English Union proposes compensation from Unions aggressively pursuing eligibilty rules

[Car]

Well, I am glad to hear that. And as others said above newer rugby playing nations (at least in a professional sense) have far more of an excuse to adopt players on residency and parentage grounds as they won't yet have a supply of quality home developers players of the necessary level. I used Germany as an example as they have been quite open about asking foreign players to check their passports and family trees.

It does lead to discussions here, too, which is why the TV commentators and Totalrugby.de bring it up from time to time. I don't know about the new guys, but Totalrugby.de once wrote about Marcel Coetzee and Sebastian Ferreira something like "Even more South Africans, some of you might say. Yes, but they speak German as well as Afrikaans and are as German as they are South African". Yesterday, they mentioned during the match that Coetze speaks perfect German, lives here, has a German girlfriend and doesn't just have the "German shepherd" people love to bring up when questioning to which extent someone really is German (for people of German descent). They also said Dash Barber speaks German well and I know that Damien Tussac (German granny, Italian mother AFAIK) contacted both the German and the Italian federations and that Germany replied favourably. There were other examples in the past where the players contacted the DRV and said that they had a hard time reaching them, so not all of them were poached or have no contact to the country. Yes, it's an awful lot by now, but we'd really need to have a closer look at the players to tell if it's going to far or still ok.

 

[Car]

I just read on totalrugby.de's Facebook page that players from England, Fiji (!), France and South Africa (in addition to Germany) have been invited to a big tryout for the German 7s team.

 

[Da Grappla]

What's the point on watching a bunch of southerners playing against another bunch of southerners? I don't care whether they wear a shirt or another, I still see rugbiers for hire

 

[Frank Castle]

Sorry the residency rules are plain wrong and unfair on english players. Not sure if 2 wrongs make a right but do not think you can blame Scotland for trying to compete with that. As for developing the game in Scotland,you could say the game is only developed in the private schools in England as well. Not sure how viable it would be to have more private schools in Scotland .

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Sorry the residency rules are plain wrong and unfair on english players. Not sure if 2 wrongs make a right but do not think you can blame Scotland for trying to compete with that. As for developing the game in Scotland,you could say the game is only developed in the private schools in England as well. Not sure how viable it would be to have more private schools in Scotland .

I think it'd be incredibly viable to have pathways that aren't via private schools in Scotland, and in fairness there are some signs of that. They are trying to flag up the sport more at university level (and not just the "elite" ones). I also heard of efforts to identify talent in much younger age groups, I believe not only in private schools. So maybe longer term they'll focus much more on developing their own talent for a sport that enjoys huge public support in the country at a national level.

Here is the first poaching scalp from the newly appointed trio of childcatchers. A young English rugby league guy with a Scottish grandfather they are going to try and convert to a fly half.

https://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugb...league-u16-captain-callum-mclelland-1-4624808

"It's international sport Jim, but not as we know it!"

I'm not going to labour the point of each of these sort of signings, but by Jove I hope countries that have an home developed player base, like the Pumas and Boks, smash this lot into the ground when next they meet!

 

[snoopy snoopy dog dog]

http://www.irishrugby.ie/mobile/provincial/screening.php

Talent Identification

The Irish Exiles underpins the Talent identification and development pathway within which Irish qualified - IQ Rugby - athletes are provided the opportunity to showcase their ability and potential across the under 16 to under 18 age groups.

These opportunities are provided through quality coaching, medical, conditioning and management support.

February Screening Camps
IQ Rugby is offering any Irish Qualified player who did not attend the Regional Assessment days in October, the opportunity to attend either a North or South Regional Development Day in February 2018.

These two days have been scheduled to provide a playing and training assessment opportunity for any Irish Qualified players who were born in the year 2001 or 2002 and will take place at the following venues and times:

North Development Day - Sunday 11th February, 11:00am Start.
Venue: Leeds Beckett University, Headingley Campus, Leeds, Yorkshire, LS6 3QQ

South Development Day - Sunday 18th February, 11:00am Start.
Venue: Maidenhead RFC, Berkshire, SL6 1BN

Any individual wishing to attend MUST register their interest and availability here http://bit.do/IQRugbysignuphttp://bit.do/IQRugbysignup

http://bit.do/IQRugbysignup