Steffon Armitage wanting to play for France.?!

[goodNumber10]

who else is doing it?

 

[TheSaffycen]

The thing is it's not like they need a scrum half/number 8/fly halfs. I wouldn't be so annoyed at them if they had a huge Injury crisis and they had one fit scrum half, because then at least there was an excuse.

 

[Big Ewis]

Every country is doing the same. France just have more foreigners to choose from. If the rules are a joke then expect this kind of thing to happen.

for sure, but it's still a fkng scam and it's still a disgrace. Actually no, I don't feel shame from this...it's just too ridiculous. It's like every PSA and FFR have done in 3 years: comical.

who else is doing it?

well in other sports it happens all the time. Like Saudi or Qatari sports teams are absolute poaches.
A notorious case in basketball is Serge Ibaka poached by Spain. The guy has no ties whatsoever with Spain, bought out, every single penny. He's French Congolais, plays in the NBA.
Brad Barritt for England is a poach.
Not targeting England but Ben Gordon is a poach, bball again.
NZ and AUS I don't know the exact details and usually it's legal and perfectly acceptable but down the line it's obvious have poached from the supremely talented islands that are Tonga, Samoa and Fiji.

If the rules allow for shiit like this to happen, they'll happen. Trust me, I'm not praising France as I say this, but here it's just a matter of how much money and power their Rugby has and how good they are at doing it.

The thing is it's not like they need a scrum half/number 8/fly halfs. I wouldn't be so annoyed at them if they had a huge Injury crisis and they had one fit scrum half, because then at least there was an excuse.

of course not. That's why the symptoms are so apparent. The problem is not the one they claim it is, and that's the symptom right there.

 

[profitius]

who else is doing it?

All tier 1 sides have foreigners playing for them. England has plenty over the years and Australia and the Celts are actively recruiting foreigners.


That doesn't make it right. I'd have a hard line attitude on it if I got to make the rules. I would tell U20s to pick their country and that's that. Maybe allow tier 2 sides some slack.

 

[Feicarsinn]

All tier 1 sides have foreigners playing for them. England has plenty over the years and Australia and the Celts are actively recruiting foreigners.

And I think it's a shame for the game in general. Extending the residency rule to 5-7 years and locking internationals to one side (I can't believe rugby is in this situation again) is the only way to restore some credibility to the international game.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

F'ckin hell ewis.
Barritt isn't a poach because he was eligible before he arrived in the uk, and then played in the uk for several years before getting capped.
It's not like he was on the cusp of a bok callup and we ran in and snatched him away.
If you've got a player playing in your country who is eligible it is NOT A POACH.

 

[goodNumber10]

All tier 1 sides have foreigners playing for them. England has plenty over the years and Australia and the Celts are actively recruiting foreigners.


That doesn't make it right. I'd have a hard line attitude on it if I got to make the rules. I would tell U20s to pick their country and that's that. Maybe allow tier 2 sides some slack.

the difference being Armitage and James already threw their hats in with one team and are now moving to another..

i don't care about the poaching i care that these guys are openly saying they will use the 7's rules to bring in non-eligible players.

 

[gaston le gaff]

Personnal i would go one further and use the passport, whatever it says on your pasport and if you change passports then only by marriage but then we would have arranged marriages, so like the Aussie Skelton, getting hitched to some great looking French chick so he could play rugby for France, this is just opening up the rule book for abuse. one country and no more, look at the case of Robins Chale-Watchou from Montpellier, he came on as a sub i think for Cameroun 1st game and got red carded he lasted 10 mins on the park, his International career is fu**** and the other side of the coin everybody and anybody could be playing for France it's ridiculous!!!!!!!

 

[ratsapprentice]

Brad Barritt has had a GB Passport since birth.

Not saying that we haven't had any poaches - but I think BB is a fairly legitimate case.
Wouldn't have had issue with him playing for Zim, SA or England.

 

[Patchey]

Brad Barritt has had a GB Passport since birth.

Not saying that we haven't had any poaches - but I think BB is a fairly legitimate case.
Wouldn't have had issue with him playing for Zim, SA or England.

Yup. In a way he's a bit like JOC, could have played for multiple teams and maybe ended up playing for the one who he may technically have the least ties too. No issue with either.

 

[Big Ewis]

Barritt is called a "South-African born English" player in his biography, indeed was born in S.A., developed as a Saffer player, played his first pro ball (and I'm guessing was trained in a Saffer academy) at Natal Sharks where he played 3 years. He even played for S.A. under 21 and represented the Emerging Springboks.
Poach, but anyways...

 

[goodNumber10]

it's a slightly different context tot he armitage thing though Ewis.

I don't have an issue with Kockott. But Armitage and James.

Tell you one thing if Armitage had any hopes of playing for england i reckon they are well and truly shot through now.

 

[Big Ewis]

it's a slightly different context tot he armitage thing though Ewis.

I don't have an issue with Kockott. But Armitage and James.

Tell you one thing if Armitage had any hopes of playing for england i reckon they are well and truly shot through now.

not saying it isn't. Conversation moved to France poaching a ton of foreigners, then how other nations and other sports did the same, then me including Brad Barritt as a poach, ppl contesting it is, my reply to that.

Well I have an issue with Kockott and Brock James but I don't with Steff Armitage haha. I have an issue with all those guys listed up there in that article you posted, except the likes of Nakaitaci, because of the stated reasons, and Armitage, also stated.

 

[FrenchFan]

we'll squeeze every pint of blood & sweat ouf them boys.

It would be hilarious to get a result in the next WC with some of these guys on board.

they'll have to give their all and their hole and more to the Bleu cause

Then. Only then, can they go home.

 

[FrenchFan]

it's a slightly different context tot he armitage thing though Ewis.

I don't have an issue with Kockott. But Armitage and James.

Tell you one thing if Armitage had any hopes of playing for england i reckon they are well and truly shot through now.

Well he's been waiting long enough for the call. Can't wait forever. What's Lancaster waiting for when so many are saying he is the best 7 in Europe?

 

[Big Ewis]

we'll squeeze every pint of blood & sweat ouf them boys.

It would be hilarious to get a result in the next WC with some of these guys on board.

they'll have to give their all and their hole and more to the Bleu cause

Then. Only then, can they go home.

mdrrr :lol:
I love it when you say that hahaha, we're stingy even with the foreigners we poach at Rugby haha, fkng slave owners !!

And yes, tbh, it would be absolutely HILARIOUS, I'm not being sarcastic, it would be HILARIOUS if fake France made the final or something, that XV I made a bit earlier. I wouldn't care if that team won or lost, it would just be for entertainment purely. How far can this basterd go :lol:
IMAAAAAAAGINE if we actually WIN THE WORLD CUP with a 66% poached squad !! :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[FrenchFan]

but they're not poaches "If you've got a player playing in your country who is eligible it is NOT A POACH."

 

[Big Ewis]

but they're not poaches "If you've got a player playing in your country who is eligible it is NOT A POACH."

l'enfooooooirééééé
aaaah you know what, I guess you're right Mr. FrenchFan, after all your logic is by all accounts universally and objectively irrefutable. Good show, well done.
France is going to become an all-you-can-eat buffet soon with our billionaire Top 14 and the players they'll attract...
hey btw, how's it happenin' with our dear (and very own !) Edwin Maka ?

 

[Darwin]

At least France aren't trying to hide anything and are being rather open about their poaching ambitions

 

[gaston le gaff]

is that a compliment!!!!!!!!!! few and far between on this thread!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!