World Rugby does Pacific nations goo d
WORLD Rugby ain’t the most popular organisation in South Africa, but perceived biases against the Springboks and sanctioning of one of South Africa’s most beloved citizens aside, what they decided this week deserves kudos.
The game’s gatekeepers ratified their new international eligibility rules, making it easier for players to switch which nation they represent at Test level. This won’t have a tangible or immediate impact on the Springboks but for the Pacific rugby nations, it is a game-changer.
Under the new regulations, passed by the required 75% and applicable from 1 January next year, players can transfer from one national team to another, provided their parents or grandparents were born in the country they intend to switch allegiance to; and they have been stood down from Test rugby for 36 months. A player can make this switch only once, with World Rugby approving each case to preserve the integrity of the process.
It means that players that have been locked out at Test level for having played a handful of Test matches for a nation – such as former All Black flyhalf Charles Piutau, who played 17 matches for New Zealand, the last of which was in 2015 – can now declare themselves for another nation. The biggest winners of this new regulation are Tonga, Samoa and Fiji, although the latter won’t benefit as much as the other two.
Earlier this year, Tonga was mauled 102-0 by New Zealand due to a matchday squad that was largely made-up of amateurs and semi-professional players, and also for reasons of Covid-19. The result left a unpalatable taste in the mouth and genuine anger towards World Rugby that it had allowed the fixture.
It certainly didn’t help Tonga, or the reputation of Test rugby but such an outcome might very well be a thing of the past. The island-nation can now choose former All Blacks such as Piutau, centre Malakai Fekitoa, utility-back George Moala, centre Pita Ahki, scrumhalf Augustine Pulu, utility-back Francis Saili and forward Vaea Fifita; as well as ex-Wallaby fullback Israel Folau. Current England players Billy and Mako Vunipola could play for Tonga from 2024 onwards, if they so choose.
Samoa at the 2023 World Cup will be a completely different beast, as they could bolster their ambitions with former New Zealand No 10 Lima Sopoaga, “The Bus” Julian Savea, flank Victor Vito, lock Steven Luatua; and England international Denny Solomona. Even Ardie Savea, who recently captained the Kiwis, could decide to change to Samoa in years to come
Fiji, meanwhile, could benefit from players such as Waisake Naholo and Seta Tamanivalu.
These are big names, and will change the complexion of the teams they play for almost immediately. For years, World Rugby has seemed to leave the Pacific nations to their own devices, which has seen a sharp decline in the quality of rugby played by those teams.
This decision then, is a step in the right direction to restore those nations to be more competitive, and that can only be good for the game at Test and provincial level.
World Rugby might not always get it right, but at first glance here, they have done good.