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Brett Gosper: 3 Year Residency Rule to be changed?

A really interesting read for residency afficianados.

http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/40844915

Essentially, the Scottish Union is giving up on "project players" as they don't appear to consider this viable under the new 5 year term (as I anticipated).

This coincides with Scotland investing more on rearing their own domestic talent and last weeks annoucement of investing millions in a new 6 team semi-pro domestic league. All very positive to me and provides a clear incentive for them to identify and nurture young talent outside the narrow social demographics they have lazily relied upon in the past.

Gone are the days of getting a "kilted Kiwi" to plug in a gap in your international roster because the private school network haven't produced a decent outside centre in a while. Now we have stewardship of the game and the need to scour the country for promising kids no matter their parents income or their geographic location.

Of course, it can't all be good news! The Scottish Union are employing two folk to aggressively tap English players (and presumably SH players) of an increasingly young age that have a Scottish granny. But that conduct is at least more uniform across international sports so is perhaps a little easier to swallow. Still leaves a bitter taste with me personally though.

I've been amazed by the lack of movement in the transfer window this off season. This off season was the last chance to snap up "project players" under three year residency rules and only the Irish union appears to have realised that and purchased accordingly from SA, Oz and NZ. Unless I've missed transfer activity from the other 6N club sides?
 
I can't remember which player it was but I remmeber years ago a 'Scottish' player being from the channel islands (where apparently you can declare for any international team) and him saying "yeah my family have Scottish roots so I always wanted to play for them" and my braing think "I'm not good enough to play for England".

But yeah they'll try to find Scottish granny's and real youngsters but its a vast improvement at least the youngsters will be identified at an age where they might have some idea to be part of the nation they've declared for now.
 
At least the players will have some family link. It felt like the Nations were in danger of becoming glorified club sides.
 
Another article about the impact of residency changes.

http://www.kru.co.ke/news/future-of-hong-kong-rugby-on-display-in-nairobi/

It reads like Hong Kong take more than half their players on residency as visiting Uni students can qualify after a three year degree. Now that process will be cut off and the Hong Kong union realises it will be forced to engage with the millions of people who live in Hong Kong rather than run their own wee exclusive private club like they have been doing. Love it!
 

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