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Following the popularity of Americas Rugby News’ Foreign-Born Players at Rugby World Cup 2015, the hot topic of debate regarding player eligibility is to be looked at again. In this piece Americas Rugby News takes an in-depth look into the foreign-born players in each Rugby Championship roster. Included will be where they were born and how they came to be eligible.
World Rugby Vice Chairman Agustín Pichot has indicated that existing policies are not to last for much longer. The former Pumas captain says the game’s three-year residency rule must be amended. “Having on your team players who have not lived in the country they are [representing] I think is not right.”
This past June Ireland’s 32-man roster that toured South Africa included Jared Payne, Sean Reidy, Quinn Roux, and CJ Stander as players failing to meet Pichot’s criteria. Payne previously played for New Zealand u21 and Stander captained South Africa u20.
Additional examples are all too common. Earlier this month England named former Fiji Warriors vice-captain Nathan Hughes in their elite player squad. Talks with the player were well established long before be became eligible.
American Samoa, Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Tonga, and Zimbabwe will all have players representing others in the Rugby Championship. Of the unions not involved Fiji leads the way with six players. In addition Australia will field three from New Zealand.
As was the case in Rugby World Cup 2015 only Argentina can claim that all 33 players in their squad are native to their country. The other competitors all have players born abroad, though South Africa’s one foreign-born player has been playing for the Springboks since 2008.
Australia (14) The multicultural Wallabies roster may at first glance appear to be a gathering of players groomed elsewhere, the players instead tended to move with their families before adulthood. World Cup stars Will Skelton and Tevita Kuridrani played u20 rugby for Samoa and Fiji respectively, but each did so while still residing in Australia.
The number was nine at the World Cup. Missing for the Rugby Championship are Henry Speight and Joe Tomane, but Australia’s total of foreign-born players has nevertheless risen to ten. The players added to the roster for the Rugby Championship are Dane Haylett-Petty, Samu Kerevi, and Lopeti Timani.
Samu Kerevi moved to Australia aged seven. In 2012 he played for Fiji u20s at the World Rugby u20 Championship. The following year he was selected for Australia at u20 level. His cousin, Radike Samo, is also a Fijian-born Wallaby. He played in Rugby World Cup 2011.
Dane Haylett-Petty moved from Durban to Perth at the age of 10 with his family. He played for both Australia u20s and Australia 7s in 2008 and 2009.
Lopeti Timani is the younger brother of Tongan international Sione Timani. Also in the family is Sitaleki Timani who is a former Wallaby. Lopeti Timani moved to Australia in aged 18. He had been picked for Tonga u20 aged 17 but was blocked by World Rugby based on his age.
Timani was one of four players added by Cheika on Sunday September 04. The three others also all qualify for Australia on residency grounds. Sefanaia Naivalu has recently qualified after moving to Australia in just 2014. Henry Speight is a former Fijian u20 who played Schoolboy rugby in New Zealand. Meanwhile Kyle Godwin, like Haylett-Petty moved to Australia from Zimbabwe at the age of 8.
Cheika called up an additional foreign-born player on September 22. That player being Tolo Latu who moved from his native Tonga to Australia at the age of two.
| PLAYER | POS | BIRTH COUNTRY | ELIGIBILITY |
| Tolo Latu | HO | Tonga | Residency (1998) |
| Stephen Moore | HO | Saudi Arabia | Residency (1991) |
| Dean Mumm | LO | New Zealand | Residency (1987) |
| Will Skelton | LO | New Zealand | Residency (1995) |
| Lopeti Timani | LO | Tonga | Residency (2012) |
| David Pocock | FL | Zimbabwe | Residency (2005) |
| Will Genia | SH | Papua New Guinea | Residency (2003) |
| Quade Cooper | FH | New Zealand | Residency (2004) |
| Kyle Godwin | FH | Zimbabwe | Residency (2002) |
| Samu Kerevi | CE | Fiji | Residency (2004) |
| Tevita Kuridrani | CE | Fiji | Residency (2010) |
| Sefanaia Naivalu | CE | Fiji | Residency (2016) |
| Henry Speight | CE | Fiji | Residency (2014) |
| Dane Haylett-Petty | FB | South Africa | Residency (2003) |
New Zealand (6) The reputation of ‘poaching’ players from the Pacific Islands is a subject which infuriates many a New Zealander. Any true rugby supporter has witnessed or read an argument with a local defending his country against inaccuracies regarding players said to have been plucked from Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga who were, in fact, born and raised in New Zealand. In addition, the likes of Olo Brown, Mils Muliaina, Joe Rokocoko, and the late Jerry Collins arrived in New Zealand as infants.
Of those currently on the All Blacks roster, only three have qualified on residency in recent years. Two of them – Malakai Fekitoa and Waisake Naholo – moved to New Zealand during their teens with the former subsequently picking up a scholarship.
On 22 August Fijian Seta Tamanivalu was called up as injury cover for George Moala. As a teenager he played under 18’s for Fiji’s rugby league team, touring Australia in 2010. He subsequently moved to New Zealand where he attended Auckland’s Saint Kentrigern College and played rugby. Tamanivalu said his first ambition was to play Rugby Sevens for Fiji but this changed after he was approached by the All Blacks in 2014.
| PLAYER | POS | BIRTH COUNTRY | ELIGIBILITY |
| Ofa Tu’ungafasi | PR | Tonga | Residency (2009) |
| Jerome Kaino | FL | American Samoa | Residency (1990) |
| Tawera Kerr-Barlow | SH | Australia | Parent |
| Malakai Fekitoa | CE | Tonga | Residency (2012) |
| Seta Tamanivalu | CE | Fiji | Residency (2014) |
| Waisake Naholo | WI | Fiji | Residency (2012) |
South Africa (1) The country’s only import is Tendai Mtawarira. ‘The Beast’ was initially in South Africa playing u18 international rugby for his native Zimbabwe. Playing as an eightman, he caught the attention of Super Rugby scouts who convinced him to play for the Sharks academy, where he would be converted into a loosehead prop. Some political hiccups have emerged since but with his citizenship was finally granted in 2010. The problems regarding his eligibility in the eyes of the bureaucrats has subsided.
| PLAYER | POS | BIRTH COUNTRY | ELIGIBILITY |
| Tendai Mtawarira | PR | Zimbabwe | Residency (2008) |
Argentina (0)
