especially when you don't know the laws yourself. Only one foot must be on the ground, not tow a you've stated, for a player to be tackled... If not, then in theory a player could hop to the try line and never be hit.
Elvis was unlucky, just a fraction of a second later and this would have been hit of the week.
6 Months, 3 Weeks ago
The All Blacks remain undefeated with Dunedin win over the Springboks
Does Ruan Pienaar not know the meaning of the words quick ball or something? He always takes an eternity to get it out, allowing the opposition to regroup - taking momentum away from the bok backs. Before any of you blame Meyer for this style, he has done this for years. How he keeps getting selected, I will never understand.
8 Months, 1 Day ago
Dean Greyling suspended for two weeks for strike on Richie McCaw
Fact is McCaw - once again - was disrupting the ball illegally and being a nuisance. Those are not my words, those are the words of Justin Marshall (the commentator) who I should remind some of you was McCaw's teammate for years for Canterbury and the All Blacks at number 9. He has had a more up close view than anybody of McCaw's antics at the breakdown over the years.
All of that said, those of us that have been around for a while know that McCaw continually gets away with it so it's time to work around that unfortunate reality. As for Greyling:
- he came in offside
- he left his feet
- led with his arm
- he aimed for McCaw's head.
A valid yellow - no contest. The subsequent suspension was stupid but that is more a function of the citing process than anything and we all know how broken that is.
8 Months, 1 Day ago