Leinster signing eligible for England

Editor

Sam Burgess is not the only NRL champion targeting Stuart Lancaster’s World Cup squad, with teammate Ben Te’o also eligible for England.

Sam Burgess is not the only NRL champion targeting Stuart Lancaster’s World Cup squad, with teammate Ben Te’o also eligible for England.

The 27-year-old played alongside Burgess for the South Sydney Rabbitohs as they claimed the NRL title this weekend, and he will now join Leinster for the rest of the season.

However, Te’o, who was born in New Zealand, holds a British passport through his mother who was born and raised in London.

That means that he could choose to play for England in union, having already played league internationally for Samoa.

It is unlikely though, that he could play in next year’s World Cup, given that he has signed a two-year deal with Leinster and therefore falls foul of the RFU’s decision not to pick players overseas.

“I am eligible for England but that’s a long shot that World Cup,” Te’o told the Courier Mail.

“I’ve got no expectations of what I’m going to achieve, like I said, I just want to go and have fun. If it eventuates it does, if not I’m just happy to play for Leinster and have fun.

“I just want to learn the game, I want to contribute to the new organisation I’m going to and I want to have fun.

“I want to be free, travel and meet new guys. It’s all new experiences. I just want to be free.”