Carl Fearns

[JJFlash]

According to the Rugbyrama website here in France, Carl Fearns (no. 8 for Lyon in the Top14) has declared that he wants to play for France!
He becomes eligible for les Bleus at the end of this season and is one of three named as best Top14 player of last season.
Apparently, Fearns wasn't too happy with the comments of Eddie Jones during a phone conversation they had with regard to his chances of being considered for England, allegedly telling Fearns that he's a whinger and that he wouldn't last 15 minutes in Test rugby, disregarding the fact that he'd be obliged to play his rugby in England.
Good luck to him is what I say, although with King Louis, the current no 8 in the French team, he'll have his work cut out, but he could well become a bench option covering 6 and 8.
If he eventually does make the side and plays against England, Eddie Jones may come to regret his words.
A suivre, as we say in France!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Ridiculous
I love fearns, and he's comfortably good enough for international rugby, but nationality switching is ridiculous.
Also isn't he tied to England through the Saxons anyway?

 

[ratsapprentice]

Seems to me he's kinda proving Eddie right...

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Yeh was looking forward to seeing Fearns in England again but seems like Eddie had a good read on him.

 

[Every Time Ref]

Sounds like the actions of a whinger to me.

Does he have any French connection aside from residency?

 

[JJFlash]

No

Does he have any French connection aside from residency?

None that I'm aware of.
I haven't seen him play but by all accounts he's very well thought about and I'd be pleased for him if he does manage to play for France.

All this "nationality swapping" is coming in for a lot of stick - and rightly so, but as long as the rules of residency don't change (or in Toby Flood's case, applying for a German passport as I believe his mother is German) then good luck to the players who exploit the loopholes therein.
As far as Fearns is concerned, the door to the England XV has been slammed by Eddie Jones and if he's got the balls to put his hand up for selection for France then good for him.
As Olyy writes in post #2 above, he's comfortably good enough for international rugby, and I hope he gets the opportunity.

 

[ratsapprentice]

No



None that I'm aware of.
I haven't seen him play but by all accounts he's very well thought about and I'd be pleased for him if he does manage to play for France.

All this "nationality swapping" is coming in for a lot of stick - and rightly so, but as long as the rules of residency don't change (or in Toby Flood's case, applying for a German passport as I believe his mother is German) then good luck to the players who exploit the loopholes therein.
As far as Fearns is concerned, the door to the England XV has been slammed by Eddie Jones and if he's got the balls to put his hand up for selection for France then good for him.
As Olyy writes in post #2 above, he's comfortably good enough for international rugby, and I hope he gets the opportunity.

Eh?

 

[JJFlash]

Eh?

No, neither live nor on telly (don't have one!)

 

[TRF_Olyy]

The door has only been slammed shut on his England career because Fearns crapped out on his Gloucester contract and stayed in France.
From the article I read Jones basically said he thinks fearns is a bench player for now because he questions his fitness for the full 80, and then they argued on the phone as fearns claims the top 14 is as intense as international rugby.
It sounds like Eddie phoned him to tell him he was a big fan but not to expect to walk into a starting shirt and will need to work hard.
Fearns said "nah **** that I'll play for France instead"

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

The door has only been slammed shut on his England career because Fearns crapped out on his Gloucester contract and stayed in France.
From the article I read Jones basically said he thinks fearns is a bench player for now because he questions his fitness for the full 80, and then they argued on the phone as fearns claims the top 14 is as intense as international rugby.
It sounds like Eddie phoned him to tell him he was a big fan but not to expect to walk into a starting shirt and will need to work hard.
Fearns said "nah **** that I'll play for France instead"

Oh so he exited the Gloucester contract and then had this conversation with Eddie? I assumed (and thought I read) that he exited the contract because of this conversation with Eddie.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Oh so he exited the Gloucester contract and then had this conversation with Eddie? I assumed (and thought I read) that he exited the contract because of this conversation with Eddie.

No, he did exit it because of the conversation.
I meant the door is fully closed on his England career because he's still in France. If he moved to Gloucester he'd have the opportunity to prove to EJ that he's an international starting standard player, either through training camps or getting some game time off the bench.
In France he's an irrelevance and someone who **** out on a contract because a coach questioned his fitness.

 

[BPM]

The door has only been slammed shut on his England career because Fearns crapped out on his Gloucester contract and stayed in France.
From the article I read Jones basically said he thinks fearns is a bench player for now because he questions his fitness for the full 80, and then they argued on the phone as fearns claims the top 14 is as intense as international rugby.
It sounds like Eddie phoned him to tell him he was a big fan but not to expect to walk into a starting shirt and will need to work hard.
Fearns said "nah **** that I'll play for France instead"

Yeah - this is pretty much how I read it.

He knew what he was doing by backing out of the Gloucester move and it shows a massive error of judgement/lack of awareness of Eddie's style to argue with him rather than taking the stick and stating his case on the pitch.

 

[ratsapprentice]

No, neither live nor on telly (don't have one!)

How can you make any judgements on his quality then?

 

[JJFlash]

I'm not judging his quality, only passing on what I've been reading.

 

[FrenchFan]

According to the Rugbyrama website here in France, Carl Fearns (no. 8 for Lyon in the Top14) has declared that he wants to play for France!
He becomes eligible for les Bleus at the end of this season and is one of three named as best Top14 player of last season.

Doesn't matter he is eligible. Laporte has said he no longer wants foreigners in the French team.

FFR has opted to ignore the residency rule from now on. The door is closed.

https://www.therugbyforum.com/threads/no-more-foreigners-in-france-team-says-laporte.38542/

 

[Which Tyler]

He played for England Saxons, so he's not eligible anyway until he's played 3(?) 7s tournies for France

 

[TRF_Olyy]

He played for England Saxons, so he's not eligible anyway until he's played 3(?) 7s tournies for France

You need a passport for that loophole as well, don't you? Which is 5yrs continuous residency, so he can chuck another two onto his timeline
Plus I don't think he's really built for 7s

 

[The Jones Boy]

Eddie Jones ran into player issues during his time as Aussie coach.
He has a caustic edge that can grate on players. I wonder if thats why he's never stayed anywhere for long?
Seems like old habits die hard.
I don't know how good he is but he must be pretty handy if Jonesy is giving him some curry to get back to play in England.
He probably got under Eddie's skin when he told him that there's no room for him in the England back row now he has so many Polynesians in the squad.

 

[McTallshort]

Eddie Jones ran into player issues during his time as Aussie coach.
He has a caustic edge that can grate on players. I wonder if thats why he's never stayed anywhere for long?
Seems like old habits die hard.
I don't know how good he is but he must be pretty handy if Jonesy is giving him some curry to get back to play in England.
He probably got under Eddie's skin when he told him that there's no room for him in the England back row now he has so many Polynesians in the squad.

Good point Jones Boy, everyone who is slating Fearns seem happy to except the likes of Nathan Hughes and Ben Te'oa.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Good point Jones Boy, everyone who is slating Fearns seem happy to except the likes of Nathan Hughes and Ben Te'oa.

What?
There was a pretty big backlash against both of them being selected
Teo has far more claim to an England shirt than Fearns for a France one anyway. Hughes can still **** off though