The 2023 Rugby Championship will be the final major competition before Rugby World Cup 2023. It will involve four countries – Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. They are all elite; three of them are prior Rugby World Cup champions and the other has previously finished third. 2023 marks …
Read More »Players who can change countries / allegiance for World Cup 2023
World Rugby’s approval of eligibility law changes may bring substantial changes for Rugby World Cup 2023. Players are able to represent a second country following a three-year stand-down period from their last binding representative appearance for their first country. In other words, there are players from both RWC 2019 and / …
Read More »Foreign-Born / Produced / Trained Players in 2023 Six Nations
The 2023 Six Nations sees changes in player eligibility to that from prior years. World Rugby’s eligibility law changes entitle eligible players to represent a second country following a three-year stand-down period from their last binding representative appearance for their first country. The change of nationality saw a variety of players …
Read More »Serious Eligibility Questions asked of more Italian World Cup players
Italy and World Rugby face an escalating player eligibility scandal. Hot on the heels of Spain’s disqualification from Rugby World Cup 2023, serious questions have arisen concerning the eligibility of Italian players that played in past Rugby World Cups. Italy has capped many players from Argentina. Among them are Italy’s …
Read More »Third Italian World Cup player surfaces as ineligible
Urgent matters over rugby player eligibility have surfaced for the third time in a handful of days. The three players all played for Italy and enjoyed long careers. The three men also all played at Rugby World Cups. Player eligibility is defined in Regulation 8 by World Rugby. It can be achieved …
Read More »Eligibility doubts over second Italy player at Rugby World Cups
Rugby faces a problem. Spain qualified for Rugby World Cup 2023 in March. In April the governing body of the sport deducted 10 points from Spain’s Rugby World Cup 2023 qualifying matches. The result in June was that Spain was out of the World Cup. Gavin van den Berg was …
Read More »Urgent Questions asked of Italy Player Eligibility at Rugby World Cups
In a significant reveal for rugby, a top player took to the field for an elite country in four World Cups and played in over 100 test matches despite not being eligible to do so. Italy fielded an ineligible player at Rugby World Cup 2003 and in three subsequent tournaments. …
Read More »Foreign-Born / Produced Players in 2022 Rugby Championship
The 2022 Rugby Championship is the 11th edition of the competition since expanding to include Argentina in 2012. It was originally the Tri Nations; an annual competition involving Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The first edition was played in 1996. This article documents players that qualify to represent a …
Read More »Foreign-Born / Produced Players in 2022 Six Nations
The 2022 Six Nations Championship is the 23rd edition of the competition since expanding to include Italy in 2000. It was originally conceived as the Home Nations Championship and first contested by England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales in 1883. France joined in 1910 to create the Five Nations Championship. Eligibility …
Read More »Foreign-Born / Raised Players in 2021 Rugby Championship
This article addresses the rosters of Argentina, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in the annual Rugby Championship. It documents who are the Foreign-Born and / or raised players, how they qualify and if they have prior affiliation to another union. This article may provide the reader with information of …
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