Australia vs England - 3 Tests - June 2016

[johnmac99]

Why are we talking about that classless ******? He's not even eligible until the end of the year and this is about the summer tour.

There are many posts on here that are not specifically about the summer tour, some by you.

Do we take it you're not a Hughes fan?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Love him as a player, but don't think he should represent England.
Turned down the chance to represent his country because he wants more money.
Why would we want someone like that representing our country?
Look at the levels of commitment that Fijian winger showed when playing for France, it was laughable.

 

[Tony Manx]

Love him as a player, but don't think he should represent England. Turned down the chance to represent his country because he wants more money. Why would we want someone like that representing our country?.

Jolly gosh and I thought I was "old school"!!

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Jolly gosh and I thought I was "old school"!!

Olyy is so old school he was there when rugby was born.

 

[Maverick1987]

Love him as a player, but don't think he should represent England.
Turned down the chance to represent his country because he wants more money.
Why would we want someone like that representing our country?
Look at the levels of commitment that Fijian winger showed when playing for France, it was laughable.

Yeh but look at the levels of commitment you get from Faletau in a Wales shirt or Nel/Cowan/Hardie in a Scotland shirt . Because the Fijian wing didn't care doesn't mean Hughes won't, He might care more than anyone . Until the day comes when he's not even trying then I'm happy for him to play . If he's as good at international level as club/European level then he will be playing sooner rather than later

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Faletau who was raised in Wales?
I just have very little respect for Hughes after turning Fiji down, especially after representing them at A level.

 

[Maverick1987]

Faletau who was raised in Wales?
I just have very little respect for Hughes after turning Fiji down, especially after representing them at A level.

I know exactly what you mean but it's best to see what happens . He might not make the step up to international level anyway as so many players don't

 

[RedruthRFC]

Olyy is so old school he was there when rugby was born.

No doubt still brooding over Alexander Obolensky turning his back on Russia!

 

[j'nuh]

Turned down the chance to represent his country because he wants more money.

If he was turning down Wales or Australia to play for England, I'd agree that it would come across as quite selfish.

But Fiji? This is a country that made their sevens coach work three months unpaid because they didn't have the money to pay him. This is a country that had to make their players pay for their own plane flights, and only allowed them £500 per week living expenses during the WC.

Fiji also has GDP per capita a quarter of that of the UK. I think people who grow up in less affluent countries put a different kind of emphasis on money, which is totally understandable IMO. The money Hughes makes whilst a rugby player may well be his and his family's security for life.

But I also think there are other angles. If it was purely money, he wouldn't have gone to the at-the-time financially struggling Wasps; he'd have gone to France. In fact, financially, it probably still makes sense for him to be a non-international player playing in the Top14 on a lucrative contract, than playing for less in England and hoping to be picked for England for the extra windfall.

Playing for England gives Hughes a chance to compete at the highest level and make a real name for himself, and fulfil a sense of personal pride that he probably wouldn't have the chance of fulfilling with Fiji.

There is also the frustration that some Pacific Islanders may have with the reputed corruption of their governments/rugby bodies.

Look at the levels of commitment that Fijian winger showed when playing for France, it was laughable.

Think it's harsh to judge Hughes on the merits of someone else.

 

[Peat]

Love him as a player, but don't think he should represent England.
Turned down the chance to represent his country because he wants more money.
Why would we want someone like that representing our country?
Look at the levels of commitment that Fijian winger showed when playing for France, it was laughable.

Because he'll probably make us a better team.

Think it's harsh to judge Hughes on the merits of someone else.

It's a lot of things and none of them good.

No offence Olyy, but you sound like a man who knows he's lost the argument.

 

[Tony Manx]

No offence Olyy, but you sound like a man who knows he's lost the argument.

Sorry was there an argument?

Think Olyy was only repeating his long held views which were valid in the olden days!

Rugby and the transfer of allegiance whether club or country are now so common place they are now the norm!

 

[Don't Skip Leg Day]

They might be common place but that doesn't make it right to switch from Fiji to England. I second the view that I don't want him playing for England as he's not English, not done the hard yards in the English system and had no English relatives.

He's in it for the money and all that does is make international rugby a club game. Players playing for money and not representing their country.

That's my view and its shares by a lot of people round the country.

 

[McTallshort]

They might be common place but that doesn't make it right to switch from Fiji to England. I second the view that I don't want him playing for England as he's not English, not done the hard yards in the English system and had no English relatives.

He's in it for the money and all that does is make international rugby a club game. Players playing for money and not representing their country.

That's my view and its shares by a lot of people round the country.

+1

 

[ncurd]

Yup I'm struggling to think of someone more blatantly mercenary most other at least have family ties.

I suspect Roko is the closest but he fought for the British Army and that gives him more than enough credit to play rugby for us.

 

[Peat]

Sorry was there an argument?

Think Olyy was only repeating his long held views which were valid in the olden days!

Rugby and the transfer of allegiance whether club or country are now so common place they are now the norm!

I thought he was trying to persuade people not to talk about Hughes?

And by the olden days, do you mean back when people playing for two different countries was not unheard of? Bill Hardcastle had played for both Aus and NZ before we even reached 1900...

 

[Tony Manx]

I take the point that it is not right, ethical or desired but then again neither are some of the real changes to rugby over the last years since professionalism was legitimized (in my opinion).

But am afraid it is a "faite accompli" and whether we like it or not, we have to suck it........or, of course, rebel against it with boycotts of Twickers and International games!

Repeating one's opinion, no matter how strongly held and expressed, will do nothing!

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

I'm with Olyy on this TBH.

It's not like he has a blood relation or that he wasn't wanted by Fiji who made him vice captain for the Fiji Warriors.

Hell it isn't like he came over with the intent of playing for England.

As said Roko is in the British army and TBF he has only played pro rugby in England.

I can live with the likes of
Ewers
Williams
Harrison
Etc etc
Playing for England, but this does slightly annoy me.

 

[Willodell100]

I blame the system not the player. A system that allows the likes of Hughes to represent two countries is a flawed one.

While I definitely don't agree with it & don't want to see Hughes playing for England he is simply trying to make the most of the opportunity that the inept IRB have opened up for him and others. I don't blame him at all for exploiting his talents to the maximum. I do the same in my career and, fortunately for me, mine isn't half as risky or as short as a rugby players.

Why don't the authorities do away with the qualification system altogether?

In summary don't hate the player, hate the game!

 

[johnmac99]

The qualification for players is world-wide and if they meet the criteria they are allowed to play for whichever team they choose that wants them.

This doesn't just apply to Hughes and it doesn't just apply to England.

There are not many, if any, international teams that don't have non-nationals who have qualified through other allowable criteria.

Hughes qualifies for Fiji and Samoa at the moment but was playing for Auckland Blues in 2013 and was refused a senior contract at the Super Rugby franchise, who wanted him to continue in the development team, so he turned his attention overseas.

He came to Wasps attention and director of rugby and former Wales prop Dai Young describes Hughes' potential as "frightening".

In 2014 he said "Nathan certainly doesn't have any Welsh heritage, I've checked!" Young said. "Nathan is exciting because he's still so raw. He's a real ball of energy. It's frightening because he has a lot of growing to do and this is the first professional environment he's been in. He'll only get better from here."

Hughes could have represented Fiji or Samoa at the last World Cup but said "I'm not going to make any decisions yet, I still need more experience. Down the line I'll start making a decision over who to play for," he said. "I have Fijian and Samoan backgrounds, but if I wait a bit longer I might be able to play for England as well."

He will qualify for England through residency at the end of June, as per WRU rules, so if Eddie Jones wants him then I have no problems with it and look forward to seeing him and any other players that are eligible for selection, and are good enough, in a white shirt.

 

[johnmac99]

After listening to Eddie Jones talking about Ben Te'o, I thought I'd do a bit of research and came across this article which I found so interesting I thought I'd share it.

http://www.rugbyworld.com/news/analysis-eddie-jones-see-ben-teo-55681