jamesliveinhope says...

@efti, not sure of the exact detail of the rules but nations nominate their "representative" sides - for most its the A side but Wales, who seem to prefer not to run with an A side, nominated their U20s.

Posted 16:27 08th March 2012

pembs says...

I'm assuming you didnt read the story then efti? It's pretty self explanatory

Posted 16:16 08th March 2012

maria14 says...

@efti

the easiest way to explain that is that, every normal modern rugby union have two teams PLUS that union's sevens team, SA have the boks and emerging Boks, OZ have the wanabies and Austrialia A, England have their senior team and the saxons, NZ have the All blacks and the Moiris and so on, but countries like Wales and the Pacific Island Nations dont have the player pool to field two teams SSSOOO in that case these unions would use their Under 20's as the second team and thus tie the player to the union. Where as for the other unions like SA, OZ and NZ the players that contest in those U20 games are not tied to the union and free to choose a union if they are eligable through residance OR family tree!!

Posted 15:58 08th March 2012

jamesliveinhope says...

@Sea_point, what's more relevant and the issue which makes it such a sorry state of affairs, is would Wales ever want to pick him?

I have a tiny amount of sympathy here for the WRU (very very tiny). Whatever the moral position, they have to establish a precedent to prevent wholesale departure of their talent base to the first nation with a hole to fill. But, now that precedent has been established there must be a mechanism now for Wales to back off and not become a dog in the manger. Otherwise, we have a situation where a promising young player has just had his international aspirations p***sed away for the sake of politics.

There is a potential backlash to this, if you were a student in Wales or have multiway qualification (as many British players do) would you want to go any where near the schools rugby system in Wales?

Posted 14:25 08th March 2012

APV1 says...

@ Sea_Point - more to the point, will the WRU want HIM?

Posted 14:03 08th March 2012