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Elsom to "head back to Oz"
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<blockquote data-quote="snoopy snoopy dog dog" data-source="post: 264710"><p>I'll be sad to see Elsom leave since he was immense for Leinster. It wouldn't surprise me if he wound up captaining a potential new Melbourne franchise with Michael Cheika as head coach in 2011.</p><p></p><p><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Steve-o @ May 29 2009, 12:56 PM) <a href="http://index.php?act=findpost&pid=398099" target="_blank"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div></p><p>I'll chime in if I may. In Ireland we have the same problem in soccer. Every time a top 14 or 15 year old emerges, he's picked up by (gererally) an English club and brought through their academy. The result is a far inferior domestic league and most people in this country supporting English clubs. Likewise the top players from around the planet make their way to the top teams in Europe because that's where the money is. </p><p></p><p>It's what I see happening in rugby over the next decade. Top players will follow the money trail in greater numbers and the NZRU and ARU will be forced to relax their criteria for playing for their countries (or else they'll field inadequate sides). We're already seeing a slight relaxation of those criteria whereby if a player plays for a foreign based team in the Super 14 he won't be ruled out of contention for national team selection (John O'Neill has said this). </p><p></p><p><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Steve-o @ May 29 2009, 12:56 PM) <a href="http://index.php?act=findpost&pid=398099" target="_blank"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div></p><p>That's a very valid point and makes a mockery of the IRBs eligibility rules. In my opinion rugby should adopt a policy more in keeping with that of FIFA whereby a player is only eligible to play for a given country via parentage, grandparentage or having a passport. I dislike the current three year residency rule intensely but while it's in place I don't begrudge teams taking advantage of it.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="snoopy snoopy dog dog, post: 264710"] I'll be sad to see Elsom leave since he was immense for Leinster. It wouldn't surprise me if he wound up captaining a potential new Melbourne franchise with Michael Cheika as head coach in 2011. <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Steve-o @ May 29 2009, 12:56 PM) [url='index.php?act=findpost&pid=398099']<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/url]</div> I'll chime in if I may. In Ireland we have the same problem in soccer. Every time a top 14 or 15 year old emerges, he's picked up by (gererally) an English club and brought through their academy. The result is a far inferior domestic league and most people in this country supporting English clubs. Likewise the top players from around the planet make their way to the top teams in Europe because that's where the money is. It's what I see happening in rugby over the next decade. Top players will follow the money trail in greater numbers and the NZRU and ARU will be forced to relax their criteria for playing for their countries (or else they'll field inadequate sides). We're already seeing a slight relaxation of those criteria whereby if a player plays for a foreign based team in the Super 14 he won't be ruled out of contention for national team selection (John O'Neill has said this). <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Steve-o @ May 29 2009, 12:56 PM) [url='index.php?act=findpost&pid=398099']<{POST_SNAPBACK}>[/url]</div> That's a very valid point and makes a mockery of the IRBs eligibility rules. In my opinion rugby should adopt a policy more in keeping with that of FIFA whereby a player is only eligible to play for a given country via parentage, grandparentage or having a passport. I dislike the current three year residency rule intensely but while it's in place I don't begrudge teams taking advantage of it. [/QUOTE]
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