Seems like the Ausies are at it again, trying to convince Akuila Uate to switch allegiance from Fiji to Australia. Once again they're dangling the State of Origin carrot to entice him with a wing berth for the NSW blues paving the way to a green n gold jumper. Do the Ausies not see the damage they are doing to the smaller aspirational nations who have shown potential and appetite to become strong Rugby League countries. Tuquiri Civoniciva Hayne Sutton www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=130502 Quote Carr said Uate would need to apply for special dispensation from the Rugby League International Federation, revoking his Fijian allegiance, to be considered for representative honours in Australia.'" www.theherald.com.au/news/local/ ... ?id=130502

Seems like the Ausies are at it again, trying to convince Akuila Uate to switch allegiance from Fiji to Australia. Once again they're dangling the State of Origin carrot to entice him with a wing berth for the NSW blues paving the way to a green n gold jumper. Do the Ausies not see the damage they are doing to the smaller aspirational nations who have shown potential and appetite to become strong Rugby League countries. Tuquiri Civoniciva Hayne Sutton www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=130502 Quote Carr said Uate would need to apply for special dispensation from the Rugby League International Federation, revoking his Fijian allegiance, to be considered for representative honours in Australia.'" www.theherald.com.au/news/local/ ... ?id=130502

Civonaceva has lived in Australia for the vast majority of his life and has never played for Fiji. Oh, and that story is almost a year old.

And the issue is now being revisited because of the blues humiliation in the SoO

Then why post a link from September 2009?

Quote ="The Clan"Seems like the Ausies are at it again, trying to convince Akuila Uate to switch allegiance from Fiji to Australia. Once again they're dangling the State of Origin carrot to entice him with a wing berth for the NSW blues paving the way to a green n gold jumper. Do the Ausies not see the damage they are doing to the smaller aspirational nations who have shown potential and appetite to become strong Rugby League countries. Tuquiri Civoniciva Hayne Sutton www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=130502 www.theherald.com.au/news/local/ ... ?id=130502'" the players you mentioned are australian. there is absolutely nothing wrong with them progressing through the ranks and playing for their state and australia. uate, on the other hand is not. he should never be allowed to play origin or the australia, but he has spoken openly about switching allegiance and will do so next year. our incompetent international admin will allow him to do so which further damages the international game.

Quote ="The Clan"Seems like the Ausies are at it again, trying to convince Akuila Uate to switch allegiance from Fiji to Australia. Once again they're dangling the State of Origin carrot to entice him with a wing berth for the NSW blues paving the way to a green n gold jumper. Do the Ausies not see the damage they are doing to the smaller aspirational nations who have shown potential and appetite to become strong Rugby League countries. Tuquiri Civoniciva Hayne Sutton www.fijitimes.com/story.aspx?id=130502 www.theherald.com.au/news/local/ ... ?id=130502'" the players you mentioned are australian. there is absolutely nothing wrong with them progressing through the ranks and playing for their state and australia. uate, on the other hand is not. he should never be allowed to play origin or the australia, but he has spoken openly about switching allegiance and will do so next year. our incompetent international admin will allow him to do so which further damages the international game.

FFS get your hand off while there is till some skin left.

SoO is about STATE of origin and nothing else. International RL is about whichever national team/s a players is eligible for. It was a disgraceful act, given the grandparent rule exists, to require a player to give up a right he has under international RL rules to play for another country in order to play SoO. This is White Australia 1950s-style thinking. Are you happy with that?

before i even bother replying to your post, explain how the only players allowed to play for a state of australia also have to be eligible for australia has anything to do with the white australia policy, or even their skin colour or racial background?

Patero Civoniciva moved to Aus before his 1st birthday, Hanyne was actually born in Aus as weas Sutton who only qaulifies for Fiji due to his mother. Not really seeing your point on those guys.

However I do think they should scrap the rule whereby you have to give up representing your country and swtich allegiance so you can play origin. Origin is bigger than International so obviously your going to give up playing for Fiji, Tonga etc to play origin.

origin isnt bigger than playing for your country. at least not to everyone except australians.

Wake up mate, Orgin is bigger and anyone who has ever been involved with it or even just been to a game will tell you the same.

so origin is bigger to the english players than playing for england and great britain?

Read before you post mate, at no point have a mentioned England or English players. All I said was that as a game Origin is bigger than internationals, and those guys from Tonga, Somoa etc who could have the chance to play origin would more than likely give up representing their homeland so they could play origin. Hence why I said origin is bigger.

www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 11pez.html Uate gets the blessing to be a flying Kangaroo ADRIAN PROSZENKO August 8, 2010 The former Australian Schoolboy will need a special exemption to qualify for the Four Nations tournament after representing Fiji in the Pacific Cup last November. But Uate has good reason for making the switch - it's understood Australian selectors have earmarked him as a potential replacement for AFL-bound Israel Folau for the end-of-season Test program. Once again the Aussies stomp all over any development in international RL.

www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 11pez.html Uate gets the blessing to be a flying Kangaroo ADRIAN PROSZENKO August 8, 2010 The former Australian Schoolboy will need a special exemption to qualify for the Four Nations tournament after representing Fiji in the Pacific Cup last November. But Uate has good reason for making the switch - it's understood Australian selectors have earmarked him as a potential replacement for AFL-bound Israel Folau for the end-of-season Test program. Once again the Aussies stomp all over any development in international RL.

Why don't players declare which countries they are eligable for when they sign their first pro contract? Then once they have represented that country, they have to stick to it. Then they wear the nation they represent on their club shirt above their name i.e. Rally Drivers. Dead easy, no disputes or arguements.

Personally, i'm English but would be eligable for Wales, I could hold out for an England spot or choose Wales. But once I have made that decision it's hard lines if I want to switch back like Danny Brough or Jarryd Hayne.

players like Akuila uate are exactly the reason the ARL,RFL & NZRL won't close the loopholes that allows players to switch because once they become good enough they can snap them up.....nothing will ever change until we have a fully independent RLIF

Absolutely bang on mate. It's no wonder England don't win the WC as we have to play the 'southern hemisphere' rather than Australia or NZ. The best thing that could happen in the game today is an independant RLIF be formed and we can start to improve the International game properly.

TBF we aint that much better, fa'asavalu and now Manu. Dont recall either of them being born here. But I do agree that this changing nations thing is aload of rubbish. We should revert to the football way, and once you've played for a country, thats the only nation you can represent.

Yep, i hated fa'asavalu playing when I went to a GB game. And now Manu. Joke. I don't particulary mind the grandparent rule, just once you have chosen your team, stick to it.

All the Aussies care about is Australia. Always have always will.

nowt wrong with fa'asavalu playing for england....he qualifies exactly the same way as petro civonciva does



i'll grant you manu though....switching is the problem..not residency players or even grandparent players

Petro Civonciva moved to Australia before he was one, imo that would make him more of an Aussie. Fa'asavlua moved to England when he was around 24(?) and has absolutley no English heritage, it was just that he had been here for 3-4 years. Not really comparable. IMO theres everything wrong with Fa'asavalu playing for England.

As you said switch is a problem, I think everyone can agree on that, but I dont like residency players. Ive got no problem with those who have a heritage for a nation they play for, such as Richards who's parents were both born in Ireland.

I agree there BW. What's to stop a player of Island heritage playing in the NRL for an Aussie club for three years, moving to the Warriors for three years then moving to the SLE to play for an English club for three years and then finishing off at the Dragons for three years. He could have legitimately played for five different nations at the end of his career!!! Unlikely but possible. Could England now select Brent Webb?

It's simple.

You play for whatever country you are born in.

No exceptions.

The trouble with England is they have to rely on foreigners in their sporting sides because they can't produce enough quality ones of their own.

Look at the Cricket team. Its like South Africas second string.

Australian sports have NEVER used foreign players in their teams have they Bazza? By your rules it would have been bye bye Civonaceva, Tuqiri, El Masri, Fulton, Roberts etc. etc.