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<blockquote data-quote="Leonormous Boozer" data-source="post: 923425" data-attributes="member: 45598"><p>I'm surprised so many people value certain nationalistic views and "the spirit of the game" over seeing top class rugby. </p><p></p><p>Would you rather have 23 born and bred Scots throwing out the awful, or probably worse, rugby like they were for 15 years there recently or the good attacking team we all love to watch right now? </p><p></p><p>Same with a guy like CJ Stander, he is the most attritional player in rugby right now and he may not even have carved out a pro career longer than 5 years had he stayed in SA. He experienced massive improvement in his three years in Munster going from just about cutting it at pro12 level and not making European squads to a top class international. Ok, three years was too short a time period and that has since been changed but rugby is better for this guy playing internationally. </p><p></p><p>Shields too, that guy isn't a merc or anything like that he's someone whose goal is to play international rugby, his first choice didn't want him so he went to the country where his entire family before him were from and he gets criticised? Madness. </p><p></p><p>I think everyone needs to stop looking at this as if unions control players like pieces on a boardgame. Players choose their paths and if a player doesn't want to play for a country he won't. </p><p></p><p>I think the bad examples are in the minority and are cases like Vakatawa playing for France having been picked up as a teenager in Fiji, it is nothing short of exploitation but it's certainly the better option for the player and his family. </p><p></p><p>Also, calling test matches friendlies pretty much disregards all of rugby's history before 1987 apart from the 5 nations. International rugby is special because of how highly we regard matches where there's nothing but pride and stature on the line.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Leonormous Boozer, post: 923425, member: 45598"] I'm surprised so many people value certain nationalistic views and "the spirit of the game" over seeing top class rugby. Would you rather have 23 born and bred Scots throwing out the awful, or probably worse, rugby like they were for 15 years there recently or the good attacking team we all love to watch right now? Same with a guy like CJ Stander, he is the most attritional player in rugby right now and he may not even have carved out a pro career longer than 5 years had he stayed in SA. He experienced massive improvement in his three years in Munster going from just about cutting it at pro12 level and not making European squads to a top class international. Ok, three years was too short a time period and that has since been changed but rugby is better for this guy playing internationally. Shields too, that guy isn't a merc or anything like that he's someone whose goal is to play international rugby, his first choice didn't want him so he went to the country where his entire family before him were from and he gets criticised? Madness. I think everyone needs to stop looking at this as if unions control players like pieces on a boardgame. Players choose their paths and if a player doesn't want to play for a country he won't. I think the bad examples are in the minority and are cases like Vakatawa playing for France having been picked up as a teenager in Fiji, it is nothing short of exploitation but it's certainly the better option for the player and his family. Also, calling test matches friendlies pretty much disregards all of rugby's history before 1987 apart from the 5 nations. International rugby is special because of how highly we regard matches where there's nothing but pride and stature on the line. [/QUOTE]
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