Fitzgerald Slams Eligibility and Irish Recruitment of Foreigners

Luke Fitzgerald has slammed player eligibility and the Irish recruitment of foreigners. The former Irish back believes existing policies to be “wrong.” The 29-year-old Leinster native offerd a players perspective on eligibility laws. At last year’s World Cup he was overlooked by coach Joe Schmidt who instead opted for Jared Payne, a New Zealander who qualifies via the three-year eligibility law.

This same law was recently brought into question by World Rugby Vice Chairman, Agustín Pichot. The former Pumas captain strongly argued against the law and has overseen the creation of a special committee to evaluate the state of the laws and has strongly argued in favor of change. It comes after Payne and many others have taken the route to international level via professional leagues. A flow of players into the Aviva Premiership, Guinness Pro 12 and Top 14 has been of particular note.

Having arrived to play for a club a player becomes eligible for the club’s country after three years. South Africans Quinn Roux and CJ Stander both played for Ireland this year after completing the residency requirements. They joined an ever-increasing list of nationalized professional talent. Other examples include Rory Kockott, unable to make the Springboks but selected to play for France in the World Cup. New Zealander John Hardie’s All Black dream was well documented but in failing to be selected he took up an offer to play for the country of his grandfather. He joined the likes of South Africans Josh Strauss and WP Nel in representing Scotland at the World Cup, with another South Africa – Allan Dell – is set to face Argentina next month.

Another Pumas opponent, England, has also named loosely-qualified players in their roster for Los Pumas. Of them Fijian Nathan Hughes has achieved eligibility after playing three years of rugby for Wasps. New Zealander Ben Te’o qualifies via his English mother despite having played rugby league for Samoa and only having arrived in England this year.

Such an economy of players moving and quickly being nationalized does not sit well with Fitzgerald. Asked by Sky Sports about ‘special project’ players, Fitzgerald was vocal.

“Would it affect me if there was a guy from another place getting picked ahead of me? I’ve been in that spot, and it does – it pisses you off, definitely,” said Fitzgerald. “You’ve come all the way up through the internationals, you’ve done all the work through the system, and then all of a sudden some guy comes in and is perceived to be ‘better’ because he’s from a different place, and it’s [an attitude of], ‘let’s get this guy in.’ I think it’s really disappointing.”

When questioned further Fitzgerald agreed with Pichot. “I think he has a really good point. It really dilutes it for me – I mean what’s the point? It’s like a Barbarians side against Barbarians, why do that? I don’t understand that. It diminishes it for me, now I’m a supporter / spectator, I can say that. I much rather see the Irish team against the New Zealand team, or whoever it may be.”

Ireland’s policies have seen the capturing of foreigners for the test team and the removal of non-Irish eligible players from the country. Longtime Ulster servant Ruan Pienaar is being forced out while uncapped New Zealander Bundee Aki has signed a lucrative new deal to stay in Ireland. He will become eligible for Ireland in 2017. That is, unless the laws change to five of more years as has been speculated.